July 2024 - Finds of the Month Entries

[digit]

REMINDER: PLEASE carefully read ALL of the rules below.

Make sure you include all the required information, IN THE REQUESTED FORMAT (below) when you submit your fossil! 

If you have a question about a possible entry, please send me (or any staff) a PM.

Please pay special attention to Rule #5: 

Before and After Preparation Photos must be submitted for prepped specimens NOT  found during the Month of the Contest.

In addition to keeping the contest fair, this new qualification will encourage better documentation of our spectacular past finds.

Entries will be taken until 11:59:00 PM EDT on JULY 31, 2024

Any fossil submitted after that time, even if the topic is still open, will be deemed ineligible! 

 

Only entries posted with CLEAR photos and that meet the other guidelines will be placed into the Poll. 

Photos of the winning specimens may be posted to TFF's Facebook page.

 

Please let us know if you have any questions, and thanks for sharing more of your fossils and research this month.

 

Shortly after the end of the Month, separate Polls will be created for the Vertebrate and Invertebrate/Plant Find of the Month.

 

In addition to the fun of a contest, we also want to learn more about the fossils. 

Tell us more about your fossil, and why you think it is worthy of the honor. 

To view the Winning Fossils from past contests visit the Find Of The Month Winner's Gallery.

 

Now, go find your fossil, do your research, and make an entry!
Best of success to all, and good hunting!

 

***********************************

Rules for The Fossil Forum's Vertebrate and Invertebrate/Plant Find of the Month Contests

1. Find a great Vertebrate Fossil or Invertebrate/Plant Fossil! Only fossils found personally by you are allowed. NO PURCHASED FOSSILS.
2. Post your entry in the Find of the Month topic. Use a separate post for each entry. (Only two entries per member per contest category.)
3. Your fossil must have been found during the Month of the Contest, or Significant Preparation * of your fossil must have been completed during the Month of the Contest.
4. You must include the Date of Discovery (when found in the contest month); or the Date of Preparation Completion and Date of Discovery (if not found in the contest month).
5. Before and After Preparation photos must be submitted for prepped specimens not found during the Month of the Contest. Please make sure you arrange for photos if someone else is preparing your fossil find, and completes the MAJORITY of prep in the contest month. Pre-Prep Photos need to be dated with the start of the month date, and then finished prep date must be supplied.  Entries not including this information/photos will be disqualified.
6. You must include the Common and/or Scientific Name.
7. You must include the Geologic Age or Geologic Formation where the fossil was found.
8. You must include the State, Province, or region where the fossil was found.
9. You must include CLEAR, cropped, well-lit images (maximum 4 images). If you are proud enough of your fossil to submit it for FOTM, spend some time to take good photos to show off your fossil.
10. Play fair and honest. No bought fossils. No false claims.

 

* Significant Preparation = Substantial work to reveal and/or repair important diagnostic features, resulting in a dramatic change in the look of the fossil. The qualification of Significant Preparation is decided at the discretion of staff. Any doubts as to the eligibility of the entry will be discussed directly with the entrant.

 

PLEASE READ AND UNDERSTAND THE RULES BEFORE YOU POST!!!

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT A MOD OR ADMIN.
ENTRIES NOT FOLLOWING THE REQUESTED FORMAT WILL BE ELIMINATED FROM THE CONTEST!!

 

******* Please use the following format for the required information: *******

 

Information about your find. A short paragraph or sentence or two about why it should be fossil of the month.

Rarity, completeness, beauty, etc.

 

 

• Date of Discovery  [month, day, year]

• Preparation Completion Date (if prepped) [month, day, year]

• Scientific and/or Common Name

• Geologic Formation and/or Geologic Age

• State, Province, or Region Found

• Photos of Find  (Please limit to 4 clear, cropped, and well-lit images.) (If prepped, before and after photos are required, please.)

[Fossildude19]

For the sake of adhering to the rules, finds will have to be approved, before being seen by the membership at large.

They will be approved as the mods/admins have time to check for proper formatting, identification,  prep dates, etc.

READ THE RULES CAREFULLY!

 

ANY ENTRIES NOT FOLLOWING THE REQUESTED FORMAT or PROVIDING NEEDED DETAILS WILL BE DISQUALIFIED!!!

[Collector9658]

This is an interesting, and one of the best straight-shelled nautiloid cephalopod fossils I've recovered from my home state. The shell has been replaced with crystal, and I'm uncertain if it can be ID'd. The specimen measures 3.2 inches in length.

 

 

 

• Date of Discovery: July 8, 2024

• Scientific and/or Common Name: Straight-Shelled Nautiloid Cephalopod 

• Geologic Formation and/or Geologic Age: Decorah Formation 

• State, Province, or Region Found: Missouri

 

 

[trilobites_are_awesome]

Amazing!

[Masonk]

Up for consideration for FOTM is this Plesiosaur vertebra foudn while sifting in a brook. While condition isn't the greatest, it's not a common find for Monmouth Co., NJ.  By far one of my favorite NJ fossil finds!

 

• Date of Discovery: July 12th, 2024

• Scientific and/or Common Name: Elasmosauridae sp./Plesiosaur vertebra

• Geologic Formation and/or Geologic Age: Wenonah Fm./Cretaceous

• State, Province, or Region Found: Monmouth County, New Jersey

 

 

 

[Kane]

This 12 cm (~5") prone Isotelus platycephalus was found during the long weekend up here in Canada. It was in a very crumbly, argillaceous layer with high energy, and thus parts were more the norm. Fully articulated specimens of I. platycephalus are exceedingly rare. I asked one of the world's premier experts on Isotelus, David Rudkin, for his opinion, and he confirmed the taxonomic assignment, as did William Hessin. 

 

This trilobite does come with a human story. It was the result of a 35 km (~20 mile hike) with 50 lbs of water and tools, and then an equal amount on the way out where water was replaced by fossil finds. upon my return, my beloved cat Bebert had gone missing, and is presumed dead at this point. So I dedicate this trilobite to him. I wish I had had the opportunity to say goodbye, but he was very well loved for his 13.5 years of life.

 

Many issues in the preparation. Apart from the very flaky layers that required abundant stabilization, it was also encrusted on the right side with excessive tiny ostracods. I had to perform some restoration on the eyes, right cheek, and a few missing chips in the shell. There is still some touch-up work to do, and I will update the final photo once that is completed. 

 

 

 

• Date of Discovery  [month, day, year]: July 1, 2024

• Preparation Completion Date (if prepped) [month, day, year]: Prepared in this month, intermittently

• Scientific and/or Common Name: Isotelus platycephalus

• Geologic Formation and/or Geologic Age: Gull River Formation

• State, Province, or Region Found: Hastings County, Ontario, Canada

 

[Fin Lover]

17 minutes ago, Kane said:

upon my return, my beloved cat Bebert had gone missing, and is presumed dead at this point. So I dedicate this trilobite to him. I wish I had had the opportunity to say goodbye, but he was very well loved for his 13.5 years of life.

Very sorry to hear this @Kane

[Mikrogeophagus]

From one of my first few hunts in Oklahoma and my first time in the Ordovician. This little bug has quickly grown to become a favorite in my collection. Its ridiculously bulbous cephalon is such an endearing feature and certainly makes the name Thaleops mobydicki very fitting. I'm not super familiar with the Bromide Formation, but I believe this species is also a little on the rarer end.

 

 

 

• Date of Discovery: July 1, 2024

• Scientific and/or Common Name: Thaleops mobydicki trilobite

• Geologic Formation and/or Geologic Age: Bromide Formation, Pooleville Member; Early Sandbian, Upper Ordovician

• State, Province, or Region Found: South Oklahoma

 

[Isotelus2883]

This trilobite was found on the second day of my trip to the Longgang Section, in the Honghe Member.

The beds were usually bioturbated and sandy, and fossils at all were generally very uncommon.

Most were small disarticulated bits, however,  in this particular layer were a large amount of Proasaphiscus. 

 

Occasionally, cephala of Phantaspis would occur. It is a very rare trilobite.

For some reason, it is only found at One locality in One bed.

Other than having an unusual cephalon, complete examples of this trilobite are some of the most uniquely rare in the world.

This one isn’t complete, but pretty close.

 

 

 

 

 

• Date of Discovery : Jul 9, 2024

• Scientific and/or Common Name: Phantaspis auritus, Proasaphiscus (Proasaphiscus) yabei?; Trilobites

• Geologic Formation and/or Geologic Age: “Phantaspis Bed”, Honghe Member, Mantou Formation; Sunaspis laevis- Sunaspidella rara Zone, Miaolingian- Cambrian

• State, Province, or Region Found: Longgang Section, Linqu, Shandong, China

 

 

[Jeffrey P]

19 hours ago, Kane said:

This 12 cm (~5") prone Isotelus platycephalus was found during the long weekend up here in Canada. It was in a very crumbly, argillaceous layer with high energy, and thus parts were more the norm. Fully articulated specimens of I. platycephalus are exceedingly rare. I asked one of the world's premier experts on Isotelus, David Rudkin, for his opinion, and he confirmed the taxonomic assignment, as did William Hessin. 

 

This trilobite does come with a human story. It was the result of a 35 km (~20 mile hike) with 50 lbs of water and tools, and then an equal amount on the way out where water was replaced by fossil finds. upon my return, my beloved cat Bebert had gone missing, and is presumed dead at this point. So I dedicate this trilobite to him. I wish I had had the opportunity to say goodbye, but he was very well loved for his 13.5 years of life.

 

Many issues in the preparation. Apart from the very flaky layers that required abundant stabilization, it was also encrusted on the right side with excessive tiny ostracods. I had to perform some restoration on the eyes, right cheek, and a few missing chips in the shell. There is still some touch-up work to do, and I will update the final photo once that is completed. 

 

 

 

• Date of Discovery  [month, day, year]: July 1, 2024

• Preparation Completion Date (if prepped) [month, day, year]: Prepared in this month, intermittently

• Scientific and/or Common Name: Isotelus platycephalus

• Geologic Formation and/or Geologic Age: Gull River Formation

• State, Province, or Region Found: Hastings County, Ontario, Canada

 

K-A-N-E !!!!!!!!!!! OMG! Absolutely wonderful specimen and prep, and rare to boot. Best of luck! Very sorry to hear the news about Bebert. I'm sure will be terribly missed. 

[Jeffrey P]

• Date of Discovery : 3/16/2024  (Collected 3/16/24)

Prep began: 7/9/24 Completed: 7/15/24. Excess matrix (marl) removed with dental tools. Fossil protected with Elmers Glue solution. Carapace connected to appendages with Gorilla Glue.  

• Scientific and/or Common Name:  Pagurus sp. Hermit Crab (Family-Paguridae)

• Geologic Formation and/or Geologic Age: Upper Cretaceous, Ripley Formation, Coon Creek Member

• State, Province, or Region Found: Blue Springs, MS.

 

[patelinho7]

This is a rare, well-defined dinosaur track from the Newark Supergroup of Northern Virginia from a locality that previously had not produced fossils, let alone tracks. The track resembles an ichnospecies previously unreported from the Triassic of VA, though at this time, the track maker is unclear.
 

• Date of Discovery: July 19, 2024

• Scientific and/or Common Name: Dinosaur track

• Geologic Formation and/or Geologic Age: Upper Triassic Passaic Formation, Newark Supergroup 

• State, Province, or Region Found: Dulles, VA

 

 

 

[Notidanodon]

The echinoid is about 4cm across, very unusual for the chalk here and a nice specimen!

 

• Date of Discovery: June 16, 2024
• Scientific and/or Common Name: Tetragramma variolare regular echinoid
• Geologic Formation and/or Geologic Age: Cenomian, lower grey chalk
•  State, Province, or Region Found: Cambridgeshire 

 

 

[Notidanodon]

• Date of Discovery: June 16, 2024
• • Scientific and/or Common Name:  Hexanchus spp. sixgill shark
• • Geologic Formation and/or Geologic Age:  Cenomian, lower grey chalk
• • State, Province, or Region Found:  Cambridgeshire 
• an incredibly rare find, don’t see any of these!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mikrogeophagus]

@Notidanodon Two gorgeous specimens with a real chance to sweep the contest this month. Congrats!

 

I'm far from an echinoid expert, but that "Phymosoma" appears to have perforate tubercles which is not normal for the genus (imperforate). It could be something else like Loriolia or Tetragramma (highly sought after) which are two genera of perforate-tubercled urchins found in Texas. @JohnJ probably has a better idea than me

[JohnJ]

29 minutes ago, Mikrogeophagus said:

@Notidanodon Two gorgeous specimens with a real chance to sweep the contest this month. Congrats!

 

I'm far from an echinoid expert, but that "Phymosoma" appears to have perforate tubercles which is not normal for the genus (imperforate). It could be something else like Loriolia or Tetragramma (highly sought after) which are two genera of perforate-tubercled urchins found in Texas. @JohnJ probably has a better idea than me

I tend to agree with Tyler.  @Notidanodon do you have any references you used for identification?

[Notidanodon]

@JohnJ @Mikrogeophagus yes sorry I was in a rush when id’ing it and I’m definitely no echinoid expert, sounds like I messed that up! I’ll have a look around for some references and see if I can come up with a better ID, thanks!

 

edit: new ID added

Edited July 28 by Notidanodon

[debivort]

 

I had the amazing experience of finding a potentially complete bird in the Sandwich Layer of the Green River formation. We were collecting in a quarry operated by the same folks that found the bird that @Ptychodus04 prepped in 2022 [edited for accuracy; thanks, Chris]. The quarry is leased from state land and the terms of the lease stipulate that rare fossils, including birds, are delivered to the Wyoming Geologist's office. So this bird is on its way there. They will likely put out for bids to have it prepped for study and an eventual home in a museum collection. We do not know the species (it could potentially be a new species) but it definitely resembles the mousebird that was collected at the same site four years ago.
 

 

• Date of Discovery: July 22, 2024

• Common and or / Scientific Name: Bird / Aves (possibly Mousebird / Coliiformes)

• Geologic Formation and/or Geologic Age: Green River Formation, Eocene 52Mya, Sandwich Layer
• State, Province, or Region Found:  Kemmerer, Wyoming USA

 

 

The bird as it appeared shortly after we split it out of the rock. Most of the bird is present as the positive side in this slab. There negative of a Diplomystus fish spine is visible on the left. We think its presence is a coincidence since it is probably preserved in a different layer.

The bird viewed at night, laterally illuminated by a flood light, to maximize the contrast of the shadows that show the relief of the specimen.

 

Best guess as to the arrangement of the bird's body. Time and prepping will tell! We are hopeful that soft tissues and feathers will also be preserved. The bird measures approximately 15cm from the tip of the wing to the claw.

Happy team! The positive side of the bird is on the left, negative on the right, toward the bottom of each slab, close to the middle edges.

Edited July 29 by debivort

[trilobites_are_awesome]

Some amazing entries this month!

[digit]

1 hour ago, debivort said:

I had the amazing experience of finding a mostly complete bird in the Sandwich Layer of the Green River formation.

[Ptychodus04]

20 hours ago, debivort said:

I had the amazing experience of finding a potentially complete bird in the Sandwich Layer of the Green River formation. We were collecting in the same quarry that produced the bird that @Ptychodus04 prepped in 2022.

Awesome find!! Congratulations on joining the fossil bird discovery club! 
 

One minor correction. This quarry is operated by the same folks whom I prepped the bird for but it’s a different quarry. The one that bird came from is on the opposite side of the valley to the north of this spot. 

[Samurai]

Hello! Here is something that I have been wanting to find for a very long time. While not the smoking gun on this mystery species, I have had the fortunate opportunity to join the very limited few who have found Listracanthus sp. body fragments over the last 150 years. 

 

Date of Discovery: 7/21/24

Scientific/Common Name: Listracanthus sp.

Geologic Formation and/or Geologic Age: Dennis Formation (Stark Shale Member) : Pennsylvanian Period

Location: Missouri

 

 

At first, I was unsure of what this truly was, but one true Listracanthus sp. looking dermal denticle popped out. It is the same color as the other scales as well. 

 

 

I have only found one tooth so far in association with these scales, if it is indeed a Listracanthus sp. tooth I can see why they are underreported due to their size. 

 

[PaleoNoel]

So many great entries this month, and I expect nothing less for July on the Forum! I thought I'd throw my hat in the ring with my favorite find from my most recent visit to the Hell Creek of Montana. Pictured below is the first tooth I've ever found from the mighty armored dinosaur Ankylosaurus magniventris. Until now, this taxon has evaded me, so I am elated to add an example of this iconic creature to my collection. This is the fourth rooted tooth that this site has produced, so on my next visit to this ranch my plan is to dig in a bit further and hopefully find the source of these teeth (wish me luck). This specimen is around 1.4 cm in length and 0.7 cm at it's widest point.

 

 

 

• Date of Discovery: July 26th, 2024

• Scientific/Common Name: Ankylosaurus magniventris tooth 

• Formation & Age: Lower Hell Creek Formation (Triceratops horridus zone)-Late Cretaceous Period, Late Maastrichtian Age (~67 Ma)

•Location: Garfield County, Montana, USA