jax Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 I had to pull over today to get some gas and something to eat. So I had to check out the drainage ditch behind the walmart there. It looked like Britton shale so I figured I may come across some mother of pearl ammonites. No such luck, BUT Im on my way out looking at the layer just above the britton ( I think its lower Kamp Ranch, Im sure someone from DFW can correct me) anyway, I look down into the weeds and out pops the image of a huge Ptychodus tooth. I couldnt believe it. I knew that layer wasnt known for teeth, so I was just passing it over. the pic is how I found it. It measures .75 in front to back, and im guessing almost an inch wide. This is my biggest Ptychodus to date. It has some great color too. Justin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nicholas Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Great Find! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synechodus Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Great find indeed, Jax! Congrats "And the men who hold high places, Must be the ones to start To mould a new reality, Closer to the Heart" (Rush, "Closer to the Heart" from the album "A Farewell to Kings") Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martijn Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Amazing find! Qua patet orbis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Very nice! KOF, Bill. Welcome to the forum, all new members www.ukfossils check it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fossilselachian Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 I had to pull over today to get some gas and something to eat. So I had to check out the drainage ditch behind the walmart there. It looked like Britton shale so I figured I may come across some mother of pearl ammonites. No such luck, BUT Im on my way out looking at the layer just above the britton ( I think its lower Kamp Ranch, Im sure someone from DFW can correct me) anyway, I look down into the weeds and out pops the image of a huge Ptychodus tooth. I couldnt believe it. I knew that layer wasnt known for teeth, so I was just passing it over. the pic is how I found it. It measures .75 in front to back, and im guessing almost an inch wide. This is my biggest Ptychodus to date. It has some great color too. Justin Now that's what you call the combination of good (Ptychodus find) and evil (price of gas)! Very nice find Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falcondriver Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Nice find Justin. FD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanceH Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Great find! I think that maybe a Ptychodus marginalis, looks like mine I also found in the Kamp Ranch layers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roz Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Excellent find! Beats shopping anyday! Welcome to the forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Siphuncle Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 The Kamp Ranch is supposedly a thin hard limestone deposited during a hurricane event. In the Trinity River it is marked by a layer of small Prionocyclus ammonite molds - did you see this overlying layer? Was the productive layer stratigraphically thin (maybe a foot or two)? If you can find a good exposure where you are free to expend a little effort, I'd suggest taking a 20 LB sledge and pry bar to dig out 300 LB slabs then smash/split them to get the teeth. You'll sacrifice a few Squalis but man the Ptychodus hold up well, and you could luck into some big Cretoxys, Plesiosaur teeth, shark verts, or something all my friends have but I don't, pearls. Target the oyster hash and let us know what you find. Grüße, Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas "To the motivated go the spoils." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isurus90064 Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 That kind of thing just makes your day doesn't it ... very nice! Fossil shark teeth from all over: http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/2380-extraordinary-common-teeth/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maryland Mike Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 Sweet! I doubt I'll find anything like that around my local Walmart. Carpe Diem, Carpe Somnium Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bmorefossil Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 You jut dont find them that size all the time great find!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kauffy Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 wow great story and a nice find! "Turn the fear of the unknown into the excitment of possibility!"We dont stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jax Posted July 1, 2008 Author Share Posted July 1, 2008 The Kamp Ranch is supposedly a thin hard limestone deposited during a hurricane event. In the Trinity River it is marked by a layer of small Prionocyclus ammonite molds - did you see this overlying layer? Was the productive layer stratigraphically thin (maybe a foot or two)? If you can find a good exposure where you are free to expend a little effort, I'd suggest taking a 20 LB sledge and pry bar to dig out 300 LB slabs then smash/split them to get the teeth. You'll sacrifice a few Squalis but man the Ptychodus hold up well, and you could luck into some big Cretoxys, Plesiosaur teeth, shark verts, or something all my friends have but I don't, pearls. Target the oyster hash and let us know what you find. I have found layers of Kamp Ranch like what your talking about. None at this location sadly. This was just a thin broken layer spread all over the place. You also mentioned the Pearls. I have been luck enough to find 4 in my day. The largest being 13mm. I will have to get some pics up of those on here. I just realized that picture I took above is pretty bright. I took it outside and I guess the sun flushed it out. I;ll have to take another tomorrow Thanks for all the coments. I am going to prep some of the matrix away from the tooth. Stay tuned... Justin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Siphuncle Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 I could be mistaken but if you aren't in the Kamp Ranch you may be in a lithologically similar zone in the Arcadia Park fm. Grüße, Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas "To the motivated go the spoils." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jax Posted July 1, 2008 Author Share Posted July 1, 2008 That kind of thing just makes your day doesn't it ... very nice! Makes my week!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jax Posted July 1, 2008 Author Share Posted July 1, 2008 I could be mistaken but if you aren't in the Kamp Ranch you may be in a lithologically similar zone in the Arcadia Park fm. I dont know my formations all that well, but this layer was sitting right on top of the Britton Shale formation. Also on that note, I actually found a weird stone. It was really thin, probably 1/8th inch thick. It has a small shell fossil in it, and when I was messing with it I broke the edge off and it is metal. Silver metalic stone. pretty weird there was more pieces of it there. I think it was coming out of the Britton. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jax Posted July 2, 2008 Author Share Posted July 2, 2008 I picked at it a little bit last night. Im going to have to have to use my air scribe to get more off. I also took a better pic before I started working on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Cris Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Niiice find... Gotta love those unexpected finds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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