Thursday, November 30, 2017

Ptychodus whipple Stingray Fossil Teeth


This image is of Ptychodus whipple fossil ancestral stingray teeth on display at Mace Brown Museum of Natural History (August 2017). They date to the Campanian Age (about 80 million years ago), Late Cretaceous Period. The fossils were found in the Eagle Ford Shale Grayson County Texas USA.

The Mace Brown Museum of Natural History is located at the College of Charleston, 202 Calhoun Street, 2nd Floor, Charleston, South Carolina 29424.

Learn more at their blog: http://blogs.cofc.edu/macebrownmuseum/

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Lettered Olive Shells


While in Charleston, South Carolina USA we stayed at Folly Beach (August 2017). During beach time, I tried to find shark teeth, phosphate fossils and shells.  Luckily, I found some the the state's official shell, the Oliva sayana aka lettered olive snail. Dr. Edmund Ravenel (1797-1871) named it this due to the patterns found shells reminded him of hieroglyphic symbols. The dark shell in the image might be a Pliocene fossil.

Monday, November 27, 2017

Close up Isotelus Trilobite Eye



My cousin sent me these images recently after he saw some magnified images of Isotelus trilobite fossil eyes showing the remains of the many lens that made up the eye. We are use to seeing this compound eye more on the Devonian Phacops trilobite fossils found in the area. He took some images under the microscope and you can see some of the lens pattern left on where the eye was.

This fossil dates to the Ordovician Period and was found in Franklin County Kentucky USA.

Thanks to Kenny for the images.

Sunday, November 26, 2017

Xenorophid Whale Skull Fossil


This image is of a Xenorophus sp. whale skull fossil on display at Mace Brown Museum of Natural History (August 2017). It dates to the Oligocene Epoch (about 32-30 million years ago) of the Paleogene Period. The fossil was found in Ashley Formation, Charleston County South Carolina USA.

The Mace Brown Museum of Natural History is located at the College of Charleston, 202 Calhoun Street, 2nd Floor, Charleston, South Carolina 29424.

Learn more at their blog: http://blogs.cofc.edu/macebrownmuseum/

Saturday, November 25, 2017

Odontocete Whale Skull Fossil


This image is of a Cotylocara macei whale skull fossil on display at Mace Brown Museum of Natural History (August 2017). It is named after Mace Brown. It dates to the Oligocene Epoch (about 28 million years ago) of the Paleogene Period. The fossil was found in Chandler Bridge Formation, Bed 2, Berkeley County South Carolina USA.

The Mace Brown Museum of Natural History is located at the College of Charleston, 202 Calhoun Street, 2nd Floor, Charleston, South Carolina 29424.

Learn more at their blog: http://blogs.cofc.edu/macebrownmuseum/

Friday, November 24, 2017

Brontops Skull Fossil


This image is of a Brontops robustus rhino-like skull fossil on display at Mace Brown Museum of Natural History (August 2017). Its name means thunder face (bront ops). It dates to the Early Oligocene Epoch (about 34-32 million years ago) of the Paleogene Period. The fossil was found in Custer County South Dakota USA.

The Mace Brown Museum of Natural History is located at the College of Charleston, 202 Calhoun Street, 2nd Floor, Charleston, South Carolina 29424.

Learn more at their blog: http://blogs.cofc.edu/macebrownmuseum/

Thursday, November 23, 2017

Subhyracodon Rhino Skull Fossil


This image is of a Subhyracodon occidentalis rhino skull fossil on display at Mace Brown Museum of Natural History (August 2017). The animal it belonged to is a cow sized extinct hornless rhino-like creature. It dates to the Early Oligocene Epoch (about 33 million years ago). The fossil was found in Pennington County South Dakota USA.

The Mace Brown Museum of Natural History is located at the College of Charleston, 202 Calhoun Street, 2nd Floor, Charleston, South Carolina 29424.

Learn more at their blog: http://blogs.cofc.edu/macebrownmuseum/

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Trigonia osborni Jaw Fossil


This image is of a Trigonia osborni jaw fossil on display at Mace Brown Museum of Natural History (August 2017). The animal it belonged to is an extinct hornless rhino creature. It dates to the Early Oligocene Epoch (about 35 million years ago). The fossil was found in Pennington County South Dakota USA.

The Mace Brown Museum of Natural History is located at the College of Charleston, 202 Calhoun Street, 2nd Floor, Charleston, South Carolina 29424.

Learn more at their blog: http://blogs.cofc.edu/macebrownmuseum/

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Archaeocidaris Sea Urchin Fossil


This image is of an Archaeocidaris sp sea urchin fossil on display at Mace Brown Museum of Natural History (August 2017). It dates to the Late Carboniferous Period (about 290 million years ago). The fossil was found in Brown County Texas USA.

The Mace Brown Museum of Natural History is located at the College of Charleston, 202 Calhoun Street, 2nd Floor, Charleston, South Carolina 29424.

Learn more at their blog: http://blogs.cofc.edu/macebrownmuseum/

Monday, November 20, 2017

Hexanchus microdon Shark Fossil Teeth


These images are of Hexanchus microdon fossil shark teeth on display at Mace Brown Museum of Natural History (August 2017). This animal was also known as a six-gilled cow shark. They date to the Eocene Epoch (about 55-50 million years ago), Paleogene Period. The fossils were found in Atlas Mountains, phosphate pits Ouled Abdoun Basin Morocco.


The Mace Brown Museum of Natural History is located at the College of Charleston, 202 Calhoun Street, 2nd Floor, Charleston, South Carolina 29424.

Learn more at their blog: http://blogs.cofc.edu/macebrownmuseum/

Sunday, November 19, 2017

Hexanchus agassizi Fossil Shark Teeth


These images are of Hexanchus agassizi fossil shark teeth on display at Mace Brown Museum of Natural History (August 2017). This animal was also known as a cow shark. They date to the Eocene Epoch (about 45 million years ago), Paleogene Period. The fossils were found in Harleyville South Carolina USA.

The Mace Brown Museum of Natural History is located at the College of Charleston, 202 Calhoun Street, 2nd Floor, Charleston, South Carolina 29424.

Learn more at their blog: http://blogs.cofc.edu/macebrownmuseum/