November 2, 2005 - Cretaceous Fossils, Sumter Co, AL
BPS members went down to the Tombigbee in search of specimens from the marl limestone sequences in the Arcola Limestone Member (Late Cretaceous Campanian 83-74 mya). Steve and Bobby furnished the boats. BPS members climbed aboard and we headed off down the river. This is one of our favorite spots so anticipation was high. Once arrived, we headed off in different directions, some going down to the far end of the beach in hopes of finding a large ammonite like the one found last trip.
The water was very low on this trip, exposing areas we had never collected. Another mosasaur bone, probably from our “pet” Mosasaur, “Bigbee” was unearthed, much to our pleasure. Numerous pieces of carboniferous wood were found, also worm tubes, gastropods and a very nice portion of a turtle, which was jacketed for prep work back home. Several shark teeth, straight cephalopod segments, and some fish teeth were also found.
We had very pleasant weather, and, after a full day of collecting, some wanted to settle in for some food and conversation while another part of the group decided to head down the river to a marcasite collecting area . Some very nice crystalline calcite specimens were found, in addition to the large quantity of marcasite. Much to our delight, it turns out that we had a marcasite specialist amongst us who gave us an impromptu lecture on marcasite characteristics. This inspired discussion of the possibility of forming a coprolite committee. Any volunteers? Anybody want to explain to the general public exactly what coprolite IS? Or was.
As it was getting too dark to see, it was decided that food and conversation seemed like a pretty good idea at this point, so we caught up with the others and finished off the day in great style.
Great trip, great weather, great group, great food.
--Edited by Vicki Lais
(Photos
courtesy Anca Croitoru, Lea Novack, and Vicki Lais)
Reconnaissance
session covering the geology of the area and sample
specimens.
This is an
excellent specimen of a fish jaw that Greg found on a
previous trip.
Gastropods
and straight cephalopods found on
prior trips.
Lining
up the boats.
On
the way again. . . .
Rocky bluffs composed of Arcola Limestone. Very fossiliferous.
More views of
the river.
Large piece
of shell and exogira.
Miscellaneous
shells and straight cephalopods.
Numerous
shell pieces in the limestone.
Anca
beginning her search.
Loni found a
nice turtle specimen, and asked that Greg and Leisa
excavate the bones.
Excavation
has begun. . . .
A closer look
at the turtle parts.
Part of the
turtle.
Turtle
after preparation. Click image for a different view.
Anca is
closely examining the limestone. She found a fish tooth
in this area.
Another site further down the river where we collected marcasite.
Michael with
some nice marcasite specimens. We discovered he
is a
marcasite specialist, and some of us discussed the need for a Coprolite
Committee.
Claire also
found a fantastic specimen of calcite, about the size of a
fist.
View
of the river.
We ended the
day with more good conversation at a restaurant near the
collecting site. Another "way out in the boonies" place with
no
advertising; if you don't know where it is, you probably won't even
find it by accident.