Recent fossil find Southern Nevada

[vegasjames]

 

[rockjunquie]

What is it?

[vegasjames]

Mar 18, 2024 7:01:24 GMT -5 rockjunquie said:

What is it?

The rings look most likely like a coral. We have a lot of ocean fossils around here.  Various corals and sponges, sea worms, crinoids, bryzoans, shells, etc. I found a fossil jellyfish, and one of our club members found a cluster of baby brittle stars.

[1dave]

Ocean Front Property in Nevada?

[vegasjames]

Mar 18, 2024 8:04:45 GMT -5 1dave said:

Ocean Front Property in Nevada?

This whole area was was once one big ocean. Fossil corals and crinoids are mainly in the higher parts of the mountains around here as those were once shallows where the light could reach them.

There is a trilobite bed on the East end of Las Vegas, and a major deposit of fossilized fish poop just outside of Las Vegas.

All the limestone around here is formed from the old ocean bed.

[johnthor1963]

Nice find and it looks like Jax has something to guard. Wondering did you have to dig it out of the ground. Always amazing when you people find things like that what the surrounding area looks like and if there is more in the area. Love it great find thx for sharing

[vegasjames]

Mar 19, 2024 7:06:32 GMT -5 johnthor1963 said:

Nice find and it looks like Jax has something to guard. Wondering did you have to dig it out of the ground. Always amazing when you people find things like that what the surrounding area looks like and if there is more in the area. Love it great find thx for sharing

No, it was just laying on the ground at the tip of the mountain. Passed a bunch of fossil staghorn coral in limestone on the side of the road just before the mine. 

And this  is relatively close to an area that has fossilized sponges all over the place. 

The cluster of baby brittle stars (starfish) my friend found was found about a mile or two from this spot. So lots of ocean fossils in the area.

Have a couple other fossils I found recently I have to photograph still.

[quartzilla]

Can’t wait to see the pics! I’m curious what a fossilized jellyfish could even look like. All those soft parts it’s amazing one could even fossilize in the first place.

[vegasjames]

Fossil jellyfish

[vegasjames]

Fossil sponges







I tell people this one is a fossilized elephant penis :-} It is another fossil sponge.

[vegasjames]

Fossil corals

[vegasjames]

Miscellaneous other ocean fossils from Southern Nevada.

[vegasjames]

If you look carefully, this large rock is full of bryozoan fossils.

[vegasjames]

This fossil has me stumped. I think it is some type of seed. No hinge, so not some form of bivalve.

[liveoak]

Thanks for the show, that's quite a collection you found

Patty

[rockjunquie]

75 million years there was a sea that ran through North America. Interesting page- worth a look.  earthathome.org/hoe/sc/fossils-cp/

[vegasjames]

Here is an article from the Park Service discussing when this area around Las Vegas was a shallow sea.

www.nps.gov/lake/learn/ancient-seas.htm

[vegasjames]

Couple more links on the topic:

hakaimagazine.com/news/hidden-on-a-mountain-in-the-desert-signs-of-the-worlds-first-reefs/

www.nbcnews.com/science/cosmic-log/244-million-years-ago-monsters-ruled-seas-where-nevada-now-flna1B7867279

[jasoninsd]

The fossilized "Dumbo Dong" is hilarious! LOL

[wargrafix]

vegasjames plays the odds and won big time.


I am still looking at these pics. Really really wonderful