Fossils Found in the formations at Big Brook and nearby brooks

Fossils here include:

Sharks, Skates/Rays, Bony Fish, Invertebrates

(The smallest divisions in the ruler are 1/8")

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Sharks

Cretolamna appendiculata (Agassiz) Extinct Mackerel Shark Cretolamna appendiculata looks like a small Cretaceous version of the Paleocene and Eocene Otodus obliquus. It is thought by many that Otodus obliquus evolved from Cretolamna appendiculata sometime in the late cretaceous. This species became extinct sometime in the Paleocene, while the genus became extinct in the Eocene.

These thick rooted teeth look similar to a few other species present in the Cretaceous. The key to identifying C. appendiculata from similar looking teeth is that C. appendiculata do not have nutrient grooves. Formation: Mount Laurel? Age: Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian; ~67-74 m.y Location: Ramanessin & Big Brook, Monmouth Co., NJ

?Cretodus sp. Extinct Mackerel Shark I'm not sure what shark this tooth is from yet. It looks like Cretolamna, but has a nutrient groove. I'm thinking it's Cretodus but am not sure.

Formation: Mount Laurel? Age: Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian; ~67-74 m.y Location: Ramanessin & Big Brook, Monmouth Co., NJ Size: ~ 1" (25mm)

Scapanorhynchus texanus (Romer) Extinct Goblin Shark Having a flat snout that protrudes from the head, Goblin sharks look odd. This species became extinct near the end of the Cretaceous, while the genus lasted into the Eocene. A different genus of goblin shark still lives today, the deepwater Mitsukurina genus, although it is rarely seen.

The anterior and lateral teeth of this shark look very different. Anterior teeth (right 2 teeth) are long and slender, they have striations on the lingual side of the enamel . These teeth can also get large, up to 2". Lateral teeth (left 2 teeth) are significantly wider and flatter. Their striations are also reduced compared to the anterior teeth. Formation: Mount Laurel? Age: Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian; ~67-74 m.y Location: Ramanessin & Big Brook, Monmouth Co., NJ Size: ~

Squalicorax Crow Sharks This well known group of extinct sharks have distinctive teeth. The genus was only present in the Cretaceous.

Squalicorax kaupi (Agassiz) Crow Shark

This species has a distinct notch on the distil shoulder of the crown. They are also usually smaller than S. pristodontus teeth. Formation: Mount Laurel? Age: Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian; ~67-74 m.y Location: Ramanessin & Big Brook, Monmouth Co., NJ Size: usually ~ 1/2" (13mm)

Squalicorax pristodontus (Morton) Crow Shark

This species have larger teeth than S. kaupi and does not have a distinct notch on the distil shoulder of their crown. Formation: Mount Laurel? Age: Early - Middle Miocene ~ 18-15 m.y Location: Ramanessin & Big Brook, Monmouth Co., NJ Size: usually ~ 1/2 - 1" (13 - 25mm)

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Skates & Rays

Ischyrhiza mira (Leidy) Sawfish

rostral teeth (the teeth that stick out of the sawfishes' snot like saw teeth) are fairly common at Big Brook. This is a root to one of the rostral teeth. Formation: Mount Laurel? Age: Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian; ~67-74 m.y Location: Ramanessin & Big Brook, Monmouth Co., NJ Size: ~ 3/8" (9mm)

Brachyrhizodus wichitaensis (Roemer) Myliobatoid Ray

Isolated teeth from this ray are fairly common at the site. This image shows 3 views of a tooth that attached to the side of the ray plate. Formation: Mount Laurel? Age: Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian; ~67-74 m.y Location: Ramanessin & Big Brook, Monmouth Co., NJ Size: ~ 3/8" (9mm)

Bony Fish

Anomaeodus phasolus (Hay) Pycnodont Fish, an early Drumfish

Drumfish have 2 distinct types of teeth. They have a battery of flat crushing teeth that enabled them to feed on crustaceans and mollusks. Two of these are shown in the center of the image. They also have oral teeth that look like very thin transparent claws. These are shown on both sides of the image. Drumfish crushing teeth can easily be confused with some of the worn gravel in the area. However, the bottoms of the crushing teeth are hollowed out. This is shown in the top crushing tooth in the image. Formation: Mount Laurel? Age: Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian; ~67-74 m.y Location: Ramanessin & Big Brook, Monmouth Co., NJ Size: Crushing teeth can grow to around ~1" (2.5cm), while the oral teeth are much smaller, with a max size of ~.4" (1cm).

Enchodus petrosus (Cope) Saber-Tooth Salmon You've heard of Saber-Tooth Lions of the Pliocene, but have you ever heard of a Saber-Tooth Salmon from the Cretaceous? These large monster salmon are a predecessor to modern salmon. However, they had large saber-like teeth that could reach over 3" long. Enchodus became extinct in the Paleocene, which is good... I would hate to go fishing and catch one of those! The awesome Oceans of Kansas site has an image of an Enchodus skull from the Sternberg Museum of Natural History. Scroll down about 1/2 way, and you should see the specimen.

These are two sabers from the salmon. The larger one is a bit beat up. Formation: Mount Laurel? Age: Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian; ~67-74 m.y Location: Ramanessin & Big Brook, Monmouth Co., NJ Size: ~3/4" (19mm) & 1.5" (38mm)

Fish Vertebra

Fish vertebra can be common in the sediments. They are usually smaller than this example. Formation: Mount Laurel? Age: Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian; ~67-74 m.y Location: Ramanessin & Big Brook, Monmouth Co., NJ Size: ~7/8" (22mm)

Invertebrates

Belemnites Belemnitella americana A Belemnite is a type of extinct cephalopod. It looked kind of like a squid. The amber colored belemnite fossils found here are the internal shells of these squid like animals.

Belemnites are scarce if collecting at Ramanessin Brook. However, at certain spots along Big Brook, they can be found by the bucket load. Formation: Mount Laurel? Age: Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian; ~67-74 m.y Location: Big Brook, Monmouth Co., NJ Size:

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