A fossil Goblin shark tooth lying on a gravel bank.
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A Mosasaur tooth lying on a gravel bank. |
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Due to the everlasting popularity of dinosaurs, the Era of the dinosaurs, the Mesozoic, which encompasses the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous Periods, are well known to the public.
When people think of the Era of the Dinosaurs, they may think of
Paleontologists digging in African Deserts and regions in China. When
thinking of the Cretaceous in North America., many people may think of the Western North American Bad Lands where the famous 19th century "Bone Wars" occurred.
However, not many people know that America's East Coast has its share in Dinosaurs! Parts of New Jersey, Delaware, Eastern Pennsylvania, and Northern Maryland all contain fossil deposits from the age of dinosaurs. In fact, in 1838 North America’s very first nearly complete dinosaur was discovered in New Jersey. It was later studied in 1858. |
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New Jersey was also submerged. Since it was just off the ancient coast of North
America, Cretaceous marine fossils abound at the Big Brook area. Numerous species of sharks can
be found, as well as invertebrates such as mollusks and Belemnites. Also, the great
reptiles that ruled the seas in the Cretaceous can occasionally be found. These creatures
include Mosasaurs, Pleisiosaurs, and large Crocodiles.
However, since this area was only miles from the coast, the remains of land animals occasionally washed out to sea. Although rare, fossils of land animals can be found. These remains are often pieces of dinosaurs, such as Hadrosaur teeth, and bone fragments. These fossils have been washed out of their sediments by the water action, and can simply be found in Big Brook and surrounding brooks by screening gravel bars, and walking the creek beds. |
