Big Brook web site

Big Brook is located in Monmouth Co. and transects the border of Colts Neck and Marlboro, New Jersey. The stream cuts through sediments that were deposited during the Late Cretaceous. This web site is for the aid in identification of the shark teeth and the other fish, reptile, and mammal remains from this site. This locality is famous for its' prolific fossils, especially the diverse and plentiful shark fauna.

Big Brook Identification Page

Reptiles

Mammals

Links:

Email Me with your Questions!

Having trouble identifying material from Big Brook?

Fish

Very Common - You can expect to find multiples of these fossils on an average trip.
Common - You can expect to find one or two of these fossils on an average trip.
Less Common - You can expect to find one of these fossils in a few average trips.
Uncommon - You can expect to find one or two of these fossils in a year of
average trips.
Rare - Only one to a handful of these fossils has been found.

"A Stream of Possibilities"

Explanation of Terms:

To view the picture full size click on the image.

Some of the pictures have multiple views. These are marked by an *. Just place the mouse on the picture and let the other picture load. Then you can toggle back and forth between pictures by running the mouse over them.
All specimens are in the collections of the author, except where noted.

Ed says, "I got one!"
Peter & Derek collecting

Vertebrate &
Invertebrate Collections

The tools of the trade
Shark tooth in matrix

Exogyra in life position

A gaggle of Belemnitella
in the Marl

Elaine scanning the banks
Tony says, "I got one, too!"

1.
2.

Some of the names of the fauna have changed or have been reassigned.
I marked these in Green with the old name in quotes.

The editor would like to thank the efforts of the following people for which this web site would not be possable: Edward Otte who is a co-author of this site and all the drawings, Peter Yoost (my dad) for going on many of my adventures, Dave Paris, Barbra Grandstaff, Robert Ramsdell, and Willam Gallager of the New Jersey State Museum, Carl Manning from the AMNH, Diana Tasco for typing.

Acknowledgments: