JUNE 2002
Sereno Science Center?
I’m sure many of you saw the Chicago Tribune article Sunday May 4 "Dinosaur hunter seeks home for those bones". Paul Sereno has collected hundreds of bones from Africa, Asia, South America, India and America and needs some display space to show the casts. Of course, a Suchimimus cast is stationed at the Children’s Museum at Navy Pier and there is a temporary exhibit of Sarcosuchus (SuperCroc) at the MSI (Museum of Science and Industry). Paul says that either his own building or a wing added to MSI of to The Field would be OK. The MSI is thinking about it according to the paper. Paul is quoted as saying about The Field "We’re both doing valuable things with dinosaurs, but different things. They are a museum, and Gabe and I want to build a science center." He wants the animals displayed in a botanical garden environment with additional facilities for meetings, teaching and prep work. He and his wife Gabe have formed Project Exploration and are working to encourage minority and female students into science. Apparently His Honor the Mayor supports their plan but has promised no funding at this point. In the meantime the Serenos will open a temporary exhibit at Garfield Park Conservatory this fall with some of their casts among the plants. It will be interesting to see what comes of all this.
Oldest China Flower is 125 MY Old
Archaefructus sinensis means ancient fruit from China and is believed to be a fragile water plant that lived 125 MYA. It appears to be the most primitive of flowering plants instead of a woody plant from New Caledonia that was magnolia-like. The flower did not have petals and was only a reproducing unit. Because the seeds are enclosed within the carpels (the female part of the plant) of the fruit, it is considered a flowering plant. Fossils of nine fish were found among the leaves of the plant indicating that it probably was rooted to the floor of the pond with the flowers extending above the water surface. Complete plants from roots to fertile shoots are known.
Earliest Mammal Relative Found in China
Qiang Ji et al describes a new mouse-sized eutherian from the Yixian of China. It is named Eomaia scansoria and is complete with a fringe of fur around the outer edges. It is about 6.5 inches long with 4 inches of body. It is dated to about 125 MYA. The previous oldest placental mammals were dated at 110 MYA with the oldest skull and skeleton at around 75 MYA. Its limbs, long fingers and toes indicate a climber, perhaps active in low bushes and on the ground. However, its narrow pelvis probably indicates that it did not bear full grown placental young, but probably bore smaller less developed marsupial-like young.
Mesozoic Primate Hypothesized
Robert Martin (vice president for academic affairs at The Field) is involved in the announcement of fossil evidence for primates some 30 million years earlier than believed. The animal is date at about 85 MYA by way of a mathematical model using the dates of the earliest fossil evidence and working backwards. The model assumes that species arise and thrive for about 2.5 MY. Using that and the estimated 8,000 to 9,000 primate species that ever lived, they arrive at a span of 85 MY. It is interesting that this is close to what DNA evidence has estimated. However, many paleontologists are hesitant to trust evidence other than fossils. Martin further hypothesizes that the first primates were in the warm South America 85 MYA and they moved into North America about 55 MYA when temperatures rose there.
New Insect Discovered
With the plethora of known insects it is surprising to hear of the announcement of a new order that also has new fossil evidence that dates back at least 20 MY. The new under inch long bug is a cross between a stick insect and a praying mantis and makes a new category called mantophasmatodea. They were first identified from amber samples in European museums (originally from Africa and Europe) and then a living group was found in Namibia in Africa. The gut contents indicate that they are carnivores
Peruvian Mummies Dated at 2,500 YA Found
A National Geographic team headed by Guilermo Cock has found a large Inca graveyard near Lima Peru under a mucky slum. They estimate that there are 2,200 mummies at the site with even more from earlier civilizations below these. The cemetery had been known before, but slums were allowed above it. Concern arose about what was happening and the team was called in to assess it. They found that they were decomposing because of the wastewater seeping in. They excavated 2,200 mummies digging between the shanty huts and believe there are many more under the shanties. Most of them are dated from 1480 to 1535 and the wealthier ones had large bundles buried with them. More than 50,000 objects were recovered with the mummies, including a large bundle full of cotton, food, pottery, corn and other items. Chile mortality appears to be high as about 45 % were under the age of 12 (expected level is about 26%). The higher ranked mummies were buried the deepest at about 18 feet deep , then ordinary people were buried above them, and then the children above them. Below these mummies there were pre-Inca cultures (called Chavin) found dating back 2,500 years. The local Peru museums are all full and don’t have room for more mummies. They are hoping to send some of them on tour.
460 MYA Tracks of First Land Creature?
Tracks found near Kingston in Ontario Canada are thought to be from the first animal to walk on land. Simon Braddy from the University of Bristol reports the findings in the May Geology. He suspects that they were members of a little known group called euthycarcinoids which were souped up versions of today’s pill bugs with a more triangular rear and a tail spine dragging behind. They were probably slow and cumbersome and using a swimming motion with opposing legs moving in synch rather than alternating walking steps.
Karen Nordquist, ESCONI Paleontology Study Group
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