JUNE 2003
New
Tetrapod from Mazon Creek
Jason Anderson from the University of Toronto reports in the new Journal of
Vertebrate Paleontology on a new fossil found at Mazon Creek by Dr. Bill
Turnbull (Curator Emeritus in Geology at The Field Museum) and his late wife
Priscilla in 1953. They named it Phlegethontia in 1955 but further preparation
has revealed new features that gave rise to its new name. It is now named
Pseudophlegethonia turnbullorum in their honor and is a new genus and species.
This animal fills a gap between two known similar elongate legless tetrapods –
It has 140 vertebrae, about 86 pairs of “k” shaped ribs and distinctive skull
bones with a pointed snout, and reduced dermal scales. The vertebrae have ribs
until the 88th or 90th vertebra and there is some indication of pectoral bones
near the third vertebra, although it is not clear. There are no indications of
hip bones. This specimen also has thin fine gastralia on its lower side and no
osteoderms along its back. It was found in the deep marine Essex area and must
have been washed there from land. This new animal is included in with
Lepospondyli that may have given rise to amphibians. A puzzle is that these
animals appear full blown without any known links. This holotype specimen has
both part and counterpart in reasonably good shape with some weathering as it
was found open.
First Gut
Contents of a Fossil Primate
A report in the Journal of Human Evolution by Franzen and Wilde reports on a
study of a fossil of an adapiform, Godinotia neglecta, from Messel in Germany
but now housed in Wyoming. It is from the lower Middle Miocene and is dated to
49 MYA. There are two pieces with one holding the skull, shoulder girdle and
arms and the second holding the pelvis, some lumbar and caudal vertebrae and
hind limbs. Both have an outline from the body caused by bacterial
decomposition. The gut content is preserved as a thin dark brown layer. It was
difficult to determine but they did find a part of what they believe is the
cuticular body of a fruit. They can not determine which fruit it was and did
find evidence of additional cuticle material. In addition, they found two types
of leaf structures that appear to be from flowering angiosperms. This shows that
this early primate had a frugivorous-folivorous diet. They did not find chitin
material that would be expected if the animal had been an insectivore. The fruit
and leaf diet of this animal is like that of lemurs.
Madagascar
Cannibal Theropods
In Nature, Rogers and Krause et al. report that they have found a lot of
evidence that indicates that the large Cretaceous Madagascar theropod
Majungatholus atopus was a cannibal. At more than 20 cases at 3 sites there are
bones of the theropod with scars made by serrated teeth. The marks showed teeth
with denticles that were spaced at about 0.48 mm apart, and that matches those
of Majungatholus at about 0.5 mm. The tooth spacing of the theropod was 10 to 17
mm apart that also match the bone markings. The measurements rule out the other
theropod known at that time (Masiakasaurus knopflere) or the large crocs known
then. This does not however tell us whether it preyed on its fellow dinos or
scavenged its remains. Even today some animals like Komodo dragons and crocs
show cannibalistic behavior.
It is interesting that the other case for dinosaur cannibalism was with fossils
of adult Coelophysis with young babies found in their bellies. This is now being
questioned because these young animals appear to be beneath the adults. It will
be interesting to see future reports on this case
Paleocrime
Doesn’t Pay Again
The BLM reports on the punishment for another fossil thief. Rene Quammen of
Otto, Wyoming was found excavating fossils on public lands in September 2001.
BLM accused him of digging illegal fossils for commercial sale and personal
profit. He damaged fossils in some cases and did not record collection
information. A search of his property turned up thousands of specimens,
photographs and sales records. In some cases he also damaged sites of other
institutions (the Smithsonian was one). He was found guilty and received 30 days
in jail, two years probation (can not enter federal lands), and must pay $7,375
in restitution, $500 in fines, and $75 in court cases. All of his vertebrate
fossils were also confiscated.
Ancient DNA Found in Permafrost Soil
Even when no bones are found in permafrost lands, they are finding DNA from
plant and animal life that will help to tell the story of life years ago. It may
shed light on what kinds of plants lived during the Ice Ages and when humans
crossed into North America. The plant DNA is probably from the roots. How can
they do that with animals when there are no bones? They believe that the animals
DNA is from urine and feces left behind. A report from researchers at the
University of Copenhagen reveal DNA from Siberian plants believed to be 400,000
years old. Apparently permafrost is a good place for preservation because it is
always cold. So far they have identified 19 plant taxa including angiosperms,
gymnosperms, and mosses. They have DNA from 8 animals including mammoths,
horses, reindeer, hares, and steppe bisons. Some of the animal DNA is estimated
to be 30,000 years old. Soil from New Zealand caves has been identified as being
the DNA from the extinct moa indicating that dry soil can also preserve DNA for
some time (in this case about 1,000 years). They have looked at the DNA from
Beringia to help to understand the climate and the plant life that existed there
when animal life moved to North America. There is similar work being done with
Antarctic soils and other areas. The one caution mentioned is the possibility of
mixing of soil levels that could affect the dating.
Bakker is Back!!!
“Raptor Pack” a new novel by Bob Bakker is coming out this June and is available
at prepublication discounts at Barnes & Noble. It is illustrated by Michael
Skrepnick and is aimed at the younger reader. Also coming in June is an article
in Discovery Magazine about Bakker titled “Dinosaur Family Values”. Once again
he is stepping into tricky territory with stories of dinosaur behavior. He
believes that these savage predators were really nurturing protective family
oriented animals. Here is some of what is in the article. Bakker has been
working on a shed tooth theory and believes that the locations where many shed
teeth are found are communal feeding areas or lairs. Meaty parts of dinos were
carried there for all to feast on leaving many of their shed teeth along with
the bones. In 13 sites in Como Bluff teeth of adult and young allosaurs are
found. And these teeth are similar in structure meaning that both age groups ate
the same food. But where are the teeth of teenagers? They are found near
perennial lakeshores where they must have migrated during the dry season. He
also believes that the whole camarasaur teeth rather than shed teeth found
indicate that they were migrating without stopping to eat. When high numbers of
shed teeth are found – these are feeding areas. He also states that finding
clean complete dino skeletons is near useless. The chewed up partial skeletons
have more to tell. In addition the article discusses the reaction of other
paleontologists to Bakker’s style of research. He seems to avoid peer reviewed
journals to publish. But his shed tooth theory is scheduled to be published by
the University of Indiana Press. Jack Horner argues that dinosaurs are always
shedding teeth and that doesn’t mean that it is a feeding area.
Clovis
People Not Guilty
11,500 years ago most believe that the arrival of the Clovis people with their
fluted stone points was the cause of the disappearance of many large mammals. In
Journal of World Prehistory, Grayson and Meltzer report on studies of 27 sites
where Clovis people and large mammals were prominent. Only 14 of the 27 sites
showed signs of killing or butchering with impact-fractured projectile points,
cut marks on bones or skeletal dismemberment. Those sites had mammoths and
mastodons present. There were no signs of the other 33 genus of mammals known to
be present then. There were tools made from bones of large mammals but they gave
no indication that they were hunted for that purpose. They also argue that the
extinctions occurred in Europe and Asia without the presence of Clovis people.
The authors suggest that perhaps a widespread climate change is a more
reasonable explanation for the extinctions.
Paleocene/Eocene Boundary Mammal Changes
About 55 MYA several groups of mammals suddenly appeared on the Northern
Continents during a period of global warming. This was the wave of modern
animals that replaced the more archaic forms that went extinct. The Bighorn
Basin in Wyoming is an excellent source of information because it provides a
continuous sequence of rock for that period. Above the P/E (Paleocene/Eocene)
boundary we find primates, artiodactyls and opossum-like marsupials as well as
carnivorous Hyaenodontidae that later go extinct. They differ so much from the
local precursors that they are not believed to have evolved in situ. The pattern
appears to be similar in Europe although the fossil record is not as good.
Although dating has been a problem in some Asian sites, it is now believed that
some of these mammals were in Asia before the P/E and would have been the source
for the European and North American animals. This report strengthens the Asian
claim to the birthplace of many mammal groups including the primates.
Karen Nordquist, ESCONI Paleontology Study Group
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