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Other Topics => Off Topic Discussion => Topic started by: indianasmith on June 26, 2014, 04:40:24 PM

Title: Return to the Tylosaurus dig site!!
Post by: indianasmith on June 26, 2014, 04:40:24 PM
Seeing all those big bones Monday got me curious as to whether any more of the skeleton ever washed into the creek - the last 10 feet or so of tail were buried under considerable overburden (6' - 10') and we never had gone back and tried to dig them out.  It was unseasonably cool this AM, so I took off with a former student of mine just to see if we could find anything.  We found three tail vertebrae; two were in the straightaway directly downstream from the site; the other had washed around the corner.  Also found a jawbone from a giant prehistoric fish.  A very fun morning!!!

(http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h288/Indianasmith/26June14KittyDinobones004_zpsae8bf990.jpg) (http://s67.photobucket.com/user/Indianasmith/media/26June14KittyDinobones004_zpsae8bf990.jpg.html)
Here is the first vertebrae in situ . . .

(http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h288/Indianasmith/26June14KittyDinobones005_zps4b94373a.jpg) (http://s67.photobucket.com/user/Indianasmith/media/26June14KittyDinobones005_zps4b94373a.jpg.html)
I found this one about 100 feet downstream from the original site . . .

(http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h288/Indianasmith/26June14KittyDinobones006_zps6f393528.jpg) (http://s67.photobucket.com/user/Indianasmith/media/26June14KittyDinobones006_zps6f393528.jpg.html)
And this one was about 50 feet away . . .

(http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h288/Indianasmith/26June14KittyDinobones007_zpsb17dbae1.jpg) (http://s67.photobucket.com/user/Indianasmith/media/26June14KittyDinobones007_zpsb17dbae1.jpg.html)
Here are all three vertebrae side by side.  The double indentions on the bottom of each one mark them as tail vertebrae.  A V-shaped bone called the "chevron" fit underneath them.

(http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h288/Indianasmith/26June14KittyDinobones009_zpse45ad5b9.jpg) (http://s67.photobucket.com/user/Indianasmith/media/26June14KittyDinobones009_zpse45ad5b9.jpg.html)
Here is a jaw section from a large Cretaceous fish, most likely Xiphactinus.

First good fossils I have found in ages!
Title: Re: Return to the Tylosaurus dig site!!
Post by: Ed, Ego and Superego on June 26, 2014, 05:55:35 PM
very cool, my uncle use dtio take me to digs in England (roman usually) and looking for fossil teeth in the riverbed.
Title: Re: Return to the Tylosaurus dig site!!
Post by: Bushma on June 26, 2014, 08:50:20 PM
OK,how are you spottimg these?

I likely would have passed these by and just assumed they were rocks like any other.
Title: Re: Return to the Tylosaurus dig site!!
Post by: indianasmith on June 26, 2014, 09:35:59 PM
I've collected fossils and artifacts since I was 12 years old.  I've developed a real eye for them over the years!
Title: Re: Return to the Tylosaurus dig site!!
Post by: Jack on June 27, 2014, 05:35:28 AM
Very cool Indy!  You could re-assemble all those bones and have that thing on display in your living room  :teddyr:
Title: Re: Return to the Tylosaurus dig site!!
Post by: Flangepart on June 27, 2014, 08:00:05 AM
Quote from: indianasmith on June 26, 2014, 09:35:59 PM
I've collected fossils and artifacts since I was 12 years old.  I've developed a real eye for them over the years!

From one fossil to another, mayhaps? :smile:
Title: Re: Return to the Tylosaurus dig site!!
Post by: Umaril Has Returned on June 27, 2014, 09:23:32 AM
Quote from: indianasmith on June 26, 2014, 09:35:59 PM
I've collected fossils and artifacts since I was 12 years old.  I've developed a real eye for them over the years!

I'll say you've developed an eye for fossils!  :cheers: :cheers:  :cheers: