Monday 2 June 2008

SALMON: RETURN TO SENDER

We are all familiar with the image of salmon returning to fresh water, to the rivers of their youth, to spawn and complete their lifecycle, in fact, it is one of the staple images of British Columbia. As adults, we bring our children to witness this cycle, rushing to the banks of our local rivers to watch as the adults, keen in their fight for reproduction and survival, struggle to complete their epic journeys against currents and predators. Arriving as they do, year upon year, season upon season, it seems to us that this is how it has been since time immemorial.

But we now have evidence that migration to the sea may be a relatively recent behaviour. Fossil beds at Driftwood Canyon, near Smithers, contain large numbers of fossil salmonid remains from the Eocene age, approximately 45 million years ago. What is interesting is that the fossil beds are filled equally with both juvenile and larger adults.

If these salmon were heading off to sea in their juvenile form and returning to spawn as adults we would expect to find an abundance of larger carcasses in the lake sediments and relatively few juveniles. Given the equal numbers, we can conclude that the salmonids of the Eocene, lived out their lifecycle as a landlocked species, the way Kokanee do today.

Thursday 15 May 2008

PERFECT MORNING

PLAYING IN THE WAKE

NORTHERN BC

:: Dragon in the Rocks :: The Early Years of Mary Anning ::



Dragon in the Rocks. A Story Based on the Childhood of Early Paleontologist Mary Anning

Toronto: Owl/Greey de Pencier, 1992. [32] p.ISBN 0-920775-76-4

Mary Anning (1799-1847)/biography – Paleontology/England/19th century


Looking to inspire a young mind to the wonders of our world? Consider a new picture book for young readers from Owl Press. This lovely new book shares the early years of Mary Anning - a simple tale of curiosity and determination within the wider context of an historical geological discovery.

Twelve-year-old Mary Anning had always enjoyed collecting fossils with her father, an amateur collector, who before he died, taught her the techniques of chipping and separating fossils from rocks.

Mary's father also told her of a dragon skeleton he had once seen in a cave near their home in Lyme Regis on the southern coast of England. One day the opportunity arose to visit the cave herself, and subsequently she spent many months chipping, numbering and packing up the fossil pieces of the 26-foot-long ichthyosaur skeleton, which has now been on display at the Natural History Museum in London for nearly 200 years.

Although the story ends with the visit of important scientists to her home to see her rebuilt skeleton, children may well be inspired to learn more about the interests and life of this unsung heroine and about paleontology.

Looking for more inspiration on the significant finds of other young paleontologists... look to Tumbler Ridge and the discovery by Daniel Helm of a significant dinosaur trackway that inspired a community or to Vancouver Island and the tale of paleontology in beautiful Courtenay where the Trask family found one of BC's most famous marine reptiles.

Visit http://www.bcfossils.ca/ and learn more!

Sea Dragons of the Cretaceous

:: Free Fossil Lecture & Display this Victoria Day Long Weekend:

The Vancouver Paleontological Society hosts a talk this Saturday, May 2nd, 2PM, at the Vancouver Museum/Planetarium.

  • The feature speaker will be Timon Bullard on Sea Dragons of Cretaceous Seas. Come hear about the large marine reptiles who swam our waters millions of years ago!Vancouver Museum/Planetarium, 1100 Chestnut Street (off Cornwall in Kitsilano).

  • All talks are free and open to the public. Fossils will also be on display. Visit http://www.bcfossils.ca/ to learn about all the paleontological activities in BC.

Come on down and bring a friend!

Tuesday 13 May 2008

:: ARMORED BEAST :: DESMATOSUCHUS ::

A detailed description of Desmatosuchus


:: Description of new material of the aetosaur Desmatosuchus spurensis (Archosauria: Suchia) from the Chinle Formation of Arizona and a revision of the genus DesmatosuchusWilliam Parker, PaleoBios 28(1):1–40, May 12, 2008Abstract: A new specimen of Desmatosuchus from northeastern Arizona (MNA V9300) preserves almost the entire vertebral column, the pelvis, and the majority of the armor carapace, allowing for an unprecedented detailed description of the taxon.



Articulation and reconstruction of the armor carapace demonstrates that previous reconstructions of Desmatosuchus are erroneous in the orientation and position of the lateral armor. Lateral plates of the anterior dorsal region possess low rounded knobs instead of developed spines.



The dorsal flange of the lateral plates of the dorsal region is longer than the lateral or ventral flange making the carapace transversely wider than previously thought. As a result, previous reconstructions articulate the lateral armor not only backwards but also on the wrong sides of the body. Posterior presacral vertebrae are extremely robust and possess fused ribs and the last presacral vertebra has been fused to the sacrum, a character that may be taxonomically useful.



A prefrontal bone is also present in Desmatosuchus, contrary to previous descriptions. Reinvestigation of the genus Desmatosuchus suggests that there are only two valid species, D. spurensis and D. smalli. The lectotype of Episcoposaurus haplocerus is referable to Desmatosuchus but indeterminate at the species level, and therefore represents a nomen dubium.



Accordingly, D. spurensis is reinstated as the type species of Desmatosuchus and the new Arizona specimen is assigned to this taxon. Acaenasuchus geoffreyi, a purported juvenile form of Desmatosuchus, is not referable to Desmatosuchus.

Sunday 11 May 2008

Sunday 27 April 2008

A Wee Beasty for Betsy


I was delighted to hear that one of our long lost friends and renowned paleontologist, Betsy Nicholls would be honored with a new namesake out of Alberta - a mighty marine hunter from our Cretaceous Seas... This newly described plesiosaur, Nichollsia borealis, has been named for the late Elizabeth (Betsy) Nicholls, a renowned paleontologist from the University of Calgary. Betsy holds a special place in the hearts of the paleo community, particularly those in Alberta and British Columbia who had the opportunity to work with her over the years.

She greatly broadened our understanding of the large marine reptiles who swam our ancient seas in describing one of the largest marine reptiles ever to be found. Alberta is the home of the dinosaurs, but it was Betsy’s work that opened up our eyes to the great marine beasties that continue to be unearthed over much of northern British Columbia…

Monday 21 April 2008

Tuesday 4 March 2008

Tuesday 19 February 2008

Sunshine & Rain: Bowron's Lanezi and Sandy Lakes


Like most mountainous areas, Bowron makes its own weather system and it appears you get everything in a 24-hour period. In fact, whatever weather you are enjoying seems to change 40 minutes later; good for rain, bad for sun. Wisps of cloud that seemed light and airy only hours early have become dark.

Careful to hug the shore in our kayaks, we are ready for a quick escape from lightening as thundershowers break. Paddling in the rain, I notice bits of mica in the water, playing in the light and the rock change here to greywacke, argillite, phyllite and schist. Past Lanezi, we continue onto Sandy Lake, where old growth cedars line the south-facing slopes to our left and grey limestone, shale and dolostone line the shore. Mottled in with the rock, we sneak up on very convincing stumps posing as large mammals.

Picking up the Cariboo River again, we follow it as it flows into Babcock Lake, an area edged with Lower Cambrian limestone, shale and argillite. At the time these rocks were laid down, the Earth was seeing our earliest relatives, the first chordates entering the geologic scene.

Wednesday 13 February 2008

THE SCIENCE OF LOVE AND INFIDELITY

Big chin. Big cheater.

As Valentine’s Day approaches, both mating and chocolate get on the brain. If you have not already chosen your new love, researchers suggest you stay away from those with big chins as they have a tendency to cheat. Researchers from four universities across the US and Canada prodded into the sexual habits of chinny and relatively chin-less females to determine these resultts.

Kidding? No, they’ve published in the journal Personality And Individual Differences, so it must be true. Larger chins, especially on adult females, are associated with the male growth hormone testosterone and too much of that bad boy can lead to messing around. It seems on an unconscientious level men sense this trend and are biased against a more masculine chin.

"The findings are important in demonstrating that perceptions of women as desirable and trustworthy long-term mates can be reliably gleaned by men from viewing only the women's facial features.

"Results suggest that information about women's sexual unrestrictedness, which is related to their risk of infidelity, can potentially be conveyed by the masculinity of women's faces."

Hogwash you say? Perhaps you are already hooked up with said chin-cheater? Well, they may cheat, but you may also have found s sexual goldmine. Women with larger chins are also more sexually assertive and perhaps better in bed.

While the study only looked at the chins of the female of our species. Friends and neighbors also speculate on the tendencies of our males. Is Leno a complete dog? And what of the chin of our own Brian Mulroney?

Bring on the chocolate and the chins I say. It's Valentine's Day!

View the original story at http://fossilhuntress.blogspot.com/

Sunday 10 February 2008

Friday 1 February 2008

Possible Walrus Bone Found near Grand Manan


New find near Grand Manan, New Bruinswick needs ID... a few people have taken a look and the most likely critter seems to be a walrus.
If you have any thoughts, please pass them along : )

Thursday 24 January 2008

Sunday 20 January 2008

MYSTERIOUS DESIGN : ACROSS THE UNIVERSE


The Fossil Huntress was intrigued by astrophysicist George Smoot's stunning new images from deep-space surveys. His ideas prod us to ponder how the cosmos -- with its giant webs of dark matter and mysterious gaping voids -- got built this way.

read more | digg story

Saturday 19 January 2008

Sunday 6 January 2008

ORCA MAX'INUX

Orca, Black Fish or Killer Whale — these toothed whales in the oceanic dolphin family are one of the most recognized species in the world.

These large marine mammals are easily distinguished by their black-and-white colouration, large dorsal fin and a sleek, streamlined body. You can often get a peek at their top fin and just enough of their distinctive white eye patch to id

Their genus name Orcinus means "of the kingdom of the dead."

In the Kwak̓wala language of the Kwakiutl or Kwakwaka'wakw, speakers of Kwak'wala, of the Pacific Northwest, orca or killer whales are known as max̱'inux̱.

Thursday 3 January 2008

Burgess Shale 2008


BURGESS
SHALE
2008
For those of you who are interested in seeing the magnificent fossils of the Burgess Shale or hiking to the Mt. Stephen Fossil Beds, here is the updated information for 2008:
Reservations are taken at 9AM to Noon and 1PM to 3PM local time on Mondays to Fridays. General Information for registering for the Guided Hikes to the:

Burgess Shale – Walcott Quarry
Mt. Stephen Fossil Beds and the
Climate Change Hike

Payment must be made at the time of registering for each hike. There is a no refund policy and the fee for making changes to the schedule of the hike once the registration has been made is $20 CAD per person. There is no answering machine on the 1-800-343-3006, if you wish to leave a message please phone the administration number at: 250-343-6006. Office hours during weekdays only.

The residential mailing addresses with postal/zip code is required for each person in your group. At the time of registering the name and address of the person registering is required and the additional names and addresses can be emailed to: info@burgess-shale.bc.ca at a later date, but prior to the date of the hike. The method of payment is master card, visa or personal cheques approved by the Director. Cheques must be received within one week from the date of registration or the registration will be cancelled. You can fax your credit card information to: 250-343-6426 no cover page is required.

The payment for the hike will be processed and you and a confirmation and waiver form will be emailed to you. The confirmation form provides you with the details of the hike, the meeting places and times and what you need to bring with you during the hike. The waiver form must be filled in, signed in the appropriate places and witnessed by a friend or neighbour. Bring the completed waiver form with you and hand it to your guide on the morning of the hike. Do not mail the waiver form. A legal guardian must sign for children under the age of 19 years.

Please provide us with the place you are staying and a contact phone number of where you can be reached on the night prior to the hike. This is necessary in the event that bad weather results in delays or cancellation of the hike or we need to change the meeting place. Sorry, cell phones do not work in here in Field. If the Foundation cancels the hike for whatever reason, you will be provided with a full refund.
For information regarding group bookings please call Randle Robertson at 1-800-343-3006.

If you require additional information please refer to our website: http://www.burgess-shale.bc.ca/

Monday 31 December 2007

CARCHARDONTOSAURUS GOES EXTINCT TWICE

Carcharodontosaurus iguidensis from the Cenomanian of Nigeria and published in this months issue Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. This fellow almost had the misfortune of going extinct twice!

Tooth fragments collected by Charles Depéret and J. Savornin in 1927 were misplaced before this meat-eater could ever be described and when additional material was collected in Egypt in the 1930’s it also came to an unfortunate end. Sent to German paleontologists in Munich to describe, the fossils were lost in the rubble as Allied Forces bombed the building in which they were housed during WW II.

But the rocky history and luck of Carcharodontosaurus iguidensis improved when paleontologist Paul Sereno found cranial material on a Moroccan dig in 1996. That find combined with material collected the following year in Nigeria were examined by Sereno and Steve Brusatte, a paleobiologist at the University of Bristol in England, and Paul Sereno and determined to be a new species, not C. saharicus as originally thought.

The massive skull, neck and bone fragments belonged to Carcharodontosaurus iguidensis, one of the largest dinosaurs ever found. Carcharodontosaurus differs from C. saharicus, his smaller Saharan coursin, both in the maxilla and braincase. Carcharodontosaurus iguidensis walked upright and was a massive beast, weighing in at an impressive 3.2 tons.

Extending upwards of 14 meters (44 ft), nearly as long as Tyrannosaurs, alive today they could easily peer through a second story window - a menacing thought as they were well-equipped hunters with sizable teeth.The climate was much warmer when Carcharodontosaurus iguidensis and C. saharicus roamed the Earth and the seas much higher. Beyond geographic distance, the raised sea level may have been what set these therapods apart. Shallow seas separated what is now Morocco and Nigeria and this separation may have prompted the development of the unique characteristics define the two species.. Perhaps more abundant prey and favorable conditions allowed Carcharodontosaurus iguidensis to grow to their huge size while C. saharicus remained a smallish 1.6 meters (5.2 ft).

While not a reptile, C. saharicus has been compared with modern Crocodylia, another group who first appeared in the Cretaceous, as they share similar inner ear anatomy and cerebrum size relative to total brain. Like many therapods prior to the 1930’s, the African species were originally misgrouped into the genus Megalosaurus. Paleontologist Ernst Stromer von Reichenbach corrected this error.

After taking a closer look at their anatomy, particularly their dentition, he renamed them Carcharodontosaurus in 1931 citeing their "mainly Carcharodon-like teeth", which were "not recurved, almost bilaterally symmetrical but with convex edges” The Carcharodontosaurids were a group of gigantic carnivorous carcharodontosaurid dinosaurs that lived 98 to 93 million years ago.

Carcharodontosaurus means 'shark lizard', after the shark genus Carcharodon, an apt handle as they were ominous killers with enormous jaws and long, serrated teeth, some as long as eight inches.