I hugged a Shastasaurus today

[fossilsonwheels]

I wanted to very briefly share something really pretty awesome. Some folks here know that in addition to Fossils on Wheels, I also work for the Gateway Science Museum. It’s a small children’s science museum  and our fall exhibit is going to be about fossils. We are part of CSU Chico and the Geology Department is using our facilities to do some preparation work on a few fossils for the exhibit. I took some pictures of one awesome specimen. 

 

The table in the center of the frame contains multiple  pieces of a Shastasaurus. It is a remarkable and scientifically important specimen. It was found near Shasta Lake and it’s Triassic. Close to complete and containing something special that I can’t really elaborate on. All of those bundles are ribs and verts. The second picture is a close up of one slab. I got to pick it up and it is really quite heavy but not everybody gets to hug a Shastasaurus so totally worth it lol 

 

In the far right of the picture, you can see the edge of a table and on that table is a partial Mastodon jaw includes a complete tusk though in two pieces. I’ll take pictures of that and a baby whale piece next time I’m at work. My desk is to the left of the whiteboard you see in the frame. My workspace has been taken over by large fossil critters ! 

[Macrophyseter]

Awesome!

[Ludwigia]

Nice to know you are at least allowed to hug something like this during the pandemic

[paulgdls]

Thanks for posting. What are the width and height measurements of individual vertebrae? 

[Sjfriend]

Nice! Didn't know anything like that had been found around Shasta! I'll be near Trinity lake for a bit this summer, maybe I'll get digging lol

[fossilsonwheels]

18 hours ago, Ludwigia said:

Nice to know you are at least allowed to hug something like this during the pandemic

Hugging 210 million year old fossils is probably ok since it is already dead right ? lol

[fossilsonwheels]

On 4/16/2021 at 8:48 PM, Macrophyseter said:

Awesome!

The other various large pieces of it are even cooler. When it was being prepped in the lab after CSUC got it, i saw several jaw and skull pieces plus paddles. It is really got an amazing fossil to see up close.

[fossilsonwheels]

14 hours ago, paulgdls said:

Thanks for posting. What are the width and height measurements of individual vertebrae? 

No clue.  I can measure it sometime in the near future. We have only unwrapped two of the bundles.

[fossilsonwheels]

11 minutes ago, Sjfriend said:

Nice! Didn't know anything like that had been found around Shasta! I'll be near Trinity lake for a bit this summer, maybe I'll get digging lol

There are some interesting formations in Shasta County. The Hosselkus Limestone produces Californosaurus fossils and  Palaeobates teeth. Some of the Shastasaurus fossils found probably come from that formation. I know the Budden Canyon Formation in Shasta County which is Albian in age produced the oldest North American Notidanodon specimen too. I have not asked about the specific geology related to this Shastasaurus but my guess is Hosselkus Limestone.

[Sjfriend]

Great info. Grew up in Sac and have family around there and near Weaverville so go back once in a while. Will have to look up the geology around Lewiston while there.

[jpc]

Cool.  Is Shastasuarus the same genus that is at the Ichthyosaur State Park in Nevada?  

[fossilsonwheels]

1 hour ago, jpc said:

Cool.  Is Shastasuarus the same genus that is at the Ichthyosaur State Park in Nevada?  

I believe those are Shonisaurus. 

[pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon]

On 4/18/2021 at 8:31 AM, fossilsonwheels said:

Hugging 210 million year old fossils is probably ok since it is already dead right ? lol

 

Well, as long as you keep your social distance

 

Impressive specimen, though! Hope you'll post more photographs of it in the future

Edited April 21, 2021 by pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon

[fossilsonwheels]

Some additional pieces of the Shastasaurus were unpacked. Beautiful fossils. 

 

The third photo is the Mastodon tusks being prepped. 

Edited April 29, 2021 by fossilsonwheels
Spelling change

[pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon]

11 hours ago, fossilsonwheels said:

Some additional pieces of the Shastasaurus were unpacked. Beautiful fossils. 

 

The third photo is the Mastodon tusks being prepped. 

 

That looks pretty cool! I can only imagine how impressive these pieces must be up close, when you're fully able to appreciate the size of them!

Thanks for sharing!

[fossilsonwheels]

The Mastadon tusks are pretty much done except for some additional cleaning and preservation work. The concern is further matrix removal will possibly break the tusks. 

 

I am super excited because starting next week, I will be doing some prep work myself. I can’t do it during our hours of operation due to my supervisory duties so I’ll be going in on my off day and learning how to prep fossils ! This is a good start in the transition from amateur to professional plus a chance to further connections in the Geology Dept at CSU Chico. 

[pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon]

Wow! That's an amazing specimen! And in an only imagine how stoked you must be in anticipation of a chance to learn/do some prepping! 

[fossilsonwheels]

On 5/9/2021 at 1:51 AM, pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon said:

Wow! That's an amazing specimen! And in an only imagine how stoked you must be in anticipation of a chance to learn/do some prepping! 

Very excited. I start this week. It’s a fantastic specimen to see up close. 

[fossilsonwheels]

Super cool. Merton Formation Tortoise shells ! Not from the same animal and I’ve got no idea on the ID yet but there is a plastron and a carapace. 

 

I was very lucky to do some field work with Actinemys marmorata when I still got to go out in the wilderness for work. My kids also got to grow up around a Desert Tortoise and my son in particular really loved that tortoise. Turtles and Tortoises hold a soft spot in my family so these fossils are really pretty awesome to see up close. 

 

The note on the carapace says Do Not Touch Very Fragile. I have gotten to touch it though  

Rhino jaw and tooth. No clue on the species but it’s cool to have some fossil rhino bits 10 feet from my desk lol 

[fossilsonwheels]

The publicity for the Merton Formation fossils has been insane. There have been quite a few media outlets that have done stories on this including a French TV crew this week. 

The prep work continues on the Miocene fossils and I’m starting to do a bit myself.

We learned the skull and tusks could possibly be Gomphothere. Could be Mastodon. It will eventually end up at Berkeley for study. 

 

[fossilsonwheels]

Aepycamelus foot bone. We learned the camel foot bone belonged to the Long neck Camel. Pretty cool. 

 

No bones assigned to any Ground Sloths yet but there are one or two that might be including this one. 

[fossilsonwheels]

Not sure what skull this is but the hope is something in Carnivora. So far only two pieces are definitely a carnivore. A potential canid jaw fragment and I think a Mustelid of some kind. 

A piece of Tortoise that I am getting to do some prep work on. 

[pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon]

Pretty cool collection of fossils, especially to have lying next to your desk like that!  

[Troodon]

Just saw this topic, pretty cool and exciting, have fun playing in the dirt.....