Why Morrison fossils are rare

[TeethCollector]

I have seen constant supply of dinosaur fossils from Hell Creek and Judith River... but not Morrison.

I don't see any Allosaurus, Torvosaurus, and Ceratosaurus tooth from the market. Some Jurassic herbivore such as Diplodocus and Camarasaurus are available but not as frequently as Hell Creek herbivores. And I haven't seen any Stegosaurus material as well..

 

There's no commercial digger working in the Morrison Formation? or there is a legal issue? Or just because they are so rare?

Edited June 18, 2021 by TeethCollector

[Kikokuryu]

I think it's almost all commercial diggers, at least all the fresh material is. I could be wrong, but I believe you have to actually dig for fossils from most of the Morrison available to commercial hunters rather than surface finds you get with Hell Creek/Lance or Judith River. The ones you do see I think all come quarries owned by commercial fossil businesses? I think bones, especially sauropod bones are more trouble than they are worth to dig up.

 

Stegosaurus is I think very rare. There was a brief sale of a number of gular / neck scutes from Stegosaurus associated with a single specimen that were available, I think in 2019 or 2020?

 

Ceratosaurus I think is also just straight up rare. Allosaurus you see quite often come up for sale, though often with no provenance. Torvosaurus and Marshosaurus I think are uncommon.

 

Not a dinosaur, but Ceratodus lungfish are apparently very rare in the quarries that are operated by commercial fossil businesses. It was a hassle just to find one for my collection.

 

The last point, and a major reason why we don't see more diversity of North American dinosaurs is that you can't find T. rex in it. Judith River has close enough animals from a commercial standpoint and more easily accessible areas. Morrison has famous genera like Allosaurus so it's still worth digging, but not as much as Hell Creek probably.

[Troodon]

The bottom line is "financial", what area provides the best opportunity for income for commercial diggers? Its in the Hell Creek/Lance deposits.    Why would you want to run into a big bone in the Morrison and take the time to excavate and prep it when you can find a 3 inch Trex tooth and make more money.  All about economics

 

At the Tucson show that are always dealers with material from the Morrison.   Most do not have online websites and just sell through shows or privately.  That how most all my Morrison collection was acquired.   I have a limited but nice collection of Stegosaurus material that took me 25 years to accumulate so it takes time.  In that period I only have 4 Stego teeth and their size limits finding them.  The Morrison quarries are still buzzing and producing material but my guess only a small quantity finds it way to online sites..

[jpc]

I say this as a guy who works for a museum with both the Lance and the Morrison.  There are several factors.  Troodon has touched upon one.

 

2-  availablitiy of land.  Most of the biggest swaths of Lance and Hell Creek are in eatern Wyoming and Montana as well as parts of North and South Dakota.  Mostly all private land.  Most of the large swaths of Morrison are in western Colorado, Utah and New Mexico where the stuff is mostly on BLM land... illegal to collect and more illegal to sell.  Yes, there are Morrison outcrops outside these areas, but you really have to look for them.  

 

3- Contrary to popular belief, it is actually quite difficult to make money selling dinosaur skeletons... this may be changing quickly since Stan sold for a ridiculous amount.  The best way to make money selling dinosaur bones (as it is in any business) is by selling lots of inexpensive bits and bobs.  These are easy to find in the Lance Fm as there are many bonebeds in the Lance/HC.  These are areas full of all sorts of bones from all sorts of animals.  Lots of isolated bones...easy to sell.  There are not many bonebeds in the Morrison.  Most Morrison finds are single animal burials.   Things like isolated teeth are most often found in bone beds.  Fewer bone beds.... fewer isolated teeth. 

 

4- more points that I cannot think of right now.

 

Yes indeed, the non-allosaurus theropods are rare, whereas Allosaurus is fairly common.  

[TeethCollector]

Thank you @Kikokuryu , @Troodon , @jpc ! That clears up all of my questions...

So basically, that's all because of money... capitalism!  

 

It is good news that Allosaurus is common. I should visit Tucson Fossil Show this September to get one...

[jpc]

27 minutes ago, TeethCollector said:

 

So basically, that's all because of money... capitalism!  

 

I think land availability is a much bigger factor than money.  

[jdp]

3 hours ago, Kikokuryu said:

Not a dinosaur, but Ceratodus lungfish are apparently very rare in the quarries that are operated by commercial fossil businesses.

 

Ceratodonts are really hit or miss in the Morrison. Animals like Potamoceratodus weren't estivators, so you need localities that represent permanent water bodies, BUT you also won't find them in the big salt lakes throughout most of the western part of the Morrison. Not a ton of localities like that, and where they exist they're hard to work and on BLM land.

[Paleostoric]

On 6/17/2021 at 9:07 PM, TeethCollector said:

I should visit Tucson Fossil Show this September to get one...

 

Just want to mention that the big showcase with the fossil vendors is at the end of January/beginning of February. I believe September will be mainly gem shows.

[TeethCollector]

2 minutes ago, Paleostoric said:

 

Just want to mention that the big showcase with the fossil vendors is at the end of January/beginning of February. I believe September will be mainly gem shows.

 

Thank you for let me know. Do you know any other shows with lots of fossil dealers?

[Paleostoric]

Just now, TeethCollector said:

 

Thank you for let me know. Do you know any other shows with lots of fossil dealers?

 

The Colorado show is the next big one that I can think of, though I never went to that one I can't tell you about the abundance/quality of fossils available there.

[Troodon]

 If you are going to attend a show with the best dinosaur fossil dealers its Tucson by far, a five star show.. The  Denver show had them but is a big step down and over the years fewer and fewer have attended, a three star show.  The New Jersey show has a couple but nothing like it was when it first opened and give it half a star.  Lots of smaller shows around and there may be someone selling dinosaur material you need to see what's in your area but none of them will compare to Tucson or Denver.  Online dealers use these two shows as one of the key ways to restock inventory