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Tallahatta Bird Bone


Auspex

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This is the (1 1/8" long) proximal end of a tibiotarsus, found by N.AL.Hunter. Due to his boundless generosity, it is now in my shop's display case. It is from an Eocene shorebird, and is practically indistinguishable from that of a modern Avocet. The Eocene saw a remarkable and rapid radiation of the avifauna as they took advantage of niches vacated in the K-T extinction event. The Eocene "shorebirds" were just biginning to differentiate into the families we know today; the Avocets, Stilts, and (quite probably) Flamingoes can trace their linneage to this bird. It is also a cousin to the ancestor of the ducks, geese, and swans. This is my only non-Green River example, and it differs from them quite a bit in size (being 20% smaller). If I ever get around to publishing any of my stuff, I will propose Recurvirostra nalhunterensis :P

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"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

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Hey Auspex, are you familiar with Presbyornis? I found a humerous of one in the Aquia fm. at Liverpool Point a few years back.

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Hey Auspex, are you familiar with Presbyornis? I found a humerous of one in the Aquia fm. at Liverpool Point a few years back.

All I have for Presbyornis is Green River material; a plate with a tarsometatarsus and 3 basal phalanxes, a couple nice feathers, and several track plates (one with "nibble marks" from feeding). I have a collector friend working Lake Gosiute who is zeroing in on access to a known rookery; this will yield lots of bones (including skulls), eggshell, and nests (possibly with eggs). I'd sure love to see your humerus! Aquia bird material is R.A.R.E. rare!

"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

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The original is in the Smithsonian. I have a cast that they gave me . . . somewhere. If you're interested I can try to find a copy of the paper they did when they named it. I was told it is the only identified bird fossil from the Aquia.

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The original is in the Smithsonian. I have a cast that they gave me . . . somewhere. If you're interested I can try to find a copy of the paper they did when they named it. I was told it is the only identified bird fossil from the Aquia.

You bet I'm interested! Who's the author? Was Storrs Olson in on it?

"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

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Yes, Storrs wrote it up. He was very excited when I took it in to him. I actually found the cast and posted it.

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wow thats pretty awesome! very generous of you Delos! im envious of it, and i must say Auspex your knowledge on this sorta stuff never ceases to amaze me!

"Turn the fear of the unknown into the excitment of possibility!"


We dont stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.

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Thanks Kauffy, but compared to the depth and breadth of knowledge held by most of the other Forum members, I feel like a babe in the woods. I know a little bit about a very narrow and comparatively obscure topic, and I'm certainly no authority even then. What little I have managed to pick up is due in large part to my grounding in ornithology, at which I do have 40 years of amateur experience. Paleontology is a comparative science, and I came to paleoornithology with an advantage in that aspect. Still, a day never goes by that I don't learn something; I've a long way to go, and I look forward to every minute of it.

"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

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have to agree with you, since joining this forum i have learnt so much, i learnt something just now reading your topic, i now know what a proximal end of a tibiotarsus from an Eocene shorebird looks like! :D

Even with your 'little bit of knowledge about a very narrow and comparatively obscure topic' youve been able to teach me more than a few things! i just cant wait to learn more! gimme gimme gimme...!!!

"Turn the fear of the unknown into the excitment of possibility!"


We dont stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.

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