John K Posted August 1, 2013 Author Share Posted August 1, 2013 (edited) wow, that was quick: "Hi John, Thanks for sending me the images. Yes indeed, you definitely have a natural endocast of a pterosaur there! It looks a lot like the Anhanguera that we published in 2003. It’s probably not Anhanguera itself but a related species. What are plans with the specimen? Are you making it available for study or donating it to a museum? Did you find any pterosaur bones accompanying it? Very cool fossil! Best, --Larry Witmer -----------------------------------------------------------Lawrence M. Witmer, PhDProfessor of AnatomyChang Ying-Chien Professor of PaleontologyDepartment of Biomedical SciencesHeritage College of Osteopathic MedicineOhio UniversityAthens, Ohio 45701 USA " I guess my plans now are to show it to my friend Mike when he gets back, put the thing on a throne and bask in it's glory for awhile, then make it available for study through the UW River Falls paleo lab, my Alma Mater . wowie zowie! Edited August 1, 2013 by John K 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 WOO-HOO!!! What a great fossil! "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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AgrilusHunter Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 What a find! "They ... savoured the strange warm glow of being much more ignorant than ordinary people, who were only ignorant of ordinary things." -- Terry Pratchett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mediospirifer Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Very cool! I'm glad it did turn out to be an endocast. Enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Russell Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 WOW! What an exciting find, John! Congratulations! Finding my way through life; one fossil at a time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indy Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Fossil of the Month !! Flash from the Past (Show Us Your Fossils)MAPS Fossil Show Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John K Posted August 1, 2013 Author Share Posted August 1, 2013 ... but I was so hoping it was an ammonite brain.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indy Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 (edited) ... but I was so hoping it was an ammonite brain.... Edited August 1, 2013 by Indy Flash from the Past (Show Us Your Fossils)MAPS Fossil Show Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PFOOLEY Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Fossil of the Month !! That is one of the coolest fossils I have ever seen!!! Great find! "I am glad I shall never be young without wild country to be young in. Of what avail are forty freedoms without a blank spot on the map?" ~Aldo Leopold (1887-1948) New Mexico Museum of Natural History Bulletins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AgrilusHunter Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Fossil of the Month !! No Kidding! "They ... savoured the strange warm glow of being much more ignorant than ordinary people, who were only ignorant of ordinary things." -- Terry Pratchett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roz Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 WOW!!! A huge Congratulation, such a cool fossil, a real beauty! I had no idea that their skulls would be that small.. Something learned for me! I imagine that has got to be a rare fossil! Good for you donating it eventually for study!! Welcome to the forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PA Fossil Finder Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Wow. A pterosaur!?! That is awesome! I've always been amazed by flying reptiles. Nice find! Stephen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herb Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 FoM for sure "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"_ Carl Sagen No trees were killed in this posting......however, many innocent electrons were diverted from where they originally intended to go. " I think, therefore I collect fossils." _ Me "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."__S. Holmes "can't we all just get along?" Jack Nicholson from Mars Attacks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpc Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 I was gonna say a brain cast from the second set of pix where the adhering bone bits are a bit more obvious, but if Larry Witmer says so, then my vote is moot. Great find... and from the Bearpaw... that's even greater. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinkpantherbeekeeper Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 WOW!!!! CONGRATS!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rejd Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 Stunning find! I am glad you are giving it up for study. I would do the same. A fossil hunter needs sharp eyes and a keen search image, a mental template that subconsciously evaluates everything he sees in his search for telltale clues. -Richard E. Leakey http://prehistoricalberta.lefora.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 I am going to dust off the very seldom awarded Golden Drool Bucket to acknowledge the fossilliciousness of this find. This fossil has enough cool-factor to inspire daydreams, wonder, and envy among paleo aficionados everywhere! Congratulations on your outstanding discovery! "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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 It is certainly a worthy recipient...one of the rarest of the rare. The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AgrilusHunter Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 I am going to dust off the very seldom awarded Golden Drool Bucket to acknowledge the fossilliciousness of this find. A better word could not be invented to describe the nature of this find. 'Tis a rare and unique find worthy of rare and unique praise. Congrats again John! "They ... savoured the strange warm glow of being much more ignorant than ordinary people, who were only ignorant of ordinary things." -- Terry Pratchett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John K Posted August 2, 2013 Author Share Posted August 2, 2013 (edited) Oh Wow, I'm speechless.... this is so embarrassing..... ! seriously, I've found a lot of cool things, but this one takes the cake. Edited August 2, 2013 by John K Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indy Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 (edited) I suggest taking several more pictures (all views) before sending the specimen off to the professionals to be studied/published. Would be nice to have an archive of these images here on the forum EDIT That would include some "fossil in hand" images Edited August 2, 2013 by Indy Flash from the Past (Show Us Your Fossils)MAPS Fossil Show Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John K Posted August 2, 2013 Author Share Posted August 2, 2013 I suggest taking several more pictures (all views) before sending the specimen off to the professionals to be studied/published. Would be nice to have an archive of these images here on the forum I've got a photographer friend that I'm going to enlist the help of to do that; though I might just dig out and dust off my old Nikon F2 w/macro extension bellows and take some film shots. And, I'll be producing a QTVR movie so the entire specimen can be viewed on the web in 3D (as long as the user has the Apple QTVR plugin) this is a good example: http://www.anatomy.wright.edu/QTVR/index.html click on and drag the skeletal hand to get a 360 view Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indy Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 (edited) I did a web search for comparable fossil images. There may be a website with comparable fossil images, however, I didn't find any. The QTVR movie is a good idea, however, not everyone has the Apple plug-insSo a web page or site here on the forum with several pictures with all views and images of fossil in hand ... would be a great archive. Congrats again on your outstanding find PS: Do you have pictures taken at the locality where this fossil was collected ... to give viewers a sense of place ?? Edited August 2, 2013 by Indy Flash from the Past (Show Us Your Fossils)MAPS Fossil Show Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squali Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 wow I've got a bird brain as my screen saver now. It's hard to remember why you drained the swamp when your surrounded by alligators. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichW9090 Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 Indeed a great find - and I never thought about pterosaurs when I was going over the list of possible reptiles from the Bearpaw. Thank you, John, for your willingness to plce the specimen in a proper museum collection so that it is available for study and description. I'll bet Witmer has the equipment to scan your fossil and produce a "paper cast" of it for you to keep - it may not be feasable to do a standard mold and cast - which would likely destroy the bone bits still present. Rich The plural of "anecdote" is not "evidence". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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