calhounensis Posted February 15, 2014 Share Posted February 15, 2014 (edited) Today we visited Brooks Quarry as part of the North American Paleontological Convention. Brooks Quarry is located near Marianna, Florida. Three fossiliferous layers can be found here; Marianna Limestone (Oligocene), Bumpnose Limestone (Oligocene) and Ocala Limestone (Eocene). Many in our group were absent because of travel restrictions caused by this last winter storm. Those who could make it hailed from various locations; Italy, Netherlands, North Carolina, Washington D.C., Ohio as well as other places. With all the layers to collect and only a few hours, we started in the Ocala Limestone. Many echinoderms, foraminifera, bryozoans, and mollusks could be found here. After 30 minutes in the quarry I found what would turn out to be the find of the day. A mandible of an undescribed sea cow, from the Eocene, laying upside down in a block of matrix that likely weighed a few tons. After the excitement wore off, we realized moving the rare vertebrate specimen would be no easy task. Rock saws and plaster were out of the picture, left in a FLMNH vehicle in Gainesville. We (Roger Portell and I) started to protect the mandible as best we could with what we had on hand. A bottle of Elmer's glue mixed with water was all that we had. After stabilizing, and some photo ops, we began the daunting task of removing the bone. After nearly two hours and some help from Harley Means we got it off the pedestal we had built and carefully hauled it back to the vans. The rest of the group had left by this point to discover fossils in the Duncan Church Quarry. There they found specimens from the Bridgeboro Limestone (Duncan Church Beds) and Marianna Limestone. All in all it was a great trip, I got to meet many new paleontologists and hear lots of fascinating stories. The mandible was obviously museum worthy and donated on the spot, it will be cataloged into the FLMNH collection where it can be prepped and studied. Hopefully the teeth will be intact underneath the matrix and will help paleontologists study and describe it. When preparation is done I will include finished photos and hopefully a conclusion to its story. Edited February 15, 2014 by calhounensis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calhounensis Posted February 15, 2014 Author Share Posted February 15, 2014 More photos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gdarone Posted February 15, 2014 Share Posted February 15, 2014 Fanstastic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calhounensis Posted February 15, 2014 Author Share Posted February 15, 2014 It's also important to make note, as apparent in the photos, the condyles suffered fresh breaks. We searched the entire area around the discovery and found many pieces that were saved. Sifting turned up little so it can be assumed that the breaks happened elsewhere. It's impossible to tell where that occurred, but every effort was made to find the missing pieces. The important features, the teeth, will hopefully be intact and will help greatly in future study of this specimen. Very little is known about the Eocene sea cows from this location, some fossils have turned up in Florida's rivers but only fragments have been found in the quarries. Daniel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foshunter Posted February 15, 2014 Share Posted February 15, 2014 Great report----Tom Grow Old Kicking And Screaming !!"Don't Tread On Me" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted February 15, 2014 Share Posted February 15, 2014 That big ol' medicine ball is 60# of context. Well done, and congratulations! "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...
calhounensis Posted February 15, 2014 Author Share Posted February 15, 2014 (edited) Here is another photo, just to show another view on the mandible and some of the associated species from the Ocala Limestone (Eocene). In the circle is the internal mold of Xenophora sp., commonly known as carrier shells. You can also see a better look at the breaks on the condyles. Sorry about the sunlight blinding the view, this was in the back of the van in the field. Daniel Edited February 15, 2014 by calhounensis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prem Posted February 15, 2014 Share Posted February 15, 2014 Here is another photo, just to show another view on the mandible and some of the associated species from the Ocala Limestone (Eocene). In the circle is the internal mold of Xenophora sp., commonly known as carrier shells. You can also see a better look at the breaks on the condyles. Sorry about the sunlight blinding the view, this was in the back of the van in the field. Daniel I have many fond memories of hunting in Marianna as a boy. Thanks for the nostalgia!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeR Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 (edited) Good job! I was to go on that trip but work got in the way. I have been to all of the locations on the trip with the exception of Duncan Church. I was looking forward to that site as there is a lot of stuff in the Bridgeboro Limestone that you don't find elsewhere. Mike Edited February 17, 2014 by MikeR "A problem solved is a problem caused"--Karl Pilkington "I was dead for millions of years before I was born and it never inconvenienced me a bit." -- Mark Twain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plantguy Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 Great find and report! Nice to hear and see more about Florida formations. Regards, Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calhounensis Posted February 17, 2014 Author Share Posted February 17, 2014 Thanks everyone, hopefully I can comment soon on what lies below the rock. Crossing my fingers for a full set of teeth. Daniel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PFOOLEY Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 Very exciting! Congrats to you and your crew. "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...
calhounensis Posted March 22, 2014 Author Share Posted March 22, 2014 As promised here is an update on the sea cow. It's been in the prep lab in Vertebrate Paleo at Dickinson Hall for a couple of weeks now. Still some work left to do, but it's coming along nice. Sorry for the cell phone pics, forgot to bring a camera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roz Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 What a find and someone is going great prep on it! I hadn't seen this post before but want to add a huge congratulations for finding and donating it !!! Welcome to the forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 Congrats on the find, Daniel! And from all the paleo museums and professional nerds a hearty thank you for the donation! Now it is EVERYONE'S fossil! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calhounensis Posted April 30, 2014 Author Share Posted April 30, 2014 Thanks! It's been a great experience working with the professionals again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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