A collection of Pliocene age dolphin ear bones, in CSG's hands, for scale. Dolphin ear bones, also called periotics, are among the densest biological tissue, which increases their presevational potential in the fossil record. They are also very informative, from an anatomical standpoint, and they are very diagnostic to specific genera of dolphins. We think that this collection of ear bones represents several living genera of dolphins belonging to the group called Delphinidae. All of these periotics were collected all from one area ~the size of hockey rink. (Photo NDP)
A tarsometatarsus of a fossil penguin at the moment of discovery. This is the first penguin bone that I've ever found, and it's a nice one. According to Roberto Yury, it belongs to Pygoscelis grandis, an extinct relative of today's Antarctic penguin. "Antarctic penguins in the Atacama -- pretty cool," as Yury said to me. This was a pretty fun find. (Photo NDP)
This is what happens when you pack field gear into your Nalgene, and then forget to check the Nalgene before filling it with water for the day. Jim called this "knife tea." Everyone laughed except for me. (Photo JF Parham)
This is Geisha, Mario Suarez's truck and official MPC field vehicle. The etymology of the truck's common name derives from its previous owner, a local of Caldera. We don't know much more beyond that. But it is a great, grinder of a field truck. I love the geological hammer pulling out a perfect lamnid shark. She did get stuck in the sand, though. (Photo JF Parham)
Comments