Last week, museum staff and volunteers traveled to Gray, Tennessee for the 10th annual Southeastern Association of Vertebrate Paleontology. What’s in Gray, Tennessee? Why, the Gray Fossil Site, of course!
The Gray Fossil Site (GFS) is a Miocene age site known for it’s spectacular preservation of fossils dating back 7 to 4.5 million years ago. GFS was discovered in 2000 while trying to expand the highway in the area; upon realizing the magnitude and importance of such a fossil site, the highway was rerouted to go around and construction began on a museum to house and educate about the wonderful finds coming from this prehistoric sinkhole. Lizards, snakes, turtles, and alligators are all commonly found at this site, as well as tapirs, saber-toothed cats, mastodon, and short-faced bear. GFS is also known for the most complete skeleton of the ancient barrel-chested rhinoceros Teleoceras and the most complete skeletons of red panda!
Partnered with East Tennessee State University, GFS was the host of SeAVP this year; 10 years ago they started this small conference as a way to share new research and catch up with old friends, as well as providing a platform for new researchers to present in a smaller setting before moving onto larger conference settings. Professor Robert Boessenecker presented a 20 minute talk on xenorophids (Oligocene odontocetes) and Collections Manager presented a poster on a new record of the walrus Ontocetus emmonsi from South Carolina. Enjoy the following slideshow of pictures from the trip!
Traveling to TN was a beautiful drive, and impressive scenery.
Cute sculptures depicting the fauna of GFS welcome you to the museum
Cute sculptures depicting the fauna of GFS welcome you to the museum
The GFS is a beautiful locality and museum.
A cast of the skeleton of Bristol’s red panda from GFS. There are now two nearly complete skeletons of this adorable little guy.
Alligators likely preyed upon unsuspecting tapirs at GFS.
Teleoceras from the site.
The museum had an excellent exhibit on how molds and casts are made.
The museum had an excellent exhibit on how molds and casts are made.
The museum had an excellent exhibit on how molds and casts are made.
The museum had an excellent exhibit on how molds and casts are made.
One of the many fossil tapirs from GFS.
Skeleton of a juvenile Alligator sp. from GFS.
Skull of a small short-faced bear Plionarctos from GFS.
The staggering distance between the lab (left) and the excavation (right) at GFS
Steven Wallace and preparator extraordinaire Shaun Haugrud giving a lecture in the sweltering heat at the excavation site at the Gray Fossil Site. This is the approximate spot where their new mastodon was collected.
Volunteers from blue team (yes, they have enough volunteers that they have them organized in shifts and are color-coded) working in the pit.
Beautifully made, economic box screens with color-coded floats – they do all their screening in agricultural water ‘tubs’ (e.g. for livestock).
The entire crew attending SeAVP crowded into their amazing prep lab to learn about the techniques used at GFS, with an impressive amount of volunteer work.
Partial cranium of a tapir (Tapirus polkensis) from GFS, highlighting Shaun Haugrud’s trademark reversible ‘spider web’ glue technique – all that white stuff is butvar B76, which is easily reversible in acetone, unlike 2-part epoxy putty, which has to be mechanically removed.
The lower jaw of the mastodon in the GFS lab, with collections manager Sarah Boessenecker and lead CCNHM volunteer preparator Dr. Jane Jelly off to the right.
The microvertebrate picking station at GFS – with poster-sized framed comparative osteological figures. Bobby’s heart just about melted at this sight.
The mastodon tusk – some assembly required.
Volunteers are in the lab all week long, cleaning and preparing fossils found at the site.
Screens of material drying inside – new purpose for fans! We confess we’ve used portable heaters to dry specimens out in our lab.
The skull of the mastodon – some work required!
Foreleg of the new mastodon they are collecting and preparing.
Teeth from the mastodon they are currently excavating.
Dr. Alex Hastings (Virginia Museum of Natural History) and R. Courtland Lyle (Eastern Tennessee State U.) got a chance to sit down with Dr. Boessenecker and have a chat about a whale that Courtland is working on from VMNH collections. They brought the earbones to the conference, and whale ear bones are best understood while under the influence. Beer helps ease the pain and confusion.
Collections Manager Sarah Boessenecker presented a poster on a walrus tusk from Ridgeville, South Carolina, which she got some great feedback on – and is presently working to complete the manuscript version of the research.
Dr. Boessenecker presenting his research on xenorophids.
The expansive collections space at GFS. We were in awe at how much space they have (and how clean it is!).
Steven Wallace with one of the most unexpected discoveries in North American mammal paleontology – the Appalachian red panda, Pristinailurus bristoli. GFS preserves a unique mammal assemblage with many old world taxa, perhaps going unnoticed because most fossil sites do not preserve mammals from forested settings.
A cast of the skull of Teleoceras, the barrel-chested rhino from GFS.
We were even treated to some rainbows on our way back to Charleston!
1 Comment on “Friday Fossil Feature – SeAVP and the Gray Fossil Site”
OMG, do you people really have a fossilized tapir?
OMG, do you people really have a fossilized tapir?