Oral Presentations
THE TREATMENT OF THE HAGERMAN PETRIFIED LOG
— Malcolm BILZ, Canadian Conservation Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
A six-and-a-half-foot log which was about 95% petrified was found at the Hagerman Fossil Beds in southern Idaho. It was delivered to the Canadian Conservation Institute in Ottawa, Canada for treatment. This essentially amounted to cleaning and consolidating the log. Controlled suction was used to remove as much of the covering sand matrix as possible without removing the actual log surface. Several materials were tested for their suitability for consolidating the log, including cyclododecane as a temporary consolidant. Conservare OH Stone Strengthener (tetraethylorthosilicate) in ethanol was determined to be satisfactory as a first stage in holding the log substance together. Following that, the very porous material was further consolidated by penetrating the structure with a 5% solution of Butvar B-90 in an ethanol carrier solvent. Plaster was injected under the log to fill the cavity between the log and its casing that had formed by loss of sand in transit. The log in its casing was placed on a metal supporting frame to facilitate moving it in the future.
A SIMPLE PROCESS FOR FABRICATING SMALL DISPLAY MOUNTS
— Matthew BROWN, Constance VAN BEEK, James HOLSTEIN, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL
Occasionally preparators are called upon to perform duties that, while not outside our job description, may be outside our normal experience. For a preparator without experience mounting a cast specimen, the task may at first seem daunting. Here we examine a recent project mounting a small dromaeosaur for display. In the absence of a suitable mount-making facility or metal shop, techniques were developed through trial and error to easily mount the cast skeleton. Most materials were obtained from a local hardware store, and the work was performed using tools already present in most prep labs. The final design required an internal armature to optimize aesthetic appeal, which introduced a challenge in balancing a dynamic and anatomical pose with the need to hide a structure within the gracile elements.
VOLUNTEERS AS FORCE-MULTIPLIERS IN RESEARCH AND IN THE FOSSIL LAB
— Kenneth CARPENTER, Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Denver, CO
The 1467 volunteers at the DMNS contributed over 182,326 hours in 2005. Of these, 125 are active in the Dept. of Earth Science. In many museums, volunteers are an under-utilized resource in both research and in the fossil preparation laboratory. Volunteers can be viewed as a threat (“why keep staff if the volunteers can do the work for free?”) or as a force multiplier. At the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, volunteers have logged 131,456 hours doing fossil preparation during just the past 10 years, which is equivalent to over 6.25 full time staff (40 hr/wk, no leave or vacation). This compares with 2.25 staff members the Museum currently has. During the same 10 years, the volunteers have logged an additional 30,128 hours of field work, which is equivalent of 5.75 full time staff in the field for 3 months/yr (40 hr/wk). Thus, the field and lab work combined is equivalent to 7.75 full time staff. Our utilizing volunteers has resulted in very high rates of output, but does require considerable staff time in supervision. A mandatory 8 week, 2 hr/wk preparation class weeds out volunteers who discover the romance of preparation is not reality, and gets volunteers up to a certain level of competency for integration with more seasoned lab volunteers. Volunteers have also aided in research, with over 28 abstracts and peer-reviewed publications, and 24 presentations at scientific meetings. Volunteers bring a commitment and dedication to their research not seen in many graduate students. Volunteers who are retired also approach research with a maturity not yet developed in young graduate students and are more willing to admit what they don’t know. This makes guidance of research easier than with some graduate students (“like having graduate students without the whining”). The use of volunteers has resulted in an extraordinary high level of productivity for the department than if only by staff.
DISCOVERY, EXCAVATION, AND PREPARATION OF THE SKULL OF A NEW CENTROSAURINE CERATOPSIAN FROM THE WAHWEAP FORMATION OF GRAND STAIRCASE-ESCALANTE NATIONAL MONUMENT (GSENM), SOUTHERN UTAH
— Donald DE BLIEUX, Salt Lake City, UT; James KIRKLAND, Utah Geological Survey, Salt Lake City, UT; Alan TITUS, Bureau of Land Management, Kanab, UT
The Utah Geological Survey (UGS), in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), has been conducting a multi-year project to inventory the paleontological resources of the Wahweap Formation (middle Campanian) of GSENM. In 2002, the partial skull of a ceratopsian dinosaur was discovered eroding out of a sandstone ledge in the middle mudstone member. Collection of bone on the surface and cleaning of the block revealed a nearly complete skull lying on its left side; part of the right side had eroded away, but over half of the skull remained imbedded in the rock. After obtaining an excavation permit from the BLM, we spent eight days over the next three years using a gas-powered cutoff saw to separate the block containing the skull from the surrounding ledge. We trimmed the block to the point where it weighed approximately 1,000 pounds, and encased the exposed bone with a standard plaster jacket to prepare it for transport. In September 2005, the block was transported by helicopter to a truck waiting on a nearby road and driven to the UGS preparation lab in Salt Lake City. Several hundred hours of preparation have been completed on this skull, which represents a new genus of long-horned centrosaurine ceratopsid. A variety of electric, pneumatic, and hand tools have been used to free this specimen from the enclosing sandstone matrix. Large-scale removal of rock has been done using the large gas-powered cutoff saw equipped with a 14-inch diamond blade. An electric angle-grinder with a 4-inch diamond blade has been used for small-scale rock removal. A variety of pneumatic air scribes have been employed to remove the rock adjacent the bone. We describe additional tools and techniques that we have found most useful during this process.
COLLECTION AND USE OF TAPHONOMIC DATA FROM VERTEBRATE LOCALITIES: LESSONS FROM SIX YEARS OF PALEONTOLOGICAL INVENTORY AND EXCAVATION IN GRAND STAIRCASE-ESCALANTE NATIONAL MONUMENT, UTAH
— Mike GETTY, Mark LOEWEN, Utah Museum of Natural History, Salt Lake City, UT; Eric ROBERTS, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Since 2001, the Utah Museum of Natural History (UMNH) has been working in a collaborative agreement with the BLM to conduct paleontological surveys of the Late Cretaceous Kaiparowits and Wahweap formations of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. In the course of this project, the UMNH has made field collections from more than 350 vertebrate localities and conducted extensive excavations at 10 of these sites. While a number of significant specimens have been collected and are being described as a result of this project, broader paleoenvironmental and paleoecological questions are now also being addressed as a result of taphonomic analysis of the data collected in association with these specimens. The field inventory of vertebrate localities involves the collection of considerable ancillary data along with the specimens themselves, which are collectively referred to as taphonomic data. Taphonomic data found to be most relevant in this type of survey include the sedimentologic and stratigraphic context of the locality; spatial and geographical context of the specimens obtained through excavation mapping; and categorization of localities according to their biological and preservational attributes (taphonomic modes). Additional taphonomic features observed on individual specimens following detailed preparation include: soft tissue preservation, weathering, traces of insect activity, trampling, and tooth marks. If collected systematically, taphonomic data reveal more detailed insights into the character of the paleoenvironments and paleoecology of the formations in question. Additionally, these data enable evolutionary and ecological interpretation beyond what is possible from the collection and study of the specimens alone.
PLASTIC DISPLAY JACKETS
— John HOGBIN, Wyoming Dinosaur Center, Thermopolis, WY
It was observed that large bones, such as those of the WDC supersaur specimen, suffered some breakage during transportation and arrangement in museum display situations. To rectify this situation a removable plastic jacket was proposed; this method proved to be effective in supporting and stabilizing large specimens (1-3 meters). Syn-air Por-a-kast TA, “Mothermold,” is a spreadable putty polyurethane which produces a cost-effective, durable, and strong form-fitting platform. The strength-to-thickness ratio allows for a thin enough jacket to be hidden under the bones while maintaining competent support for display and repeated moving for research and storage. The inclusion of steel handles produces a more ergonomic grip and facilitates transportation and ease of use. The method devised for creating these display jackets involved covering the bone in a protective double layer of foil and spreading successive layers of “Mothermold”-infused burlap (similar to layers of plaster-infused burlap for field jacketing). After a minimum of two layers, steel supports and handles may be inserted as needed for transportation and structural integrity. Once the plastic has hardened, painting it flat black makes it unobtrusive when supporting the bone on display. A promoter spray is recommended to prevent flaking of paint over time. Several designs were instituted, though it was observed that a tripodal mode of support was more stable than four or more points of contact with the floor. In addition to making cost effective transportation cradles, these jackets are also excellent storage solutions as the bones are well supported without drastically increasing their storage volume. Since the advent of this protocol, repeated movements of large sauropod bones has produced no breakage.
RECONSTRUCTING NIGERSAURUS TAQUETI
— Tyler KEILLOR, Brookfield, IL
The reconstruction of the bizarre African sauropod, Nigersaurus taqueti, required a melding of old and new materials and techniques. Careful preparation freed the fossils from a sandy matrix. The impossibly delicate, disarticulated skull bones could not be molded, but were CT-scanned and prototyped. The scan data yielded reversed bones where only one side was preserved. The prototyped bones were fitted together, and missing bones were sculpted with plasticene clay to fill the gaps. The reconstructed skull model was molded with silicone; skulls were cast with polyurethane resin. Over a cast of the skeletal elements, a flesh reconstruction was sculpted. Care was taken to follow the bony landmarks for clues to soft tissue, and diverse extant taxa were observed for comparison and inspiration. Skin impressions and sclerotic rings from other types of sauropods were the reference for scales and eye size; while details like the skin color, and bits of green plant material mixed with saliva were speculative artistic decisions. A truly unique and unusual dinosaur like Nigersaurus could not have been reconstructed for public exhibition without the full spectrum of materials and techniques available to skilled preparators today.
THE SOFTER SIDE OF PREPARATION: DEALING WITH NONMINERALIZED VERTEBRATE TISSUES
— Eric LUND, Utah Museum of Natural History, Salt Lake City, UT
Nonmineralized vertebrate tissues are relatively rare occurrences in the fossil record. In addition to being a rich source of nutrients for predators, scavengers, and microbes, such soft tissues do not tend to survive the process of fossilization. Nevertheless, a range of nonmineralized tissues have been preserved in the fossil record, including (but are not limited to) skin, muscle, gut contents, blood vessels, and keratinous sheaths. Over the past six years, a team from the Univ. of Utah working in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, southern Utah, has recorded 11 vertebrate localities preserving soft-tissue structures. Three of these sites are associated with dinosaur specimens: 1) a small ornithopod; 2) a 60% complete hadrosaur skeleton; and 3) a hadrosaur skull. Recovery and subsequent preparation of these specimens has resulted in a number of insights relating to the handling of fossilized vertebrate soft tissues both in the field and the laboratory. Dealing with soft tissue remains in the field and in the preparation lab is often problematic, since these remains — like vertebrate hard tissues — vary greatly in quality and preservational durability. One of the first obstacles is deciding what to preserve in situ, what to remove and retain from the specimen, and what to destroy in order to carry out collection or preparation. As a general rule of thumb, it is best to delay this decision as much as possible until the specimen is in the lab, where preparation can occur in a more controlled setting. During field collection, wrapping smaller specimens in paper or cloth is usually sufficient for transport, but those specimens that are too large to pack out, or are associated with vertebrate fossils, should be encased within a protective plaster jacket. In some cases a consolidant may need to be applied, but use of adhesives should be minimal. Once back in the lab, abundant photographs should be taken before removal or destruction of any soft-tissue remains. Where possible, soft-tissues should also be molded with latex or silicon in order to preserve maximal information and enable placement of soft and hard tissues relative to each other at a later date.
TECHNIQUES AND MATERIALS USED IN DISMANTLING, CLEANING, CONSERVING, AND REMOUNTING THE MUSEUM FÜR NATURKUNDE’S DINOSAUR SKELETONS
— Carla MACKIE, Amelia MAY, Peter MAY, Matt FAIR, Kevin KRUDWIG, Research Casting International, Beamsville, ON, Canada
In May 2005, Research Casting International dismantled the dinosaur skeletons in the main hall of the Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin, Germany. Research Casting returned to Berlin in January 2006 to clean, conserve and remount these skeletons. This presentation will review the techniques and materials used in dismantling, cleaning, conserving and remounting the Museum für Naturkunde’s dinosaur skeletons.
THE THRILL OF THE FRILL: WEAR AND TEAR DEMANDS RESTORATION OF A DILOPHOSAURUS WETHERILLI SKULL, UCMP 77270
— Jane MASON, University of California Museum of Paleontology, Berkeley, CA
As the research interest in theropod dinosaurs has soared while museum budgets dwindle, the resulting wear-and-tear on fossil collections has been magnified by inexperienced researchers having fewer role models to follow in handling fossils as collection and preparation staff are also slashed. Unique and key specimens, sometimes types, must bear the challenge of this intense interest and heavy traffic. Such a specimen is the double-crested Dilophosaurus wetherilli, UCMP 77270, used as a model for the “spitter” in the movie Jurassic Park. The original preparation of UCMP 77270 was done before the presently available, more archival choices of glues, consolidants, and reconstructive mediums. These earlier materials did not offer the greater strength and flexibility tolerances of those now used by fossil preparators. This charismatic theropod specimen has been stressed over time by a latex-lined jacket that abraded the transparently thin and topographically complex parts of the skull’s crest as the jacket cover was removed and replaced during study. Because access to this spectacular fossil is often sought, redesign of the clamshell jacket that will permanently house the specimen will be a crucial step in assuring the specimen’s future preservation. The use of a custom-fitted sandbox has allowed placement of sculpted acrylic elements at key areas of structural stress. These supports have allowed further preparation of the ventral surface of the brain case, which was previously unknown, un-photographed and unstudied due to the specimen’s fragility; it could not have been turned upside down before. To reduce unskilled handling in the future, as far as possible with visual clues, an archival graphic device that warns in the international signs and symbols code, “DO NOT TOUCH,” was developed and placed on key areas of weakness. Protection of other specimens in our collection with similar problems of fragility, combined with near universally comprehensible of warning labels, is also now addressed.
REFINED PARAFFIN WAX USED TO PRESERVE 11,000 YEAR-OLD CAMELID FOOTPRINTS IN LAKEBED SEDIMENTS, ST. MARY RESERVOIR, SOUTHERN ALBERTA, CANADA
— Peter MILOT, James BURNS, Royal Alberta Museum, Edmonton, AB, Canada
The St. Mary Reservoir site (a.k.a. Wally’s Beach) lies 20 km NE of Cardston, Alberta. Lowering of the reservoir in 1998 for spillway repairs exposed to ablation a large tract of unconsolidated aeolian sediments. Thousands of late Pleistocene megafaunal tracks and trackways of woolly mammoth, equids, bovids, cervids and camelids were exposed, accompanied by skeletal remains of Bison antiquus, Bootherium bombifrons, and Equus conversidens, as well as by Clovis and more recent stone tools. AMS dates ranged from 11,000 to 11,500 years BP. In spring 1999, the authors were invited to the St. Mary site by co-principal investigator Prof. L.V. Hills, Univ. of Calgary Dept. of Geology and Geophysics, to research and attempt the recovery of tracks. Field work focused primarily on identifying the makers of the tracks, and on molding the surface of selected tracks. To ensure that they were truly footprints and not, for example, de-watering structures (as some had suggested), vertical sectioning of subsurface deformation of the tracks was photo-documented. Plaster molds and photo-documentation were made of 36 individual footprints, of which 7 comprise a mammoth trackway. In addition, 2 camelid tracks were prepared, jacketed and excavated. This paper describes a methodology, using refined paraffin wax, to consolidate and preserve these camelid tracks in their original sediments. They will be used eventually in the “Ancient Alberta” gallery at the Royal Alberta Museum.
BUILDING A BETTER MOUSETRAP: USEING NEW MATERIALS TO IMPROVE PROCESSING OF BULK MATRIX
— Lloyd SAMPLE, LSA Associates Inc., Irvine, CA
To maximize durability and function and to reduce replacement costs, LSA Associates Inc. (LSA) has developed classification devices for dry screening sediment from new industrial materials that resist fatigue, water, heat, impact, and corrosion. Modeled after standard wooden prototypes, LSA used easily accessible polyvinyl chloride (PVC) extruded plastic tubing and planks that provide exceptional durability and reduce the overall weight of a standard pine device by six pounds. Additional features are added to the design to expedite matrix processing and increase functionality. These include self-supporting A-frame legs for stand-alone loading and sorting and a horizontal tray-locking mechanism. Curved inside corners help protect against sample cross-contamination. The ergonomic design reduces operator fatigue and increases output.
CHARACTERIZATION OF FOSSILIZED DINOSAUR BONES
— P. SIROIS, Canadian Conservation Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada; Elzbieta KAMINSKA, InfoSciTech, Orleans, ON, Canada
The paper summarizes a number of physical and chemical properties of fossilized dinosaur bones used in a study of the degradation of cyanoacrylate adhesives in the presence of a fossil material. To fully characterize bone samples from various sites, a wide range of instrumental analytical techniques was applied. The heterogeneity within the samples was investigated by determining the elemental composition of distinct areas by scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive x-ray spectrometry (SEM/EDS). The samples were analyzed for overall elemental composition by inductively coupled plasma (IPC), and major crystalline compounds were identified by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Additionally, extractive pH, apparent porosity, as well as moisture and ash content of selected bone samples were determined by conventional analytical methods. A wide variability in composition and physicochemical properties of the analyzed bones was observed.
RELOCATION OF NEW FOSSIL DEPOSITS AT THE RANCHOLABREAN TYPE LOCALITY, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
— Robin TURNER, ArchaeoPaleo Resource Mgmt. Inc., Venice, CA; John HARRIS, Christopher SHAW, George C. Page Museum, Los Angeles, CA
The Mexican land grant of Rancho La Brea received its name from the asphalt seeps in its southwest corner that became the type locality for the late Pleistocene Rancholabrean Land Mammal Age. The remnants of the Rancho La Brea tar pits, including the ongoing Pit 91 excavation, may be viewed in the now extensively landscaped Hancock Park in the Miracle Mile district of Los Angeles but opportunities to find and exploit new fossil deposits at this locality occur only rarely. The last two major deposits discovered in Hancock Park were those found during the construction of the Page Museum in 1975 and of the Japanese Pavilion of Art for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) in 1986. Construction of LACMA’s new underground parking structure adjacent to the west edge of Hancock Park, beginning in February 2005 and monitored by ArchaeoPaleo Resource Management staff, uncovered at least five fossiliferous asphaltic accumulations at varying depths below ground surface. The construction schedule did not permit detailed in situ excavation of these localities and inclement weather plus the size of the deposits precluded their being jacketed in segments as took place with the Page Museum salvage operation. Representative samples of plant and insect remains were obtained from the periphery of each deposit. Then each bone bed was delineated, wrapped in plastic, and encased in the kind of wooden container used by landscapers for relocating large trees. Voids between the edge of the deposit and the enclosing box were filled with expanded polyurethane foam. Each deposit was then relocated by crane to a corner of the excavation site that was not affected by the ongoing construction. Relocation of the entire deposit permitted more thorough investigation of its stratigraphy and taphonomy than would have been possible had the deposit been salvaged in situ.
COLLECTION AND HANDLING PROTOCOL FOR MOLECULAR AND CHEMICAL ANALYSES OF WELL-PRESERVED FOSSIL SPECIMENS
— Jennifer WITTMEYER, Mary SCHWEITZER, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
The chemical and molecular characterization of soft tissues and cells preserved in fossil bone presents many technical challenges, not the least of which is detecting artifacts introduced by collection and handling procedures. Here we discuss a series of experiments designed to determine the extent of interference caused by these common practices and protocols. Results showed that some analytical analyses, such as FTIR, are disproportionately affected by, for example, the application of standard field consolidants, while the results of other methods are not affected by these same procedures. We present an overview of analytical methods most appropriate for fossil analyses, and suggest standard protocols for collection and handling fossil specimens for future chemical and molecular characterization. In particular, we emphasize the role of the field crew assigned to the original recovery of fossil remains, and the preparators who are first to observe exceptionally preserved fossils that may hold promise for future analyses. Although we do not propose the elimination of common field practices, such as application of consolidants to stabilize fossil remains, we encourage collectors and preparators to consider the effect these handling methods have upon analytical analyses of fossil tissues, and to set aside untreated representative specimens. For this reason, we propose a simple method, and describe components of a kit, for field collection of well-preserved fossil specimens potentially appropriate for future molecular analyses.
Poster Presentations
CYCLODODECANE AS A TEMPORARY SEALER AND FILLER IN MOLDING SPECIMENS WITH POROUS AND PENETRABLE SURFACES
— Gregory BROWN, University of Nebraska State Museum, Lincoln, NE
One of the exceptional properties of silicone RTV molding compounds is their ability to flow and thereby capture and reproduce extreme detail from the object being molded. One of their less admirable properties is their somewhat limited tear-strength. When these two properties meet on a specimen with deep cracks, open sutures, exposed cancellous bone or remnant porous matrix, there can be grave results. RTV may flow into these areas, penetrate the specimen deeply and tear during de-molding, ruining not only the mold but the specimen as well. Residual silicone RTV is impossible to remove from these deep interstices without damaging the specimen. There are several traditional methods of preventing unwanted penetration of RTV into these areas, but each has its own shortcomings. Clay and wax fillers are themselves difficult to remove, especially from very narrow sutures and cracks, as are thick consolidants from porous areas. Using a thixotropic (non-flowing) RTV may result in less detail-capture and a greater risk of mold flaws from air-entrapment. Choosing a molding compound with higher tear-strength could result in specimen failure rather than mold failure during de-molding. Cyclododecane (C12H24) is waxy hydrocarbon that sublimates completely over time at room temperature. This property makes it extremely useful as a temporary filler and consolidant. Applied as a melt, it provides a very effective fill or seal to penetrable or porous areas of specimens, and then simply disappears after de-molding. A case study of molding an exquisitely preserved juvenile Castoroides skull recently donated to the museum readily demonstrates the tools, techniques and benefits of using cyclododecane as a conservationally-sound temporary filler/sealant, allowing us to take full advantage of RTV properties to produce high-resolution, high-quality molds while minimizing risk to the specimen.
DATA CHECKS AND OTHER TYPES OF DATA COLLECTION STRATEGIES: TWO CASE STUDIES AT BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK
— Rachel BENTON, National Park Service, Interior, SD; Reko HARGRAVE, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), Norman, OK
Two paleontological field projects at Badlands National Park provide important examples of the use of data checks in paleontological field collection. Both of these projects have lasted for several years and have included a large number of participants. The Big Pig Dig was discovered in 1993 and has been operating for over 12 field seasons. During the past six years, park staff and partners have also completed two major paleontological field surveys which documented several new paleontological localities within the park. To provide consistency in data collection, detailed protocols for note taking, excavation, grid setup and total station operation have been drafted for both the Pig Dig and the field surveys. Often one mode of data collection is not entirely reliable. For example, at the Pig Dig, both a total station and a meter grid system are used to document the position of each bone found at the site. Total station readings are constantly compared with associated grid locations. At the beginning of each mapping session, three reference points are taken to determine any potential errors during data collection. Data is exported into Arcview on a weekly basis to track any potential errors. During field surveys, both GPS (Global Positioning System) units and high resolution aerial photos are used to document new paleontological localities. Due to the dissected nature of the badlands topography, satellite signals cannot always be received. Localities can be marked on aerial photos and digitized into Arcview. Because shape files are generated for both the paleontological field surveys and quarry collection, detailed metadata is developed to document all aspects of GPS and GIS (Geographic Information System) data collection. Metadata provides a way to document the type of equipment and software used, gives details on data collection methods and lists any type of problems encountered and their subsequent resolution. It also includes a listing of people involved and their contact information. Because paleontological locality data can be highly sensitive, metadata includes a discussion on data access and recommended security levels.
ASSEMBLING AN ARCHIVAL MARKING KIT FOR PALEONTOLOGICAL SPECIMENS
— Amy DAVIDSON, Samantha ALDERSON, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY; Marilyn FOX, Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, New Haven, CT
Will the number you put on your specimen, its tag, box or other housing, be legible in one hundred years? Is it rub-proof, water-proof, fade-proof? Will a future worker be able to remove it if necessary? This poster will present a plan for assembing an archival marking kit, adapted for fossils from a similar kit for anthropological objects. Having a well-designed kit saves time and can help improve and standardize marking practices. The proposed kit includes a variety of high quality materials, including India ink, acrylic paint, Acryloid/Paraloid B72 in a convenient nail-polish bottle and also in a tube, Japanese and archival papers, Bristol board and various dispensers, brushes, pens, etc. Possible additions to the kit (such as disposable pens) will be discussed. Even the best materials can fail if not used well! This poster illustrates marking failures and solutions for problematic fossil surfaces (dark, rough, friable, very small or fragile, etc.) and problematic materials such as coated surfaces and plastics. Also included are a discussion of permanence and removability, looking both at the materials included in the kit and others that could be used or have been used in the past.
HEALTH HAZARDS OF THE RODENT-BORNE HANTAVIRUS. HOW TO DEAL WITH POTENTIALLY INFESTED STORAGE SITES AT THE WYOMING DINOSAUR CENTER
— John GIBBEL, William WAHL, Wyoming Dinosaur Center, Thermopolis, WY
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is deadly and exhibits itself as cold or flu-like symptoms. The hantaviruses are primarily associated with Microtus species present in Wyoming. This is an opportunity to report on procedures of how to clean up storage areas and structures such as quarry sites that have been closed for any length of time. Rodents pass HPS in their urine, saliva and droppings. High-risk activities include cleaning or occupying rodent infested barns, cabins, or vacant buildings; disturbing rodent-inhabited areas while camping or hiking; and working in enclosed spaces that have been infested with rodents. Storage of fossil material or field equipment would also fall into these categories. It is generally agreed that three basic procedures are necessary to deal with this virus when cleaning: 1) wear gloves and mask; 2) use disposable rags rather than vacuuming or sweeping; and 3) spray dust with bleach solution of one cup per gallon of water. Also suggested is the procedure of airing out structures and exposure to sunlight any potentially infected areas. As the quarries at the Wyoming Dinosaur Center are open to the public, there is the potential of infection and transport. Though the chances of having a contaminated rodent within structures are slim and while there is no known cases of person-to-person transfer, it is still a very deadly disease. Although the best way to prevent hantavirus is to use whatever means to keep rodents out, reliable sanitation is the best defense.
RECOGNITION OF INSECT TRACES ON MODERN AND FOSSIL BONES
— Kenneth BADER, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
Subaerially exposed carcasses attract insects that rapidly consume flesh. During the final stage of decomposition, insects consume or modify the remaining dry skin, flesh, and bones. Modern examples of insects that damage bone include dermestid beetles, tineid moths, and termites. Dermestid beetle larvae consume bone after the flesh and skin is removed from desiccated carcasses. After feeding for approximately four weeks, Dermestes larvae produce pupation chambers with U-shaped cross sections in hard substrates such as bone. Tineid larvae feed on keratin and bore straight-walled pupation chambers into horn cores. Tinea and Ceratophaga also construct reinforced tubes composed of silk, earth, and keratin from the underside of horns into the soil. Termites protect themselves by encasing their galleries and food sources in stercoral, a mixture of soil, feces, and saliva. Laboratory experiments have proven that termites can scratch bone with their mandibles, although there is no evidence suggesting that termites consume bone. Similar insect traces have been identified on dinosaur bones from the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation of northeastern Wyoming. Examples of these traces are molded with silicone rubber before the application of consolidants and cast using Dyna-cast plastic. Casts studied and photographed under SEM can be compared to modern insect traces on bone and wood, as well as to modern root traces on bone. Unlike modern traces produced by tineid larvae and termites, a protective material does not cover the fossil traces. The most common trace is a shallow pit produced by a feeding insect or an insect anchoring its pupation chamber against the bone. U-shaped pits on the dorsal vertebrae of a Camarasaurus are identical to dermestid pupation chambers.
A VARIATION ON THE PADDED PLASTER JACKET FOR HOUSING VERTEBRATE FOSSILS
— Peter KROEHLER, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC
The Smithsonian Institution’s Vertebrate Paleontology Lab has been constructing housing for its large fragile vertebrate fossils using a method described by Jabo, et al. for a number of years. This method has worked well and hundreds, if not thousands, of jackets have been constructed in this manner. This poster will show another now acceptable method of construction using polyethylene felt as the padding/lining instead of the polyethylene foam previously described. The new method eliminates a few of the time consuming gluing and clay rolling steps. Samples of the new lining material will be shown at the poster and a limited number of samples will be available. Suppliers names will be provided (though not endorsed) by the author.
PACKING AND TRANSPORTING VERTEBRATE FOSSILS OVERSEAS
— ReBecca HUNT, Augustana College, Rock Island, IL
In the summer of 2006, Augustana College shipped vertebrate remains of the holotype specimen Cryolophosaurus, a prosauropod, and capitosaur, along with plant material, to Japan. This fauna will be the focus of an Antarctic exposition at the National Science Museum in Tokyo. Therefore, the safe packing of these vertebrate fossils for overseas transport is vital for the future study of these remains and for the success of the exhibit. The wrapping of small to medium sized material in foil insures that any breakage will be held in place during shipping, while the use of styrofoam, bubble wrap, clamshell jackets and sturdy boxes will also ensure stability during shipping. Large and more delicate remains will require more precise packing. Expanding liquid foam that sets up rigidly will be used to contour and hold the individual remains. This foam must be kept away from the fossil, so it will fist be wrapped in plastic to serve as a separation layer. The foam mold for each specimen can be used repeatedly, if handled correctly and undamaged in shipping. The fabrication of crates for overseas importation must adhere to set guidelines by the National Plant Protection Organization and the USDA. There are two official export treatment and marking programs used to meet the requirements of countries with import requirements based on the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures—Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging Materials in International Trade (ISPM15). These treatments must have been applied to the wood products, and include Heat Treatment (HT) and the Methyl Bromide (MB) Fumigation Programs and will be marked by a certified inspection agency. This can be both a costly and time-consuming venture, though there are several ways to avert these issues. One would be to have crates constructed by a certified shipping agency which can fabricate and treat these crates at a reduced cost. Other methods included fabricating your containers from a non-wood product.
NEW USES OF A RELATIONAL DATABASE TO IMPROVE THE CONSISTENCY AND QUALITY OF FOSSIL LOCALITY DATA IN ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTING FIRMS
— Ian BROWNE, Kesler RANDALL, San Diego Natural History Museum, San Diego, CA
The paleontological collections of the San Diego Natural History Museum have grown considerably since the inception of the California Environmental Quality Act in 1970. The museum provides paleontological mitigation services through its Department of PaleoServices and serves as a repository for private mitigation firms. This creates an almost constant influx of specimens and related locality data. In the past, specimens were logged daily into a handwritten ledger and field tags were handwritten for each bucket and cardboard flat of material associated with a field number. This system was prone to a number of common problems and errors: including project and developer/donor names being recorded incorrectly, missing data, and illegible handwriting. In an attempt to improve data quality and consistency, a relational database was developed to alleviate these problems. Users select the project name from a list linked directly to the contract management table; project and donor information is then automatically associated with the field number. Information about the field site is then entered, including geologic formation, elevation, UTM coordinates, types of fossils recovered, and brief notes specific to the field number. The user then enters the number of field tags they require and the system prints them. What makes this system particularly useful are the added features that have taken this system beyond being a simple data entry tool. The system automatically sends daily e-mails detailing the day’s collections to key curatorial staff. Prior to the implementation of this system, erroneous or missing data were usually not discovered until the beginning of the formal curation process (several months after the initial collection). E-mail notification allows curatorial staff to remedy data inconsistencies within 24 hours of collection. Additionally, daily notifications to contract and project management staff improve communications with clients and government oversight agencies. Ultimately this system increases locality data accuracy, benefiting researchers, students, and citizens.