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Missouri River Dig Monticello IL
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| Title | Missouri River Dig Monticello IL |
| Digitaization Specification | Master file format: ? bytes, application/doc, Uncompressed, DOC, ; Checksum: ; Adobe Photoshop CS3 |
| Transcript | Office of University Relations SDSM& T News 501 E. St. Joseph Street • Rapid City, SD 57701- 3995 Phone: ( 605) 394- 6082/ 2554 • Fax: ( 605) 394- 6177 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: ( October 29, 1998) MONTICELLO FAMILY DIGS FOR FOSSILS IN SOUTH DAKOTA The Wilber family from Monticello spent two weeks this summer in South Dakota digging for fossils of prehistoric creatures from the Late Cretaceous period. Richard and Cheryl Wilber and their son, Eric, received hands- on field paleo experience under the direction of scientists from the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology ( SDSM& T) Museum of Geology. The field excavation for marine turtles, mosasaurs, plesiosaurs and other Late Cretaceous animals was conducted at an important paleontological site along the Missouri River in central South Dakota. Discoveries during the field dig included a bison skull estimated to be 20, 000 years old and Xiphactinus, a bulldog face fish from the Niobrara Formation 80- 85 million years ago. The excavations were conducted in an area where the SDSM& T Museum of Geology previously made the important scientific discovery of Archelon, a giant marine turtle that lived toward the end of the Age of Dinosaurs. The shell of this largest known sea turtle measures 12 feet across. Numerous sea reptiles, especially mosasaurs, have been found in the area along the Missouri River where SDSM& T paleontologists have conducted field digs. Sea life at the end of the dinosaur age was dominated by mosasaurs and plesiosaurs. Mosasaurs were giant, large- toothed marine reptiles that are distant relatives of modern- day lizards. They inhabited the shallow seas that covered the Great Plains from the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic during the Late Cretaceous period 65 to 90 million years ago. " These ferocious mosasaurs were top dog in the water, " says Dr. James Martin, SDSM& T Museum of Geology Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology and Professor of Geology. " A T- rex wouldn't stand a chance in the water against a mosasaur." A previous dig at this Missouri River site yielded an especially significant discovery of baby mosasaur remains found among the pelvic area of the mother specimen. This is the first definite evidence that these lizard- like creatures gave live birth to their young. SDSM& T's field paleontology program attracts students, teachers and volunteers from across the nation each summer. The public can participate on a limited, space- available basis. For information about future field digs, individuals should contact Dr. Philip Bjork, SDSM& T Museum of Geology, at 1- 800- 544- 8162, ext. 2467, or via email: pbjork@ msmailgw. sdsmt. edu. ++ 30++ Photo Caption: Richard, Eric and Cheryl Wilber ( l. to r.) of Monticello carefully scrape and brush away soil and rock from fossilized mosasaur bones discovered along the banks of the Missouri River during the search for fossils from the Late Cretaceous period. ( Photo Courtesy of SDSM& T University & Public Relations) ( i: univ\ pressrele\ 0998\ Missouri River Monticello IL) |
| Creator | South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. University Relations; |
| Subject | South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. Museum of Geology; |
| Local Subject | South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
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| Digital Publisher | South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. Devereaux Library
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| Date | 1998-10-29 |
| Type | Text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Language | eng |
| Relation | Is part of Office of University Relations SDSM&T News Collection |
| Rights | The work from which this copy was made did not include a formal copyright notice. This work may be protected by U. S. copyright law (Title 17, United States Code), which governs reproduction, distribution, public display, and other uses of protected works. Uses may be allowed with permission from the copyright holder, if the copyright on the work has expired, or if the use is fair use or within another legal exemption. The user of this work is responsible for compliance with the law. |
| Submitting Institution | Devereaux Library. South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. |
| Date Digital | 2009 |
| CONTENTdm number | 1486 |
| CONTENTdm file name | 1487.pdf |
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