Location
Turner Gymnasium
Access Type
Campus Access Only
Start Date
4-17-2024 12:00 PM
End Date
4-17-2024 1:15 PM
College
Lynchburg College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Biological Science
Abstract
Anna Grace Terrell
Professor Brooke Haiar
Student Scholar Showcase Presentation
1 March 2024
The Preparation of Dinosaur Vertebrae After Excavation
Sauropods are known as the long necked dinosaurs in the Jurassic and Cretaceous time periods. Even though the term “dinosaur” translates to “terrible lizard”, sauropods are the gentle herbivores of the dinosaur world. They are known for their small heads, large legs, and long tails. One of the most recognizable sauropods across the public is the Brachiosaurus. The long necks of the Brachiosaurus is one of their most distinguishable features. I did a preparatory project on sauropod and Stegosaurus vertebrae with the Virginia Museum Museum of Natural History(VMNH). The purpose of this project was for me to gain experience in preparing an excavated bone to be put on display in a museum with the help of my mentor from the VMNH.
This field study was conducted in Greybull, Wyoming, home to the Jurassic Morrison Formation that is filled with fossils, whether they are dinosaur fossils or fossils of other organisms. The bone that I prepped came from a quarry worked by the VMNH, called “Nickopod,” and it was originally thought to be a Stegosaurus vertebrae. I removed the jacket covering the bone that consists of tin foil and toilet paper. Then I removed all of the matrix that was covering the bone with a dental pick and some small paint brushes. I then had to strengthen any places on the bone that had been exposed from matrix removal or what had broken off due to bones being millions of years old. I had to make a plaster jacket to flip the bone and do the same process for the other side of the bone. The other side was too brittle for me to continue working on it so I finished my work on the bone there.
As the sides of the bone were exposed from the matrix we realized that there were two vertebrae present. One vertebrae was a Stegosaurus vertebrae and the other was a sauropod vertebrae. The Stegosaurus vertebrae was too fragile for me to continue on because it broke in three different places. This set of vertebrae was truly amazing because we never saw anything of the sort happen in the field. We were able to glue some pieces back together before sending it back to the VMNH.
Faculty Mentor(s)
Dr. Brooke Haiar
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The Preparation of Dinosaur Vertebrae After Excavation
Turner Gymnasium
Anna Grace Terrell
Professor Brooke Haiar
Student Scholar Showcase Presentation
1 March 2024
The Preparation of Dinosaur Vertebrae After Excavation
Sauropods are known as the long necked dinosaurs in the Jurassic and Cretaceous time periods. Even though the term “dinosaur” translates to “terrible lizard”, sauropods are the gentle herbivores of the dinosaur world. They are known for their small heads, large legs, and long tails. One of the most recognizable sauropods across the public is the Brachiosaurus. The long necks of the Brachiosaurus is one of their most distinguishable features. I did a preparatory project on sauropod and Stegosaurus vertebrae with the Virginia Museum Museum of Natural History(VMNH). The purpose of this project was for me to gain experience in preparing an excavated bone to be put on display in a museum with the help of my mentor from the VMNH.
This field study was conducted in Greybull, Wyoming, home to the Jurassic Morrison Formation that is filled with fossils, whether they are dinosaur fossils or fossils of other organisms. The bone that I prepped came from a quarry worked by the VMNH, called “Nickopod,” and it was originally thought to be a Stegosaurus vertebrae. I removed the jacket covering the bone that consists of tin foil and toilet paper. Then I removed all of the matrix that was covering the bone with a dental pick and some small paint brushes. I then had to strengthen any places on the bone that had been exposed from matrix removal or what had broken off due to bones being millions of years old. I had to make a plaster jacket to flip the bone and do the same process for the other side of the bone. The other side was too brittle for me to continue working on it so I finished my work on the bone there.
As the sides of the bone were exposed from the matrix we realized that there were two vertebrae present. One vertebrae was a Stegosaurus vertebrae and the other was a sauropod vertebrae. The Stegosaurus vertebrae was too fragile for me to continue on because it broke in three different places. This set of vertebrae was truly amazing because we never saw anything of the sort happen in the field. We were able to glue some pieces back together before sending it back to the VMNH.