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PaleoBios 34 Supplement: 1–14, February 27, 2017

WESTERN ASSOCIATION OF ANNUAL MEETING

Calliandra Bevers

PROGRAM WITH ABSTRACTS

YAVAPAI COLLEGE Prescott, Arizona

FEBRUARY 17–19, 2017

Host Committee: Jeb Bevers, Dirilee Curtis, Ivy Morton, and Beth Boyd Biology and Departments Yavapai College, Prescott, Arizona, USA

Citation: Bevers, J., D. Curtis, I. Morton, and B. Boyd (eds.). 2017. Western Association of Annual Meeting: Program with Abstracts. PaleoBios 34 Supplement. ucmp_paleobios_34079 Permalink: http://escholarship.org/uc/item/5r04v1fn Copyright: Items in eScholarship are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated. PALEOBIOS, VOL. 34, SUPPLEMENT, FEBRUARY 2017

2017 WAVP SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Friday, February 17, 2017 WELCOME—YAVAPAI COLLEGE COMMUNITY ROOM (LIBRARY) 4:15–5:30 pm Keynote Address: David Gillette: “Ned: Life and Times of Edwin H. Colbert” and Jeb Bevers: “Darwin’s Voyage and the ”

Saturday, February 18, 2017 9:00–10:05 am ORAL PRESENTATIONS Opening YAVAPAI COLLEGE, MULTIMEDIA ROOM (BLDG 3) Nydam Alone in the West: the Locally Iterative Record of the Snake Coniophis Thomson & DeBlois A New Computer Program in Development for Reconstructing and Analyzing Soft Tissue Structures in Fossil Townsend & Holroyd Protoreodon and the Diversification of Basal Ruminants

10:00–10:25 BREAK

McCord Mammoth (Mammuthus) localities from Maricopa County, Arizona Bevers History of Paleontological Research at the Milk Creek Formation, Arizona Molnar Conscious Bias and the Origin of Miller et al. Unusual Local Fauna from Coahuila, Mexico

11:45–1:45 pm LUNCH AND POSTER VIEWING (BLDG 4, ROOM 102)

12:15–1:30 POSTERS Thrasher Fossil Tortoises of Southeastern Arizona, with an Earliest Pleistocene Range Expansion of Gopherus Gensler et al. New Additions to the Miocene Vertebrate Fauna of the Tesuque Formation, Española, New Mexico Ozolins et al. Student Interns, Museum Exhibits and Cave Building; Oh my: Lessons Learned During a College-Museum Collaborative Partnership Bevers The Milk Creek Fauna of Central Arizona (Late Miocene) with New Taxa and an Estimate of Body Mass of Camelids and Antilocaprids Using Astragali Areas Gay et al. A New Bonebed from the Bears Ears Region of Utah

1:45–4:25 ORAL PRESENTATIONS Smith et al. Newly discovered specimens from the Uinta Formation (Middle ) of Utah, including Baenidae, Carettochelyidae, Planetochelyidae, Testudinidae, and Geoemydidae Marsh & Parker Current paleontological research and opportunities at Petrified Forest National Park Gillette & Zurita The , , from the Pliocene and Pleistocene of : Update

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Sherzer A Possible Physeteroid (: Odontoceti) from the Yorba Member of the Puente Formation, Orange County, California

BREAK

Dooley et al. of Unusual Size: How do California Specimens of Mammut americanum compare to the rest of the country? Bevers and the First Park McCullough BEER: The New Frontier of Paleontology Outreach and Museum Fundraising

4:25–5:00 DISCUSSION OF 2018 WAVP VENUE

5:10–5:45 Final poster viewing

Sunday, February 19, 2017 8:30–9:45 am Examine Milk Creek Collections at Yavapai College 10:00–11:30 Hall of Beasts Tour with Sandy Lynch, Sharlot Hall Museum, Prescott, AZ 11:45–5:30 pm Milk Creek site visit

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MARY ANNING AND THE FIRST JURASSIC other replicas. These statues went on exhibit in PARK the popular Crystal Palace of London in 1854 as BEVERS, Jeb, Yavapai College, Prescott, AZ, USA. the Court. These exhibits of were visited by countless thousands of amazed public citizens, Early scientific investigations of fossil materials by including . John Woodward (1659) and Agostina Scilla (1670) were some of the first to support that these remains THE MILK CREEK MAMMAL FAUNA OF were of organic organisms, rather than inorganic CENTRAL ARIZONA (LATE MIOCENE) WITH oddities in the rocks. William Smith produced the NEW TAXA AND AN ESTIMATE OF BODY first geologic map (1815) and in his companion MASS OF CAMELIDS AND ANTILOCAPRIDS guide to this Strata Identified by Organized USING ASTRAGALI AREAS (1816) utilized abundant invertebrate marine BEVERS, Jeb and CURTIS, Dirilee, Yavapai fossils to accurately identify geologic strata College, Prescott, AZ, USA; WEIDEMAN, Carley, across England, Wales and southern Scotland. Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Mary Anning (1799–1847) is now identified as a Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA. central figure in the early interpretations of fossil The Milk Creek fossil site (Late Miocene) of materials from the Jurassic Coast of southern Yavapai County, Arizona was initially surveyed in England. Though Anning did not herself have 1949 and first described in 1950. A more recent any publications, several geologists; including review of the Milk Creek collections and faunal Adam Sedgwick, Charles Lyell, Henry De le Beche diversity were conducted in 2015. This examination and William Buckland, used many of Anning’s of the collections was to obtain a larger and more observations and conclusions in their own works. complete inventory of the mammalian fauna Anning’s efforts to uncover salable fossils for her from this site. The largest of these holdings is in own livelihood and her abundant observations the Frick Collections of fossil held at on the materials and keen mind assisted in the American Museum of Natural History. Most popularizing the early field of paleontology. Many of the other collections are in regional museums of Anning’s collected specimens are on display across Arizona. A description of fauna from at natural history museums in England. The this examination of collections is listed, with interpretations of this antediluvian life, filled with the majority of the taxa being from two types of ammonites, plesiosaurs and assisted : Michenia yavapaiensis and Protolabis in paving the way for both a scientific perspective coartatus. In addition to these two listed genera of of the and in popularizing this camelids, post-cranial remains were located; both information. Gideon Mantell’s own discoveries of in the field and from the University of Arizona Iguanodon, made by his wife Mary in 1822, started Laboratory of Paleontology Milk Creek collections, another frenzied scientific search for such giant of a third camel type for this locality. Also, a new prehistoric beasts. published his Canidae, the first Leptocyon sp. known to the Milk studies of three taxa, Iguanodon, Hylaeosaurus, Creek formation was located in the Sharlot Hall and Megolosaurus as a new group, the Dinosauria, Museum Milk Creek collections. This specimen which usurped his rivalry with Mantell’s own includes the upper left M1 and M2. The specimens work on this group. Early illustrations and for the recently located third camelid included popular works on the ancient life which science a right astragalus. Using a linear regression was becoming aware of made its way into the model the body mass estimates for camelid and public mind with the first Jurassic Park. Benjamin antilocaprid specimens from the Milk Creek Waterhouse Hawkins created, under the direction formation and other Late Miocene localities (the of Owen, several life-sized statues including Barstow formation in California and the Tesuque Iguanodon, Icthyosaurs, Megalosaurus and thirty formation in New Mexico) were made.

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HISTORY OF PALEONTOLOGICAL (Geology) and Jeb Bevers (Biology) of Yavapai RESEARCH AT THE MILK CREEK College have continued to survey and collect FORMATION, AZ materials from the Milk Creek Formation. BEVERS, Jeb, Yavapai College, Prescott, AZ, USA. MASTODONS OF UNUSUAL SIZE: HOW DO The vertebrate mammal fauna of the Milk CALIFORNIA SPECIMENS OF MAMMUT Creek Formation of central Arizona represents AMERICANUM COMPARE TO THE REST OF a regionally important site for latest Barstovian THE COUNTRY? to Clarendonian materials (est. 9.0 to under DOOLEY, Alton C., Jr., Western Science Center, 14.2 Ma). Known collection holdings are held at Hemet, CA, USA, SCOTT, Eric, Cogstone, the American Museum of Natural History, the Riverside, CA, USA; MCDONALD, H. Gregory, University of Arizona Laboratory of Paleontology, Bureau of Land Management, Utah State Office, The Museum of Northern Arizona, the Mesa Salt Lake City, UT, USA. Museum of Natural History, the Sharlot Hall Museum and at Yavapai College. The first Several authors over the have suggested collections, made jointly between the Museum of that individuals of Mammut americanum from Northern Arizona and the Arizona State Museum California, and specifically from Rancho La (U of A) were published in 1950 by Charles Reed Brea, tend to be smaller and have different tooth in Plateau Magazine. The current locations of this proportions than those from the eastern United 1948 and 1949 collections are in question. They States, but little corroborative data have been may be deposited jointly in the MNA and the presented. To test this hypothesis, measurements UALP, with some materials possibly sent off to were obtained from second and third upper and California. After this collection, the next major lower molars (maximum crown length and width) efforts were conducted by Ted Galusha, Assistant and femora (length, distal width, and minimum Curator of the American Museum of Natural shaft diameter) from mastodons from various History. Galusha’s efforts between 1958 and 1962 southern California localities, particularly Rancho amassed the largest single Milk Creek collection, La Brea and Diamond Valley Lake, then compared held in the Frick materials at the AMNH. Galusha to specimens from elsewhere in North America noted in field books that private collections, by (nineteen states and one Canadian province). local ranchers in 1938, spurred scientific interest Preliminary results indicate that mastodons from in the Milk Creek deposits. Galusha had quite California and tend to have lower third productive field seasons at the Milk Creek site. molar crowns that are narrower for a given length Following Galusha’s work, John Lance (1963–1967) (L:W = 2.30, n = 16) than those from other areas and Everett Lindsay (late 1960’s to early 1990’s) (L:W = 1.91, n = 101). Similar trends are also from the University of Arizona continued to collect present in upper third molars (CA-ID L:W = 1.96, materials from Milk Creek. The UALP materials, n = 24; non-CA-ID L:W = 1.71, n = 39). Moreover, the second largest, represent important holdings in California specimens the L:W ratio in m3 tends for this site. Over 90 percent of all specimens from to increase with increasing length. These trends this formation are camelids. James G. Honey, in are not apparent in either upper or lower second 2007, compared the two most common molars. Among m3s, only two specimens out of Protolabis coartatus and Michenia yavapaiensis 101 from outside of CA-ID had a L:W ratio that from the Milk Creek Formation with other exceeded the CA average, and only four additional camelids. Brief collections of Milk Creek materials specimens were within one standard deviation have also been made by the Mesa Museum of of the California average. Of the 101 non-CA-ID Natural History and Norm Tessman from the m3 specimens, 69 had a L:W ratio lower than Sharlott Hall Museum. Since the 1990’s Beth Boyd any California specimen. In addition, there are

5 PALEOBIOS, VOL. 34, SUPPLEMENT, FEBRUARY 2017 indications that the size of the m3, particularly Member within the Fry Canyon-Red Canyon area, the width, does not track closely with body size. though additional extensive deposits like P2N Diamond Valley Lake specimen WSC 18743 has have not been discovered in the areas prospected. a distal femoral width of 288 mm, which is larger We interpret the bonebed to be monotaxic based than any other California and larger on the presence of one articulated individual than the adult male mastodon from Watkins Glen, discovered in situ during the initial discovery New York. The pelvic width of WSC 18743 is also and surface-collected elements of consistent greater than the Watkins Glen specimen, and the morphology matching that of the in situ material maximum tusk circumference of this specimen from the entirety of the 64 m exposure. Elements (56.6 cm) is typical for a large male mastodon. Yet from all portions of the skeleton of the P2N the molars from WSC 18743 are not particularly have been recovered, and the in situ specimen long relative to other California specimens, and are preserves nine dorsal vertebrae, a partial pelvis, left among the narrowest molars measured. and right thoracic ribs and gastralia. Additional material from the cranium, lower jaw, cervical, A NEW TRIASSIC BONEBED FROM THE dorsal, and caudal vertebral series, limbs (including BEARS EARS REGION OF UTAH phalanges and unguals), and dermal armor GAY, Robert J., Museums of Western Colorado: have been recovered. While the taxa bears some Dinosaur Journey, Fruita, CO, USA; JENKINS, resemblance to both phytosaurs and , Xavier A., College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, several characters seem to be ambiguous. Unique Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ USA; characters include dorsoventrally flattened, spade- MILNER, Andrew R.C., St. George Dinosaur shaped unguals, osteoderms with a distinct lateral Discovery Site at Johnson Farm, St. George, UT, bend and anterior articular surface, and teeth with USA; VAN VRANKEN, Nathan E., The Colony, higher-than-normal serration densities (5–6/mm TX, USA; DEWITT, Dylan M., Ralston Valley High vs. 1–2/mm in phytosaurs). This bonebed likely School, Arvada, CO, USA; LEPORE, Taormina, represents an accumulation of a new taxon from Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology, The the Bears Ears region; additional fieldwork in 2017 Webb Schools, Claremont, CA, USA. is planned in order to fully excavate the site. In the summer of 2016, field crews from the NEW ADDITIONS TO THE MIOCENE Museums of Western Colorado: Dinosaur Journey VERTEBRATE FAUNA OF THE TESUQUE discovered a bonebed of large-bodied archosaurs FORMATION, ESPAÑOLA BASIN, NEW in the vicinity of Fry Canyon, San Juan County, MEXICO Utah. Nicknamed “Portal to NeCrocPolis” GENSLER, Philip, Bureau of Land Management, (P2N), the site preserves at least three armored Santa Fe, NM, USA; MORGAN, Gary, New Mexico archosaurs in brown mudstone with fine, <2 cm Museum of Natural History, Albuquerque NM, thick white sandstones. The bonebed extends over USA; ABY, Scott, Muddy Spring Geology, Dixon, 64 m in a NNE by SSW exposure and appears to NM; WILLIAMSON, Garrett R., Stephen F. Austin be present to the east of the main P2N outcrop State University, Nacogdoches, TX USA. across a draw, 80 m to the east, though colluvial deposits currently prevent precise correlation. The For over 140 years, outcrops of the Tesuque fossil-bearing deposit is situated approximately Formation in the Española basin of northern nine meters above a large, grayish-white channel New Mexico have produced a diverse fauna of sandstone that locally marks the boundary early to medial Miocene vertebrates from the between the underlying Monitor Butte Member Hemingfordian and Barstovian North American and the Church Rock Member of the Chinle land mammal ages (NALMA). Edward Drinker Formation. The mudstone/sandstone beds are Cope first collected Miocene vertebrates from the laterally extensive within lower Church Rock Española basin in 1874, describing 32 new species

6 2017 WAVP PROGRAM & ABSTRACTS of mammals, land tortoises, and a , many still shrews, humeri of moles, mandibles of the recognized today. Paleontologists from the Frick Copemys and Monosaulax and the rabbit Laboratory of the American Museum of Natural Hypolagus, and the first from the Española History, including Joe Rak, John Blick, and Ted basin. Early Barstovian Ridge Fauna: skull of Galusha, conducted a long-term survey of Miocene the oreodont Brachycrus; skull and partial skeleton mammals in the Española basin from 1924 to 1965, of the camelid Protolabis; and mandible of the resulting in an unparalleled collection numbering mylagaulid Notogaulus. Ongoing field work in the thousands of specimens. Beginning in 2008 on Miocene vertebrates in the Sombrillo ACEC and continuing to the present, the U. S. Bureau will allow us to more fully document the faunas of Land Management (BLM) and New Mexico from the Tesuque Formation, with an emphasis on Museum of Natural History (NMMNH) have microvertebrates and . collaborated on a survey of Miocene vertebrates from BLM land in the Española basin, focusing THE GLYPTODONT, GLYPTOTHERIUM, on the Sombrillo Area of Critical Environmental FROM THE PLIOCENE AND PLEISTOCENE Concern (ACEC) in northern Santa Fe and OF NORTH AMERICA: UPDATE southern Rio Arriba counties. Unlike the Cope and GILLETTE, David D., Museum of Northern Frick surveys, BLM/NMMNH paleontologists have Arizona, Flagstaff, AZ, USA; ZURITA, Alfredo E., access to GPS technology and accurate geologic Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral (CECOAL- and topographic maps to precisely document fossil CO NICET) y Universidad Nacional del Nordeste sites. Three superposed members of the Tesuque (UNNE), Corrientes, . Formation in the Sombrillo ACEC have produced vertebrate faunas: Nambé Member (Nambé Improved samples of Glyptotherium Osborn 1903 from the 111 Ranch fauna of southeastern Arizona Fauna, late Hemingfordian, late early Miocene, (Late NALMA) and Guanajuato, central 16–17 Ma); Skull Ridge Member (Skull Ridge México (Early Blancan NALMA) allow assessment Fauna, early Barstovian, early medial Miocene, of ontogeny of the dorsal carapace, from baby to 15–16 Ma); Pojoaque Member (Pojoaque Fauna, adult. The species identification for both faunas late Barstovian, medial Miocene, 12.5–15 Ma). is Glyptotherium texanum (= G. arizonae), in The BLM/NMMNH survey has recovered many which adults are large and robust. Previously new specimens of Miocene vertebrates from the postulated distinctions of these two species are Tesuque Formation; a sample is listed here. Late now recognized as ontogenetic differences between Barstovian Pojoaque Fauna: –mandibles juvenile and adult individuals. Males and females of the borophagine canid Aelurodon; mandible differ in the marginal row of osteoderms of the of the tiny felid Pseudaelurus stouti; maxilla of posterior half of the dorsal carapace and caudal the large mustelid Sthenictis; mandibles of the rings. There are no morphological differences large mustelid Brachypsalis and small mustelid between the earliest Glyptotherium texanum Martinogale; Perissodactyla–skull, maxilla, and from central México (3.9 Ma) and the 111 Ranch mandibles of the rhinoceros Peraceras; , fauna (2.7 Ma), and no evidence that more than mandibles, and partial skeletons of the horses one species existed in North America during the Merychippus and Protohippus; Artiodactyla— Blancan NALMA and Irvingtonian NALMA. mandible of the oreodont Merychyus; mandibles Late Pleistocene (Rancholabrean NALMA) of the camels Aepycamelus, Procamelus, and Glyptotherium cylindricum (= G. floridanum and Protolabis; mandibles of the blastomerycine G. mexicanum) differ from G. texanum only in Longirostromeryx; numerous mandibles and horn the relative size of central figures of mid-carapace cores of the antilocaprid Meryceros; — osteoderms, a distinction that might be invalidated two skulls and mandibles of Gomphotherium by new and better specimens. Glyptotherium is productum; Small mammals—mandibles of either anagenetic, with end-members G. texanum

7 PALEOBIOS, VOL. 34, SUPPLEMENT, FEBRUARY 2017 and G. cylindricum, or an example of evolutionary at least nine individuals from over 500 . stasis with no following the origin Research undertaken from new expansion lands of this no later than 4 million years ago. has uncovered an incredibly fossiliferous horizon The paleogeographic record of Glyptotherium is consisting of a matrix-supported generally low elevation coastal plain and low relief conglomerate that preserves chondrichthyans, riparian habitats of the Gulf Coast from Central actinopterygians, sarcopterygians, temnospondyls, America to Florida and northward to South procolophonids, rhynchocephalians, and what Carolina. New records in the interior of México might be the earliest stem-squamate in the indicate upland habitats and sites that are clearly fossil record. This layer also preserves the first situated in Pacific drainages. To date, there are no occurrence of Saurichthys from the records of west of the Rio Colorado of western North America. The first of a new (Nevada and California). Research in progress boundary expansion survey documented more indicates clear taxonomic distinction between than 100 new fossil localities, including several the South American Glyptodon and the North phytosaur skulls, and ongoing partnerships with American Glyptotherium. Yale University, Harvard University, the Burke Museum, and the Petrified Forest Field Institute CURRENT PALEONTOLOGICAL RESEARCH continue to make new discoveries every year. PEFO AND OPPORTUNITIES AT PETRIFIED is looking to broaden its scope and is soliciting FOREST NATIONAL PARK research interest in , sedimentology, MARSH, Adam D. and PARKER, William G., invertebrate paleontology, ichnology, and related Petrified Forest National Park, Petrified Forest, AZ, fields. Research collaborators are vital components USA. in advancing science and educating visitors in national parks, and scientists seeking research The earliest collections made at Petrified Forest permits can submit applications at https://irma. National Park (PEFO) were largely ‘head-hunting’ nps.gov/rprs/. endeavors as paleontologists collected conspicuous phytosaur skulls in an effort to tie the park into MAMMOTH (MAMMUTHUS) LOCALITIES European Late Triassic . PEFO has FROM MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZONA transformed in the last 100 years into a regional MCCORD, Robert, Arizona Museum of Natural hub of Late Triassic paleontology thanks to an History, Mesa AZ, USA. investment in modernized collections space, capabilities, trained and experienced Maricopa County, Arizona, has numerous staff, the introduction of phylogenetic methods Mammuthus localities, most of which have been covered to some detail by the news and apomorphy-based identifications, and a media. However their formal documentation synthesized stratigraphic and geochronologic and publication have been woefully lacking. framework. Ongoing research at the park focuses Chronologically by discovery these are: the Fort simultaneously on known fossiliferous localities McDowell, prior to 1969, elements unknown, as well as inventories of newly-acquired lands. In possibly in the UALP collection; the Nichols Site, addition to the charismatic phytosaurs, aetosaurs, published 1971, humerus, molar, fragmentary and temnospondyls for which PEFO is known, molar, scapula, ASU; the Chandler I site, focused fieldwork in the last several years has innominate AzMNH, mandible and femur revealed a diverse assemblage of previously- whereabouts unknown; the Chandler II site, tusk, unknown non-archosaur archosauromorphs, tooth, pelvis, rib, whereabouts unknown; the North including tanystropheids, Doswellia, and an Phoenix Site, 1999, femur, whereabouts unknown; azendohsaurid. The azendohsaurid is known the Gilbert Site 2005, abstract published 2006, two from a monodominant bonebed comprising tusks and an atlas, AzMNH; and the Estrella Site,

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2016, limb , AzMNH. In addition, a possible intellectually stimulating special events. Keys to Mammuthus site has been located (2017) in Sun the success of the event have been: 1. Creating City and is pending permitting and excavation novel science-related evening activities, which have by AzMNH. 14C dating has been attempted on grown more popular with each year; 2. Securing a number of these sites, but has produced no donations of high-quality local and regional craft results for Gilbert and Estrella, and a date of 8570 beer; 3. Cultivating the museum’s status as part ± 130 on charcoal 4 inches (~10.2 cm) above of the burgeoning “shop local” movement that the site with an age estimate of 11,200 BP on has become a formidable economic force in the the Nichols Site, and 9560 ± 80 on the Chandler Phoenix area and in other cities; and 4. Marketing I Site. In addition, the Estrella mammoth was the event with a combination of online social found on the level of the Lehi Terrace possibly media, word of mouth, print, and pub-style flyers constraining its age. Additional fauna is known placed in venues associated with nightlife such as from three sites: with Equus, ?Nothrotherium, bars, clubs, breweries, and record stores. Future Gopherus and unionid from the Nichols Site; plans include the possibility of paleontology rodent and shell from the Chandler II Site, outreach “scientist nights” or informal residencies and cf. Hemiauchenia, Equus, Stockoceros, and onsite at local breweries and mixed-use venues. Gopherus (Gopherus) from the Gilbert Site. The lack of formal description and, more seriously, the AN UNUSUAL PLEISTOCENE LOCAL FAUNA misplacing of material, hampered this review, and FROM COAHUILA, MEXICO any future understanding of the late Pleistocene of MILLER, Wade E. Miller, Department of Geology, Maricopa County. The fauna of Chandler I remains Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA; unanalyzed and its whereabouts are unknown. AGUILLÓN-MARTÍNEZ, Gómez-Núñez, Rosario, It is entirely possible that some of the other DELGADO-DE JESÚS, Carlos René, VALLEJO- localities contained further faunal elements as well. GONZÁLEZ, José Ignacio and ROBLEDO- Investigation of the whereabouts of this material GARCÍA, Julio Alberto, Secretaría de Educación continues. Publica de Coahuila y Museo del Desierto, Coahuila, C.P., México. BEER: THE NEW FRONTIER OF PALEONTOLOGY OUTREACH AND Many areas yielding substantial Pleistocene MUSEUM FUNDRAISING occur throughout the state of Coahuila, MCCULLOUGH, Gavin, Arizona Museum of Mexico. All have the potential of containing Natural History, Mesa, AZ, USA. vertebrate fossils. However, exceptionally few reports have been published relating to them The increasing visibility, variety, and availability considering the size of this state, the third largest of craft beer in recent years has proven a cultural in Mexico. The fauna reported here comes from and economic boon in many places where fluviatile sediments deposited within a one to two microbreweries are opening nationally. Inspired and one-half km wide fault-produced valley. It by the Dallas Museum of Nature and Science’s runs between the San Francisco de los Desmontes sponsored craft beer nights and other “adults and San José de los Nuncios Mountains of the only” events common at art museums and Sierra Madre Oriental Mountain Chain. Recovered botanical gardens across the country, the Arizona fossils were discovered between the ejidos Museum of Natural History (AZMNH) has found (villages) of Las Higueras and Paso Guadalupe. success with an annual event that has increased They were found over a distance of about two km its profile, been embraced by local businesses, within interbedded fine-grained sediments and enhanced its image, raised funds, and engaged very coarse gravels. The unusual aspect of the an underserved demographic that yearns for fauna is that after many days of close inspection of

9 PALEOBIOS, VOL. 34, SUPPLEMENT, FEBRUARY 2017 the deposits by many people, only fossils ascribed the field of expertise (paleontology or ). to mammoths were found. An exception to this For example, in neontology organisms may be was the inclusion of tiny mollusc shells. Almost all seen not only as physical entities, but also as the fossils observed come from within a one meter ensembles of functions and behaviors, whereas in zone containing mostly gravels with clasts up to paleontology the skeletal system is (necessarily) small boulder size. Lack of significant abrasion the main focus of attention. Cognitive biases in on the fossils suggests short transport. A probable paleontology are not unique to the dissenting scenario is that a small mammoth herd was caught view, nor to this issue. Careful examination of the in a flash flood within a steep-walled river bed. logic of how and why conclusions are reached, in Faster and more agile were able to escape. particular regarding “obvious” assumptions, and After a period of time, allowing for scavenging of explicit statements of what evidence would clearly carcasses and weathering, bones and teeth were contradict the conclusions reached might assist washed further downstream. Identified fossils in resolving disagreements. Truth is not always include molar teeth, tusks, limb and foot bones, obvious. articulated and unarticulated vertebrae and an innominate girdle. ALONE IN THE WEST: THE LOCALLY ITERATIVE MESOZOIC FOSSIL RECORD OF UNCONSCIOUS BIAS AND THE ORGINS OF THE SNAKE CONIOPHIS BIRDS NYDAM, Randall L., Midwestern University, MOLNAR, Ralph E., University of California Glendale, AZ, USA. [email protected] Museum of Paleontology, Berkeley, CA, USA & Museum of Northern Arizona, Flagstaff, AZ, USA. Coniophis precedens Marsh,1892 was erected based on a single from the Lance Formation Cognitive (unconscious) bias has received much (Maastrichtian) of Wyoming. Subsequent recovery attention in the social sciences since the 1990’s, of morphologically similar vertebrae has resulted and more recently in biological sciences. An in the recorded presence of Coniophis—or evolutionary perspective of brain function implies alternatively Coniophis-grade—vertebrae from the not only that perception is filtered by cognitive –Eocene of North America (European processes, but also basic conceptual understanding and Asian occurrences are known, but now may be biased. A case in point is the controversial generally disputed). During the Late dissent from the commonly held view that birds (Cenomanian–mid-Maastrichtian) these vertebrae are maniraptoran theropod . This are nearly the only evidence of North American dissent is based on differing interpretations of snakes and have been found from southern Alberta observable features of specimens, not on the to northern Mexico with greatest density of features themselves. It is in interpretation that bias occurrences in the southern latitudes (e.g., Utah, may enter. Examination of a prominent exposition New Mexico, Mexico). This North of this dissent, Alan Feduccia’s 2012 book Riddle American record of Coniophis substantially post- of the Feathered Dragons, reveals statements dates the earliest known snakes (mid Jurassic– seemingly reflecting unconscious (hence basal Cretaceous) and the oldest known vertebra unintentional) bias. More interesting are the attributable to Coniophis (Cenomanian of Utah) underlying issues involved, which include (among is contemporaneous with the apparent explosive others): 1, differing interpretations of the unique global radiation of snakes. Ironically, Coniophis role of cladograms in establishing evolutionary precedens from the Maastrichtian of Montana— relationships; 2, the role and extent of homoplasy; vertebrae and recently referred jaws—has been 3, tacit (and hence unrecognized) shifts in meaning proposed to represent a transitional form bridging and interpretation, and 4, limited focus dictated by the morphological gap between lizards and snakes.

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Detailed review of the vertebral specimens of offered through MSJC. Students, faculty, and Coniophis suggest that only one snake was present staff met approximately twice a month to discuss in nearly all the constituent faunas (two vertebral themes and structure for the exhibit, and to choose morphotypes possibly co-occur in the Hell Creek specimens and topics for inclusion. Each student Formation, but redeposition is highly likely). involved in the internship was required to produce Variation in the vertebrae from one fauna to the a written background report on one of the major next suggests each fauna has its own distinct specimens, which was used as an initial draft for taxon of Coniophis-grade snake, but specimen exhibit text. Construction of the exhibit began in numbers are too limited and positional control/ late Spring 2016, with the bulk of construction comparison is too limited to formally diagnose taking place in the Fall for a December 2016 taxa. Review of the referred cranial material opening. As with the planning stages, students, reveals a of lizard and snake jaws and faculty, and museum staff worked collaboratively rejection of the “transitional” status of C. precedens. on construction and installation of the exhibit. Coniophis-grade snakes were clearly an isolated Here we highlight some of the benefits of this and conservative lineage of ophidians in North partnership (such as educational opportunities America during the Late Cretaceous. It is not clear for students, increased volunteer pool and media why they did not radiate and diversify similarly exposure for the museum), as well as some of to the co-occurring micro- and macrovertebrates the challenges faced (such as differing goals for (e.g., crocodylians, mammals, lizards, dinosaurs) colleges and museums, and high turnover rates of during this time. Competitive exclusion is possible, 2-year college students). but snakes in the Late Cretaceous of Argentina A POSSIBLE PHYSETEROID (CETACEA: show only slightly more diversity (2–4 possible ODONTOCETI) FROM THE YORBA MEMBER taxa) with significantly less apparent faunal density. OF THE PUENTE FORMATION, ORANGE By the end of the Maastrichtian additional snake COUNTY, CALIFORNIA taxa appear in North America and post K-Pg SHERZER, Benjamin, Duke Cultural Resources diversity increases rapidly. Management, Lake Forest, CA, USA. STUDENT INTERNS, MUSEUM EXHIBITS AND CAVE BUILDING; OH MY: LESSONS The Marywood Project was a 16-acre residential LEARNED DURING A COLLEGE-MUSUEM housing development project in the City of Orange, COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP Orange County, California. Mass grading for the OZOLINS, Erik G., Mt. San Jacinto College, San project began in June of 2016, reaching depths of Jacinto, CA, USA; DOOLEY, Alton C., Jr., Western 90 feet into deposits of the Yorba Member of the Science Center, Hemet, CA, USA; DOOLEY, Puente Formation (Late Miocene, approximately Brett S., Patrick Henry Community College, 8–7 Ma). Over the course of four months, Martinsville, VA, USA. paleontological monitoring provided by DUKE Cultural Resources Management documented or The Mt. San Jacinto College (MSJC) Anthropology collected over 70 fossil specimens, predominantly Department partnered with the Western Science fragments of marine mammal bone, but also , Center (WSC) to develop an exhibit on hominin teleost , marine gastropods, terrestrial and evolution, with a specific goal of involving marine plants, trace fossils, and . The 2-year college students in all stages of exhibit recovered marine mammal bone is interpreted development. The project began with conceptual to represent cetacean elements, including four meetings between MSJC faculty and WSC staff teeth and two possible mandibular fragments in Spring of 2015. Beginning in January 2016 tentatively assigned to physeteroidea (cetacea: students signed up as WSC volunteers and, in odontoceti). The dimensions of the teeth and most cases, registered for a 1-credit internship mandibular fragments are closest in size to the

11 PALEOBIOS, VOL. 34, SUPPLEMENT, FEBRUARY 2017 published ranges for Aulophyseter morricei, but are discoveries of rare turtle taxa provide unique also similar to Preaulophyseter. If the physeteroid insight into the scantly reported distribution, material does represent A. morricei, this would be , and ecological diversity of Uintan the first specimen found outside of Shark Tooth . These rare taxa have been identified in Hill (Round Mountain Silt Member of Temblor less than 5% of collected specimens: Anosteira Formation, 15.2–16.0 Ma), as well as the youngest (4.3%), Planetochelys (0.6%), cf. Hesperotestudo (1.8%), Bridgeremys (2.7%). The smaller-bodied, specimen of A. morricei. highly aquatic taxa, Anosteira and Bridgeremys, NEWLY DISCOVERED TURTLE SPECIMENS are predominantly located higher in the section FROM THE UINTA FORMATION (MIDDLE (Uinta C, Ui3 biochron), while the more terrestrial EOCENE) OF UTAH, INCLUDING cf. Hesperotestudo and Planetochelys have been collected primarily from the historically BAENIDAE, CARETTOCHELYIDAE, fossiliferous upper part of Uinta B (Ui2 biochron). PLANETOCHELYDAE, TESTUDINIDAE AND These differences provide clues to understanding GEOEMYDIDAE the of temperature sensitive turtles SMITH, Heather F., ADRIAN, Brent, and the role of paleoclimate in middle Eocene TOWNSEND, K.E. Beth, Department of vertebrate evolution. Numerous fossil geoemydid Anatomy, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ, turtle specimens from the genus Echmatemys USA; HUTCHISON, J. Howard, Museum of have been recovered from the Uinta Formation. Paleontology, University of California Berkeley, Using geometric morphometrics, we determined Berkeley, CA, USA. that congeneric species E. callopyge and E. uintensis can be reliably differentiated based on Numerous fossil turtle specimens have been 3D morphological differences in the curve of the recovered from the Uinta Formation, Uinta Basin gular sulcus on the epiplastron. ArcGIS revealed (46.2–42 MA), and provide a strong indicator overlapping geographic ranges for these species of ecosystem evolution during the middle and no significant differences in stratigraphic Eocene. Our study examines the distribution of distribution of species. turtle specimens collected from more than 265 stratigraphically constrained fossil localities, 66 of A NEW COMPUTER PROGRAM IN which have yielded turtle fossils. Here, we report DEVELOPMENT FOR RECONSTRUCTING on newly discovered Uintan specimens from the AND ANALYZING SOFT TISSUE cryptodire families Baenidae, Carettochelyidae, STRUCTURES IN FOSSIL VERTEBRATES Planetochelyidae, Testudinidae, and Geoemydidae. THOMSON, Tracy J., and DEBLOIS, Mark, Each also provides different insight into University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA. Eocene turtle evolution and climatic conditions during this time period. Baenidae were an extinct The rareness of soft tissue preservation in the clade of North American river turtles with an fossil record has always been a limiting factor for extensive radiation from the Early Cretaceous interpreting the functional morphology of soft to the middle Eocene, with their last known tissue structures (e.g., claw sheaths and flippers) occurrence during the Uintan North American with any confidence. Such tissues enclose and Land Mammal Age (NALMA). Newly discovered extend beyond their hard tissue counterparts cranial, postcranial, and well-preserved shell (e.g., bony cores and skeletal elements) and fossils of Uintan baenid turtles Baena arenosa accurate estimation of these tissues is essential and Chisternon undatum are described here. for meaningful interpretations on the functional These specimens represent among the youngest morphology of these structures. Here we report known of the baenid clade, and they increase our initial development of a new program designed the known variation in these late-surviving taxa to reconstruct and analyze soft tissue structures and indicate that several characters thought to in fossil organisms. The code is currently being delineate the species should be redefined. New written using the programming software MATLAB

12 2017 WAVP PROGRAM & ABSTRACTS with the end goal that a standalone version will area. Gopherus was known to undergo major range be developed and made available to researchers expansions during the Pleistocene, and these beds in the future. The program quantifies and records appear to document one of the first of that , parameters using X-ray and computed tomography with a sudden late Blancan expansion throughout (CT) images which describe relationships between southeastern Arizona. Due to open, savannah- hard and soft tissues in the structures of extant like conditions stretching unbroken from eastern organisms. It then uses the resulting database of Arizona to Florida during the Plio-Pleistocene, parameters to inform soft tissue reconstruction the tortoises and other faunas of this large area are based on the preserved hard tissues of analogous strikingly similar, including having three tortoises structures in fossil organisms. Analytical features in Florida and in the Rio Grande valley of New of the program include the ability to fit and Mexico similar to the ones described here. describe equiangular (logarithmic) spirals for claws, determine ratios of hard/soft tissues, PROTOREODON AND THE calculate angles of claw curvature, and iteratively DIVERSIFICATION OF BASAL RUMINANTS quantify soft tissue outlines. The accuracy of the TOWNSEND, K.E. Beth, Midwestern University, reconstructions produced by the program can Glendale, AZ, USA; HOLROYD, Patricia A., be determined by comparing the results to rare University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, fossil examples where the soft tissue is preserved USA. or revealed by laser fluorescence. Preliminary results are promising with regards to its ability to The middle Eocene was a time of significant reconstruct flipper tissue from skeletal elements in diversification among artiodactyls with the plesiosaurs. Claw sheath reconstruction, although appearance of basal ruminants (deer, sheep), suids still in the beginning phases, is expected to (pigs, peccaries), tylopods (camels, llamas), and perform as well or better because claws are much whales. The phylogeny of the initial splits among simpler structures. It is hoped that the program these is still poorly resolved, particularly may eventually be successfully used to reconstruct when Eocene taxa are included. This lack of horn and wing tissues as well. resolution stems in part from a lack of data for the postcranial skeleton and an underappreciation of FOSSIL TORTOISES OF SOUTHEASTERN the range of postcranial morphology exhibited by ARIZONA, WITH AN EARLIEST Paleogene artiodactyls. We fill some of this gap PLEISTOCENE RANGE EXPANSION OF in our knowledge by focusing on the potentially GOPHERUS polyphyletic complex of middle Eocene species THRASHER, Larry, Bureau of Land Management, of Protoreodon from the southwestern United Safford, AZ, USA. States. Protoreodon has been considered either an agriochoerid oreodont or one of several Recent field work has revealed that there are Eocene taxa near the base of Ruminantia. three distinct tortoises of Plio-Pleistocene age Our work focuses on both restudy of the type in southeastern Arizona. The tortoises consist primarily of a large unnamed species of the gopher material, detailed description and analyses of new tortoise Gopherus, and an unidentified species of collections from the Uinta Formation of eastern the giant land tortoise Hesperotestudo. A third, Utah that include the first associated skeleton of smaller tortoise similar to Hesperotestudo is rarely the type species Protoreodon parvus and other present. Gopherus and the smaller tortoise appear Protoreodon spp. partial skeletal associations. The to be restricted to beds of late Blancan (earliest postcrania of P. p ar v u s shows many morphological Pleistocene) age whereas Hesperotestudo occurs differences from slightly younger and larger species in those beds as well as in the older, middle that have been previously described. Notable Blancan (late to latest Pliocene) deposits of the differences are in the tarsal complex, ankle, and

13 PALEOBIOS, VOL. 34, SUPPLEMENT, FEBRUARY 2017 elbow in features associated with both smaller body character polarities and reconstruction of ancestral mass and a more cursorial gait. This variation locomotor modes for ruminants in light of among Protoreodon species suggests differences in alternative placements of Protoreodon spp. relative locomotor behavior even among species currently to one another and also to other early Paleogene thought to belong to this genus, as well as in artiodactyls. Although we cannot yet resolve comparison to other small Eocene artiodactyls. the pattern of middle Eocene diversification of North American artiodactyls, our findings clearly This finding suggests that previously published highlight the utility of comprehensive restudy scorings in phylogenetic matrices based on species of basal artiodactyls to capture the full range of composites are not likely to be representative for morphological diversity. the genus. Therefore, for each available species, we Grant Information This work has been supported scored the new data available for the dentition and by Midwestern University and University postcrania into two recent phylogenetic matrices of California Museum of Paleontology with and examined alternative interpretations of permission from the Bureau of Land Management.

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