NEWS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF STATE MUSEUM theMammoth FEBRUARY 2012

IN THIS ISSUE

SundaySunday with with a Scientist a Scientist

Welcome New Museum Curators ...... 6 Dinosaurs & Disasters 2012 ...... 8-9 Sunday with a Scientist ...... 10-11 A Walk Through Time ...... 14-16 Entomology Update...... 17 Ashfall Update: Cynarctus ...... 18-19

Read more & MORE! on pages 8-9. The Mammoth is available in color online.

friendsofthemuseum.org MORRILL FRIENDS OF THE MUSEUM UNIVERSITY OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS NEBRASKA HALL Mark Brohman, President STATE MUSEUM STAFF CALENDAR Lois Mayo, Vice President David Rowe, Treasurer Director: Priscilla C. Grew AT A GLANCE Diane Pratt, Secretary EX-OFFICIO Associate Director: Mark Harris Priscilla C. Grew Karen Amen Mike Madcharo Informal Science Education: Judy Diamond, Curator February 19 Marcia Hollestelle ADVISORY COUNCIL Sunday with a Scientist Michael Leite Education Coordinator: Kathy French Judy Diamond “Snakes: Past & Present” Keely Rennie-Tucker Museum Associates: Ann Cusick Connie Pejsar 1:30-4:30 p.m. Lynn Sobotka Cindy Loope Norm Smith Diann Sorensen Annie Mumgaard Mike Zeleny Ina Van der Veen February 24 Mark Sorensen Mel Thornton ASHFALL CHAPTER Friends of the Museum Research Partnerships Coordinator: Brett Ratcliffe Annual Meeting & Dinner Natasha Vavra Robin Huebner, Art Zygielbaum President 5:00-8:00 p.m. Anthropology: Alan Osborn, Curator *Invitations will be mailed to current Friends NAGPRA/Collections Assistant: Susan Curtis members. RSVP required. CONTACT INFORMATION Nebraska Archaeological Survey: Alan Osborn Director’s Offi ce (402) 472-3779 March 18 Botany: Robert Kaul, Curator Museum Information Line (402) 472-2642 Collection Manager: Thomas Labedz Sunday with a Scientist School Program Reservations (402) 472-6302 Collections Assistant: Linda Rader “Ashfall Fossil Beds” Friends Offi ce (402) 472-3779 1:30-4:30 p.m. Mueller Planetarium (402) 472-2641 Entomology: Brett Ratcliffe, Curator Nebraska Hall Offi ce (402) 472-2643 Collection Manager: M.J. Paulsen April 12 Ashfall Fossil Beds (402) 893-2000 “Titanoboa: Monster Trailside Museum (308) 665-2929 Geology: R.M. (Matt) Joeckel, Curator Snake” Reception & Museum Geological Specialist: Karl Baumgarten Premier Event Invertebrate : Robert Diffendal, Curator A private event for Friends www.museum.unl.edu and volunteers. Join us for Parasitology: Scott Gardner, Curator a special reception and a Collection Manager: Gabor Racz private screening of the CONNECT Smithsonian documentary at WITH US! Vertebrate Paleontology: Jason Head, Curator the Van Brunt Visitors Center Ross Secord, Curator & Ross Media Arts Center Collection Manager: R. George Corner Preparators: Gregory Brown 5:30-9:30 p.m. MORRILL HALL Robert Skolnick *Invitations will be mailed to current Friends South of 14th and Vine Streets (402) 472-2642 Ellen Stepleton members. RSVP required. University of Nebraska Highway Salvage Paleontologist: Shane Tucker Lincoln, Nebraska April 15 Zoology: Patricia Freeman, Curator Sunday with a Scientist Open Year Around Collection Manager: Thomas Labedz “Food Science” Monday-Saturday: 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Thursdays: 9:30 a.m. - 8 p.m. (Open Late!) Affi liated Courtesy, Adjunct, and Emeritus Faculty: 1:30-4:30 p.m. Sundays: 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Anthropology: Thomas Myers Closed Easter, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Entomology: Mary Liz Jameson April 20 December 24-25, and January 1 Geology: Samuel Treves “Minerals & Meteorites” Planetarium Closed Mondays & Husker home football Invertebrate Paleontology: David Watkins Exhibit Grand Opening game Saturdays Parasitology: John Janovy, Mary Lou Pritchard Vertebrate Paleontology: Robert Hunt, Jr., *Invitations will be mailed to current Friends Michael Voorhies members. RSVP required. ASHFALL FOSSIL BEDS Zoology: Hugh Genoways, Paul Johnsgard 86930 517 Avenue (402) 893-2000 Ashfall Fossil Beds Superintendent: Rick Otto April 28 Royal, NE 68773 Museum Specialist: Sandy Mosel Astronomy Day Located seven miles north of Highway 20 between 9:30a.m.-4:30 p.m. Royal and Orchard, Nebraska. Trailside Museum Staff Assistant: Pattie Norman

Open Seasonally. Accounting Clerk: Judy Ray museum.unl.edu For schedule, visit ashfall.unl.edu Discovery Shop Manager: Marisa Kardell Graphics Design Specialist: Joel Nielsen TRAILSIDE MUSEUM Mueller Planetarium Supervisor: Jack Dunn Public Relations Coordinator, Friends Liaison, PO Box 462 (308) 665-2929 and Mammoth Newsletter Editor: Dana Ludvik Crawford, NE 69339 Public Service Associate: Linda Beran Located on Highway 20 at , Nebraska. Research Collections Staff Secretary: Gail Littrell Scientifi c Illustrator: Angie Fox Open Seasonally. For schedule, visit trailside.unl.edu 2 T H E M A M M O T H Friends of the University of Nebraska State Museum FROM THE DIRECTOR

DEAR FRIENDS,

Please join me in thanking our Friends officers and Board members who are completing their terms at the 2012 annual meeting. We sincerely appreciate their hard work and dedication in supporting the State Museum, and their commitment to ensuring that the Museum will be a treasured Nebraska institution for many years to come.

Mark Brohman has ably served as your President for the past two years, and Mark has generously agreed to be nominated for the Board Secretary vacancy on the 2012 nomination slate. During Mark’s term as President, the Friends assigned a high priority to growing the membership, and the Board has worked cooperatively with Mark Harris, Dana Ludvik, and Museum staff on innovative ways to attract new members. As a result of this partnership between the Friends and the State Museum staff, Friends Priscilla Grew and her husband Ed Grew present at the “Sunday with a Scientist” event membership has dramatically increased from 401 in January about rocks and minerals on Dec. 18. 2010 to 719 in February 2012—a grand accomplishment!

Diane Pratt joined the Board in 2008 after years of On a personal note, I continue to feel I have the best enthusiastically volunteering at Museum events, and she imaginable job that combines my hobbies (rocks, minerals, has done a wonderful job as Friends Secretary since 2010. , museums, national parks) with my work at UNL! Diane consistently prepared detailed, accurate meeting My husband Ed came from Maine to volunteer with me minutes in record time, so that all Board members and the in December to share our love of rocks and minerals with Museum could keep good track of the meeting decisions families at Sunday with a Scientist. Morrill Hall was full of and deliberations. We are delighted that Diane will continue activity, with faculty presenters being joined by over a dozen to serve as a Board member and Museum volunteer, after volunteers from the Lincoln Gem and Mineral Club who completing her two years as Secretary. demonstrated lapidary techniques for visitors. Museum Education Coordinator Kathy French collected comments Karen Amen is completing 6 years on the Board, which for the exit survey which asked visitors what they liked follows her earlier term on the Board in 1992-1994. Karen best at the event. Among the responses: “the pretty rocks” served as your President 2006-2008, and as Treasurer in (from a 5 year old girl); “crystals”; “different than the usual 2008. Under Karen’s leadership, the Board established museum”; “I like seeing scientists”; and “awesome!” Music the Friends of the University of Nebraska State Museum to my ears. endowment at the University of Nebraska Foundation in 2006, and began a new era of working together with — Priscilla C. Grew, Director the Foundation in fundraising for the Museum. I am particularly delighted that during Karen’s last year on the Board, the Friends decided to make another major donation to their Foundation endowment in support of the Museum.

I would also like to thank Judy Diamond for her service since 2003 as the Museum Curator representative on the Friends’ Advisory Council. Ross Secord, Curator for Vertebrate Paleontology, has agreed to be nominated for the Council at the February meeting. February 2012 3 FROM THE PRESIDENT

GREETINGS FRIENDS MEMBERS! The Friends of the University of Nebraska This will be my last State Museum President’s message as I have 2012 Annual Meeting served my second term, and a new President will be elected at the Annual Meeting on February Join us Friday, February 24 24th. The past two years have at Morrill Hall gone by rapidly, and it has been a privilege and an honor to serve Hosted by the Friends, Lazlo’s Brewery & Grill, and the as the President of the Friends organization and being associated University of Nebraska Foundation Mark Brohman with such a fi ne institution as the Friends President 5:00 p.m. - Friends Business Meeting UNL State Museum. 5:30 p.m. - Hors d’oeuvres & Music by Sarabande I want to thank the full board and Museum staff for making my service a pleasure. 6:30 p.m. - Program I want to congratulate Museum Director Priscilla Grew on 7:00 p.m. - Talk about modern & fossil snakes by recently being designated as a lifetime national associate of the Jason Head, Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology National Research Council of the National Academies. I also want to congratulate the Museum’s Anthropology Curator, Jason Head Alan Osborn, for his research on prehistoric life in southwest Nebraska that was recently featured on Nebraska Educational Television’s “Nebraska Stories.” The last congratulations go out to this year’s Anderson and Tuttle Award recipients that will be honored at Annual Meeting. I want to encourage all Friends members to attend the Annual Friends of the University of Nebraska State Museum meeting to be held on February 24th in Morrill Hall. If you have an opportunity, I would also encourage you to attend the business meeting at 5:00 p.m. in the downstairs auditorium. The business meeting will last about 15 minutes, and we will elect new board members and new offi cers. The meeting is open to all Friends members. At 5:30 p.m. hors d’oeuvres and Dinner is $15.00. live string music will begin, followed by the program and a Please RSVP by February 15 to Dana Ludvik at talk by Jason Head, the Museum’s new Curator of Vertebrate [email protected] or 402-472-3779. Paleontology. His presentation will discuss his research on modern and fossil snakes. When visiting the State Museum at Morrill Hall with friends and family, be sure and check out the planetarium shows “Light Years from Andromeda” and “Forces of Nature” SAVE THE DATE! that are playing until April 26th. Friends Reception and Smithsonian Documentary Premier Event Don’t forget, while traveling the State this summer, be sure April 12 at the Van Brunt Visitors Center & Ross Media Arts Center and stop by the Trailside Museum inside Fort Robinson State Park near Crawford and Ashfall Fossil Beds near Royal. They Titanoboa: Monster Snake are great parts of our Museum system.

— Mark A. Brohman, Board President Friends of the University of Nebraska State Museum

Illustration by Jason Bourque, Florida Museum of Natural History

4 T H E M A M M O T H Friends of the University of Nebraska State Museum NEWS & INFO

MUELLER PLANETARIUM www.spacelaser.com

At the University of Nebraska State Museum From historic Morrill Hall – home to “Archie the Mammoth” on the University of Nebraska–Lincoln campus -- to Ashfall Fossil Beds near Royal and the Trailside Museum at Fort Robinson, the University of Nebraska State Museum enriches the lives of more than 100,000 visitors and students each year, creating lifelong memories and inspiring a love of science and learning.

The University of Nebraska is involved in a campaign to raise $1.2 billion to support students, faculty, research and programs. You can choose to help the museum by making a contribution to the Friends of the University of Nebraska NOW PLAYING! State Museum Fund. Lose yourself in “Forces of Nature,” a new fulldome To learn more about the museum and the campaign, show by National Geographic that follows scientists contact Connie Pejsar, [email protected], on pulse-pounding quests to discover how natural 402-458-1190 or 800-432-3216. disasters are triggered. Witness the real-life wonders of earthquakes, volcanoes, and tornadoes! To give online, go to nufoundation.org/friendsofthestatemuseum This show is made possible by the Friends of the Museum. Thank you for your generous support!

See a spectacular display of rare minerals and meteorites from the collections of the UNL Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, the Lincoln Gem and Mineral Club, and various private donors. Now opening April 20, 2012 Morrill Hall, Cooper Gallery

February 2012 5 NEWS & INFO

WELCOME NEW CURATORS MATT JOECKEL & JASON HEAD

R.M. (Matt) Joeckel

In July 2011, R.M. (Matt) Joeckel was appointed the Museum’s Curator of Geology, joining Sam Treves, Emeritus Curator of Geology. Matt also holds appointments as Research Geologist and Professor in the Conservation and Survey Division of the UNL School of Natural Resources and he has a 30 percent appointment in the UNL Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. Before becoming Curator, Matt was regularly involved with the Museum, lending his expertise to the ‘Dinosaurs and Disasters’ event, the dinosaur track exhibit in the Dinosaur Gallery, and the invertebrate fossil research collections. Currently, Matt serves as Exhibition Curator for the upcoming “Minerals and Meteorites” exhibit (opening April 20). Matt’s research has primarily focused on stratigraphy and sedimentology, surficial processes and geomorphology, and vertebrate paleontology. His mineralogical research has focused on the products of acid rock weathering. As part of his duties at the Conservation and Survey Division, he researches Nebraska’s geologic resources and mineral resource production. Matt received his Ph.D. from the University of Iowa Matt Joeckel examines strata, sedimentary rock layers, of the Ash Hollow in 1993. A native Lincolnite, he returned to UNL in 2000 after Formation in western Nebraska. having been an NSF postdoctoral fellow at the University of Tennessee from 1994-1996 and directing the Geology-Geography program at Bellevue University from 1996-2000.

Jason Head

In September 2011, Jason Head became the Museum’s newest Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology, joining Curator Ross Secord and Emeritus Curators Robert Hunt, Jr. and Mike Voorhies. He also serves as an Assistant Professor in the UNL Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. Jason specializes in the evolution of reptiles and their relationship to climate change over the past 66 million years. He has conducted paleontological fieldwork in Colombia, Uruguay, Pakistan, India, Tanzania, Mali, Jordan, and throughout North America. In 2009, Jason developed a method to estimate past environmental temperatures from the reptile fossil record based on discovery of the world’s largest snake, the 60 million year old Titanoboa cerrejonensis, from Colombia. A native of southeastern Michigan, Jason received his B.S. in biology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, in 1995, and his Ph.D. from Southern Methodist University in 2002. He held a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biological Informatics at the Smithsonian Institution and Queen Mary, University of London from 2002 -2005. Jason has lectured to the public on vertebrate paleontology and evolution Jason Head excavates the world’s largest snake, Titanoboa, in Columbia. at all educational levels and has taught at George Washington University and the University of Toronto.

6 T H E M A M M O T H Friends of the University of Nebraska State Museum NEWS & INFO

PRISCILLA GREW NAMED TO LIFETIME POST IN NATIONAL ACADEMIES

Priscilla Grew, Professor in Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. Grew Earth and Atmospheric Sciences was one of 158 new designees in 2011, and joins previous UNL and Director of the State honorees Raymond K. Moore (Engineering) and Stephen L. Museum, has been designated Taylor (Food Science) at UNL as the only three Nebraskans to a lifetime National Associate of be designated National Associates since the program started in the National Research Council 2001. of the National Academies. Since 1982, Grew has served as a member or officer This honor recognizes her of about two dozen National Research Council committees extraordinary service for the focusing on earth sciences research and geology, including past three decades on advisory global change research. She chaired the U.S. delegation to committees of the National geophysics congresses in Italy and Australia, and was appointed Research Council, including the as a U.S. delegate to the International Geological Congress in U.S. National Committee for the Norway. International Union of Geodesy Grew came to UNL in 1993 as vice chancellor for and Geophysics. She served research and in 1998 became UNL’s coordinator for campus Director Priscilla Grew 12 years on that committee, compliance with the Native American Graves Protection including 8 years as chair. and Repatriation Act. In 2003 she was named director of There are 1,061 National the University of Nebraska State Museum. She is a fellow of Associates currently designated in the U.S. and internationally. the American Association for the Advancement of Science, The honor is bestowed on people with extraordinary dedication the Geological Society of America, the Geological Society of to the National Research Council and the National Academies, London, and the Mineralogical Society of America, and is an which include the National Academy of Sciences, National Ian Campbell Medalist of the American Geological Institute.

A FOND FAREWELL TO RON PIKE UNL SERVICE AWARDS 2011 The Friends would like to congratulate the following Museum Exhibits Specialist Ron Pike retired from UNL on staff for their many years of service to the Museum and the January 5 after serving the Museum for 18 years. Through the University of Nebraska. Thank you for your dedication and years, he designed and built many exhibits for Morrill Hall, invalueable contributions to the Museum’s success. Trailside, and Ashfall. Ron’s talents and smile will be sorely missed! 45 years John Janovy, Professor in the School of Biological Sciences, Former Interim Museum Director, and Member of Museum’s Campaign Committee 40 years Jack Dunn, Planetarium Coordinator 35 years Gail Littrell, Staff Secretary, Research & Publications Alan Osborn, Assistant Professor (UNO) & Anthropology Curator 30 years Patricia (Trish) Freeman, Professor & Zoology Curator 20 years Sandy Mosel, Museum Assistant, Ashfall Fossil Beds Rick Otto, Superintendent, Ashfall Fossil Beds Susan Veskerna, Former Museum Specialist, Trailside Museum 15 years Angie Fox, Scientific Illustrator Museum staff celebrated Ron Pike at a retirement luncheon on Jan. 5. From left: Linda Rader, Collections Assistant for Botany Judy Diamond, Greg Brown, Kathy French, Ron Pike, Dana Ludvik, and Judy Ray. Mike Zeleny, Asst. VC for Research & Member of the Friends Advisory Council

February 2012 7 NEWS & INFO Continued from cover. 8TH ANNUAL ‘DINOSAURS & DISASTERS’ HELD FEB. 11

1,000 visitors attended the family fun day with scientists

‘Dinosaurs & Disasters’ is our largest family science event and usually brings in over 2,000 visitors. This year we had our own ‘disaster.’ Mother Nature dumped a foot of snow on February 4th in Lincoln. We always knew that could happen at this time of year, but we have been very lucky for the past seven years. D&D was postponed until the following Saturday, which began with zero temperatures. This cold backdrop was perfect for ANDRILL, who pitched their Scott tent outside in the snow, allowing visitors to experience camping in Antarctica! Inside, there were floods and droughts scattered about. This year’s theme was showcased in stream tables filled with rivers overflowing their banks, stations to measure precipitation, and investigations of Nebraska’s Agate Fossil Beds (which actually were the result of BOTH drought and flooding). There were over 25 stations where visitors could examine fossils, peer through microscopes at meteorite thin sections, dig for fossils, learn about tornadoes, be a TV meteorologist giving the current weather, and make hail and clouds. Morrill Hall was filled with 1,000 visitors. When asked how the day could be improved, many responded with “I would not change a thing” and “it was perfect.” Tough to beat that! — Kathy French, Education Coordinator

Thank you to our Fossil Friend Sponsor

8 T H E M A M M O T H Friends of the University of Nebraska State Museum NEWS & INFO

Photos by Dana Ludvik

February 2012 9 EDUCATION

A F am A Fa ily m

P il r y 'Sunday with a Scientist' events are o P g r r o a held the 3rd Sunday of each month g

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from 1:30-4:30 p.m. at Morrill Hall. m Join us to interact with scientists A F and explore new topics! am i ly P r o

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a A Fam m i ly VIRUSES ROCKS & MINERALSP r

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Young visitors create “viruses.” Matt Joeckel identifies visitors’ rocks and minerals.

On November 20, visitors learned about viruses. The On December 18, children and families explored program helped visitors understand how some viruses harm the science behind rocks and minerals. Visitors learned why us and others help us. They explored how viruses develop, minerals have different crystal shapes and colors—and why multiply, interact with hosts, and impact our lives. some of them glow in UV “black light.” The event was led by scientists in UNL’s Nebraska The presenters included Matt Joeckel, the Museum’s Center for Virology: Anisa Kaenjak Angeletti, whose research Curator of Geology, who is also affiliated with the UNL focuses on Human Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV), and School of Natural Resources and the department of Earth Peter Angeletti who specializes in the research of Human and Atmospheric Sciences; Ed Grew, a research professor in Papillomavirus (HPV). the department of Earth Sciences at the University of Maine in Orono; and Priscilla Grew, Director of the Museum and professor in the UNL department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. Volunteers from the Lincoln Gem and Mineral Club demonstrated lapidary techniques and flint knapping.

10 T H E M A M M O T H Friends of the University of Nebraska State Museum EDUCATION ROBOTICS UPCOMING JANUARY EVENTS February 19: Snakes: Past and Present March 18: Ashfall Fossil Beds April 15: Food Science May 20: Bees June 17: DNA July 15: To be announced August 19: Plants September 16: Biofuel October 21: Ogallala Aquifer November 18: Birds December 16: Platte River Time Lapse Project Shane Farritor discusses robotics. For more information on past events and upcoming events, visit www.museum.unl.edu.

Visitors experiment with a robot.

The event on January 20 focused on robotics. This popular program was led by Shane Farritor, professor in the UNL Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering. Farritor, along with students from the department, talked with visitors about the important role robots play in our lives—specifically our health. Children eagerly lined up to operate a functioning robot that simulated surgical tasks. Other robots were on display and videos demonstrated robots in action.

Ed Grew answers children’s questions about minerals. February 2012 11 EDUCATION

GETTING SMARTER IN THE MARX SCIENCE DISCOVERY CENTER

QR codes enhance hands-on learning for visitors.

Have you seen these boxes with assorted squares and rectangles appearing all over? This is a QR code, or Quick Response code, a type of barcode. They were fi rst used in automobile manufacturing to track cars. Now smart phones can read QRs everywhere— no longer in the confi nes of automobile factories! The Marx Center now has QR codes on about 20 of the specimens and mounts. Visitors will be able to read more about each animal’s size, diet, range, habitat, and natural history. You can even save it to your phone for future reference. This is an opportunity to trial smart phone technology to see how it works in the Museum. There is also a box with evaluations in the Center. We welcome your comments. Come give it a try! — Kathy French, Education Coordinator

Be a part of something

BIG For details on corporate sponsorship opportunities, contact Connie Pejsar or Kaye Jesske at the University of Nebraska Foundation (402-458-1100 or Become a Sponsor! 800-432-3216) or Dana Ludvik at the Museum (402-472-3779).

The University of Nebraska State Please consider the following opportunities Museum is the state’s premier to engage your employees, enhance your corporate brand, and demonstrate your museum of natural history. commitment to community enrichment by As a sponsor, your support sponsoring the following: directly benefi ts one of Nebraska’s • Public Events most beloved institutions, while providing your • Mueller Planetarium Fulldome Shows organization with excellent visibility to our large • Educational Programming and diverse audiences. • New Exhibitions

12 T H E M A M M O T H Friends of the University of Nebraska State Museum EDUCATION

February 2012 13 14 T H E M A M M O T H Friends of the University of Nebraska State Museum February 2012 15 16 T H E M A M M O T H Friends of the University of Nebraska State Museum RESEARCH

ENTOMOLOGY UPDATE

Major Collection of Papua New Guinea insects donated to Museum

In August 2011, I drove to Winfield, Kansas to see an old graduate school classmate, Ronnie Rivers, who wished to donate his extensive collection of butterflies and beetles that he collected during his seven year stay in Papua New Guinea. After graduating from Concordia College in Seward in 1963, Ronnie began teaching at a Lutheran elementary school in the Wabag-Wapanemanda area of Papua New Guinea in 1966 and then later at Goroka Teacher’s College in the Eastern Highlands District. He collected extensively during these years and amassed a spectacular collection of 3,100 mostly unmounted specimens that we are now in the process of preparing and incorporating into the collections. The collection is especially rich in weevils, longhorn beetles, and butterflies. After returning to the states in 1973, Ron enrolled in a PhD program in the Department of Entomology at UNL where he and I overlapped briefly as grad students, and he graduated in 1977. I was always very impressed with Ronnie’s extremely dry sense of humor, much of which derived from his experiences in a tropical, third world country contrasted with what was then American culture; it made for some hilarious observations. After receiving his degree, Dr. Rivers held positions as an extension entomologist at Oklahoma State University (Altus, OK), associate professor at St. John’s College (Winfield, KS), principal at Lutheran High School West (Detroit, MI), and as a professor at Concordia College (Selma, AL). He retired in 1998. During Ronnie’s grad school days he donated a small set of New Guinea butterflies to the Museum, which served to whet our appetite for New Guinea insects. And now, our cup runneth over! New Guinea remains an often difficult place in which to collect and conduct research, and we are extremely fortunate to have these specimens from a time nearly 50 years ago when habitats were more pristine than they are today. The specimens provide a window back in time to New Guinea biodiversity as it was then. Moreover, some of these specimens are rare by today’s standards, because some have been subsequently designated as threatened or endangered (the birdwing butterflies), and so not many collections have them. This gift of Papua New Guinea insects is a real treasure for the Museum’s research collections in entomology and nicely augments our holdings of tropical insects. We are indebted to Ronnie for his generous gift. — Brett Ratcliffe, Professor and Curator of Entomology February 2012 17 ASHFALL FOSSIL BEDS

ASHFALL FOSSIL UPDATE: CYNARCTUS

An elusive carnivore is discovered in the fossil bed.

One of the most exciting recent discoveries at the Ashfall site was a small “dog” skeleton during the summer of 2010. The fossil was found when interns Bill Mausbach and Amanda Millhouse were in the process of revealing a large male rhino. While excavating a pedestal around the front legs of the rhino, Bill found a set of bones from a much smaller animal—hidden under the rhino’s leg. Weeks of painstaking pick and brushwork revealed that there was a small carnivore– of some kind– underneath the mature barrel-bodied rhino skeleton. Everyone knows that good things can take a long time, and patience Cynarctus, a small omnivorous dog from the mid to late of North America. The recently discovered Ashfall and perseverance are necessary in specimen inhabited Nebraska 12 million years ago. Depiction by Mark Marcuson. paleontology. It was not until the following summer, 2011, that Bill, along with museum chief preparator Greg Brown, exposed the modest-sized skeleton in more detail. The teeth in they are sometimes called, were omnivores like raccoons and the skull were brushed clean, and it was indeed a dog. A probably lived in similar ways: stalking frogs and crayfish “dog” in a broader taxonomic sense, because this fox-sized along stream banks and around waterholes, munching on species, (as well as the largest dog species from 12 million insects, or feeding on fruit and nuts. years ago, ) all belong to a sub-family of fossil dogs Cynarctus (sine-ark-tuss) was first described known as bone-crushers, or Borophaginae (boro-fa-jeen-ae). from a lower jaw found in northeast Colorado around There were seven or eight species of borophagines in North 1900. William Diller Matthew of the American Museum of America at Ashfall time, while only two or three species Natural History coined the term Cynarctus and noted the of Caninae, the lineage that eventually became wolves and reduced size of the shearing tooth and broadened molars. coyotes. In the 1930s paleontologist Paul McGrew proposed that Bone-crushers in general have broad molars with Cynarctus be included in the raccoon family (Procyonidae). blunt cusps, an adaptation similar to hyenas for cracking Some years later, Richard Tedford of the American Museum bone. Bone itself is not very digestible, but the marrow of Natural History placed Cynarctus in the Borophaginae. inside of leg bones and ribs is the good stuff, rich in fat and Four species of Cynarctus are now recognized, and the genus a source of protein. An interesting thing about the little is only known from North America. Cynarctus crucidens was dog uncovered at Ashfall is that it is too small to have been described by former UNSM director Erwin Barbour (and much of a bone-crusher. The molar teeth are more blunt Harold Cook) in 1914. Cynarctus voorhiesi was named in than the bigger species of bone-crushing dogs, and, in many honor of Ashfall paleontologist Mike Voorhies by Xiaoming ways, resemble the cheek teeth of raccoons. The shearing Wang and Tedford in 1999. After detailed study, the Ashfall teeth are small as well. It is very likely “raccoon-dogs,” as specimen could be one of the previously mentioned species,

18 T H E M A M M O T H Friends of the University of Nebraska State Museum ASHFALL FOSSIL BEDS

CONSTRUCTION OF NEW ASHFALL PAVILION COMPLETE The Jack L. Dickinson Fossil Heritage Center will offi cially open June 15. The new pavilion, which was built by Sand Creek Post & Beam, will feature a hands- on fossil dig for visitors to get a realistic feel for what it is like to uncover new discoveries in the ash bed.

Complete skull and lower jaws of Cynarctus recovered from the Ashfall ash bed prior to construction of the Hubbard Rhino Barn in 2008.

Photo by Diane Pratt ASHFALL FOSSIL BEDS SPRING/SUMMER SCHEDULE May 1-May 24: May 25-Sept 3: Tuesday-Saturday 10 am-4 pm Monday-Saturday 9 am-5 pm (closed Sunday and Monday) Sunday 11 am-5 pm

The 2012 Friends Excavation at Ashfall Fossil Beds Bill Mausbach, Ashfall intern and student at Wayne State College (left), and Rick Otto discuss is scheduled for July 26, 27, & 28. the newly found Cynarctus fossil. See the reservation form on page 23.

C. crucidens or C. voorhiesi. ashfall.unl.edu This is not the fi rst fossil of Cynarctus to have been recovered at the Ashfall site. Occasional “raccoon-dog” fossils were found by Mike Voorhies and crew in 1978, and REFERENCES a single lower jaw in 1995. This is the fi rst skeleton, and it Barbour, E.H. and H.J. Cook. 1914. Two new fossil dogs of the genus Cynarctus from Nebraska. is the only known skeleton of any species of Cynarctus from Nebraska Geological Survey 4:225-227. the fossil record. In 2008, when an excavation crew was Matthew, W.D. 1902. New from the Miocene of Colorado. Bulletin of the American clearing a path in the fossil bed for the foundation of the Museum of Natural History 16:281-290 Hubbard Rhino Barn, several isolated legs, ribs, and lower McGrew, P.O. 1937. The genus Cynarctus. Journal of Paleontology 11:444-449. jaws were found, including a complete skull. To stress the Wang, X. and R.H. Tedford. 2008. Dogs: Their Fossil Relatives & Evolutionary History. New York: rarity of well-preserved fossils from this taxon, this is the Columbia University Press. only complete skull that has ever been recovered. Wang, X. and R.H. Tedford, B.E. Taylor 1999. Phylogenetic Systematics of the Borophaginae — Rick Otto, Ashfall Fossil Beds (Carnivora:Canidae) Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 243:1-391.

February 2012 19 CURRENT FRIENDS MEMBERSHIP

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20 T H E M A M M O T H Friends of the University of Nebraska State Museum CURRENT FRIENDS MEMBERSHIP FRIENDS Don & Alissa Gunning Scott & Della Johns John & Cindy Lefler John & Carol Millington Noa Gur & Or Zuk Chad & Jennifer Johnson Donald & Michele Leif Missionary Benedictine Sisters Bill & Donna Gustafson Clayton & Lois Johnson The Leija Family Byron & Lissa Mitchell The Gutshall Family James & Bev Johnson Letts/Ziemann Family Shannon Mitchell-Boekstal & Timothy Hagge & Palmer & Shirley Johnson Bob Levin Michael Boekstal Andria Bethelmie Chad Johnson & Amelia Montes & Emily Levine Mithye Lee & Sang Ok Seok Jodi & Ryan Hague Kim Adams Johnson William & Connie Lewis The Mobarak/Arvelo Family Tim & Alica Hain Rachelle & Linda Jones Shirley & Yong Li Susan & Scott Mogren Mark & Jennifer Hammer The Jorgensen Family Tali & Yair Liberman Stephen & Erin Mohring Jesse & Amy Hammond Martin & Claire Jorgensen Ryan Liebig Ken & Amy Montgomery Chris & Kim Hancock Joe & Carol Jurich Choan & Susanne Liewer Lisa & Jonathan Montoya Rob & Jen Hanger The Kahler Family Lincoln Gem & Mineral Club Terry & Cathy Moore Rusty & Heidi Hanley Brent Kamp & Marilyn Wise Jim & Gail Linderholm Angela Morales & Tim & Anna Hanway Ying Fen Kao & Chi-Kuo Hu Mark & Takako Liska Guillermo Henamorado Jim Harbour & Debbie Hickman Tom & Donice Kaspar Nellie Littrell Patrick & Kimberly Morgan The Harden Family Chris & Deanna Kastrinos The Loope Family The Morgenson Family Crystal Harding & Toby Bartels Yoshimizu & Mitsuko Kawamoto Errol & Anne Lord Rosalind Morris Stefan & Mira Hariskov Brandon Kearns & Kelly Wegner Jeff & Roxanne Lott Mary Burke Morrow

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22 T H E M A M M O T H Friends of the University of Nebraska State Museum The 2012 Friends Excavation at Ashfall Fossil Beds is scheduled for July 26, 27, & 28. Confi rm your reservation today. See details on the form below.

Reservation Form for 2012 Friends Excavation at Ashfall Fossil Beds

Please reserve ______spaces (minimum age 16) for me/us on the following date(s) (Select your choice below.) *Must be a Friends member *Friends Members — $60 (per person) x ______day(s) = $ ______prior to January 1st to qualify for the Friends rate. Non-members — $125 (per person) x ______day(s) = $ ______

Thursday, July 26____ Friday, July 27____ Saturday, July 28____ (Check your choice.)

Your name(s)______

Address, City, State, & Zip______

Phone Number______

Maximum of 10 participants per day. Register early to assure date(s) of your choice. Please return this form to: Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park, 86930 517th Avenue, Royal, Nebraska 68773 or call (402) 893-2000 to reserve your space.

COMING IN MAY TO MORRILL HALL

Discover more reasons why Morrill Hall ROCKS! See our huge selection of gems and minerals from around the world.

February 2012 23 Non Profit FRIENDS OF THE US Postage STATE MUSEUM PAID UNL Friends of the University of Nebraska State Museum 307 Morrill Hall PO Box 880357 Lincoln, NE 68588-0357

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