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Newsletter Volume 21 No FLORIDA PALEONTOLOGICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER VOLUME 21 NO. 1 WINTER 2004 Notes from the Florida Paleontological the FGS, but Harley informed us that the batteries to th Society Fall Meeting, held December 6 start the boat had gone dead because of the low tem­ th and 7 , 2003 in Bristol, Florida. peratures. On Friday night, members of the Florida Pa­ After the incredibly cold boat ride, we arrived leontological Society met in Marianna. Many went at the bluff. People collected fossils for several hours to Jim's Seafood Buffet for a "wonderful" dinner and from the early Miocene Chipola Formation and/or the then headed back to the Microtel for a cozy night's late Pliocene Jackson Bluff Formation and then be­ rest. Others opted for a "night of pain and suffer­ gan to head back to the boat ramp in small (some­ ing" and decided to what frozen) groups. camp at Torreya State Near the end of the Park. collecting, Harley's On Saturday son Chandler found a morning we all awoke nearly complete Male a to find that the tem­ (gastropod); the sec­ perature had dropped ond one known from to a chilly 30 degrees the bluff. Roger overnight. We dressed Portell immediately warmly, jumped in our "acquired" it from the vehicles, and were off child and promised it to Florida Caverns a good home. Chan­ State Park. Arriving dler decided to donate about an hour early, the specimen to the we spent time hiking museum rather than some of the trails in being badgered the rest the park. At 9:00 am of the evening (just kid­ Photo by Tom Ahearn everyone met at the ding) . When we ar­ Shelly Zimmerman and Melissa Cole enjoying the re­ visitor's center and the rived back at the car it turn trip down the Apalachicola River, ending an after­ group headed into the was nearly sunset. We noon of fossil hunting on Alum Bluff Water tempera­ cave. After being out­ hopped in our vehicles side in the cold for ture 56 degrees Fahrenheit, air temperature 31 degrees, and were off to dinner. over an hour, the caves and wind chill factor --- don't ask! We arrived at constant temperature Apalachee Restaurant of 72 degrees was very inviting. We toured the cav­ and ate dinner. Afterwards, Harley Means gave an ern for about 45 minutes taking lots of pictures along excellent talk on artifacts found in the Apalachicola the way. After the tour (and gift shop visit) we went River. The presentation was well received and in­ to lunch, then it was off to the Bristol boat ramp and cluded some very nice pictures as well as some arti­ Alum Bluff. facts (points) that were passed around. Everyone had When we arrived at the boat ramp we found a great time, except for the poor people at the restau­ that many of those that did not go on the caverns rant that had to clean up the huge mess from our tour had arrived early. Harley and Ryan Means muddy boots! (Florida Geological Survey) were already shuttling On Sunday morning those who camped people back and forth to the bluff in their boats. The packed their camping gear and headed for Marianna original plan had been to use a larger boat owned by along with those who opted for "creature comforts". About half way there some of us realized that we were an hour early because of the time zone change. Finally, everyone met and headed to a wonderful quarry. When we arrived, Roger gave an overview of the local geology and explained what fossils we might find. After the group pic­ ture, everyone split up and began to collect. Lots of Eocene and Oligocene echinoids (sand dollars, sea urchins, sea biscuits) were found, as well as a large Carcharodon auriculatus (?=C. sokolowi) tooth, crabs, large foraminifera, shells, and corals. Everyone left the quarry with buckets of goodies to take home. The fall meeting was a huge success! Thanks go to Harley and Ryan Means, Roger Photo by Sean Roberts Portell, and George Hecht for organizing such Rebecca Roberts examines small bivalves weathering from an interesting meeting. an outcrop of the Jackson Bluff Formation. Sean Roberts Photo by Sean Roberts Exploring the columns,flowstone andrimstone dams in the "Sewing Room" of the Florida Caverns. Pictured Ted Akin, Matt Doi, and Nita Akin (from left). Page 3 FLORIDA PALEONTOLOGICAL SOCIETY tology and in collecting and preserving Florida OFFICERS AND BOARD fossils. I became involved in guiding fossil President: Joyce Bode, 4906 Colonnades Circle E, Lakeland, FL 33811 [email protected] field trips at Cargill in 1989, and continue to Pres.idem-Elect: Roger Portell, Florida Museum of Natural History Box l17800, Gainesville, FJJ 3261J work with the Hardee County Outdoor Class­ [email protected] Past President: Tom Ahem, 629 Gail Ave., Temple Terrace, FL room all-day field trips. 33617 Vice President: David Thulman, 1906 Atapha Nene, Tallahassee, FL Al though I am not an avid fossil collec­ 3230) tor, I enjoy working with fossi 1 collectors and Secretary: Marcia Wright, 1550 Mizell Avenue, Winter Park, "FL 32789 educators. Being associated with museum pa­ Treasurer: George Hecht, Florida Museum of Natural History Box 117800, Gainesville, FL 31611 leontologists is a highlight of membership. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Our society is an important adjunct to our Bernie Peterson, Cocoa, 2006 Sue Hutchens, Old Town, 2005 state's natural history museum and to uni ver­ Bruce MacFadden, Gainesville, 2004 Gordon Hubbell, Gainesville, 2006 sities throughout Florida. Just think of all the Robyn Miller, Jax Beach, 2006 Frank Rupert, Tallahassee, 2004 important contributions made by members of Steven Hutchens, Old Towr,, 2005 Barb.,ra'.[oomey, Gainesville, 200 our Society. Furthermore, the Society has funded scholarships and has made it possible COMMITTEES AND APPOINTMENTS to publish important scientific research. Book Committee: R. Hulbert The first By-laws of the society were Nominations: R. Miller Finance: G. Hecht, R. Portell published in 1978 and revised in 1985. After Membership: T. Akin, G. Hecht, N. Akin By-Laws: R. Miller, D. Thulman, B. MacFadden much consideration and review, the revised by­ Honorary Members and Awards: R. Portell, S. Hutchens laws are enclosed in this Newsletter and are Hi storical: S. Hutchens Board of Editors: R. Portell, R. Hulbert, J. Hen-era, F. Rupert ready for your approval. The "Purpose" has Resident Agent: R. Portell been included as Article II, and the Life Mem­ HONORARY MEMBERS bership category has been added. There have Anita Brown, David Webb, Barbara Toomey, Gary Morgan been some minor changes and corrections to Clifford Jeremiah, Reed Toomey, Gordon Hubbell bring the by-laws up to date. INFORMATION, MEMBERSHIP, AND PUBLICATIONS It is important to keep active member- Address: Secretary, Florida Paleontological Society, Inc. Florida Museum of Natural Hi story, P.O. Box 117800 ship and leadership in our Society. Please University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 326llc7800 email: [email protected] consider being an active participant in the busi­ ness affairs of the Society and in keeping FPS A message from the FPS President, a viable and productive organization of ama­ Joyce Bode teur and professional paleontologists, If you December, 2003 have any ideas or suggestions as to how we can have more participation in Board and Member­ I don't remember exactly when I joined ship meetings to keep FPS moving forward, the FPS, but I have newsletters dating back to please contact Roger Portell or me with your the early 1990s. The main reason I joined FPS ideas. My e-mail address lS was to become a part of an organization that [email protected]. I look forward to an focuses on advancing the science of paleon- exciting and productive 2004. Page 4 News from the Florida Museum of Natural highly qualified applicants, we brought four finalists History (FLMNH) to Gainesville in 2003. Our new associate curator of Vertebrate Paleontology Division (VP) ... vertebrate paleontology wi11 be Jonathan Bloch, cur­ With their geological background, paleontolo­ rently the Haslem Postdoctoral Paleontology Fellow gists do not use the phrase "end of an era" lightly­ at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in after all some of the most important events in the his­ Rapid City, and a recent graduate of the University of tory of life of Earth Michigan were he re­ were used to locate the ceived his Ph.D. work­ boundaries of geologic ing with well known pa- eras. But the retirement 1eon to lo gist Philip in 2003 of David Webb Gingerich. Most of as Curator of Vertebrate Jonathan's past and cur­ Paleontology from the rent field work and re­ Florida Museum of search involves Pale­ Natural History cer­ ocene and Eocene small tainly qualifies as the mammals from the Big­ end of an era for the VP horn and Green River Division. When Dave basins of Wyoming, but started here in 1964, the An occlusal view of a maxilla of Aphelops mutilus, he also has collected fossil vertebrate collec­ from the Newberry Rhino Site. fossils m Egypt, tion had less than Kazakhstan, and Paki- 10,000 catalogued specimens, and was relatively mi­ stan. He also has extensive museum curatorial expe­ nor in terms of scientific significance. Just with re­ rience at the University of Michigan Museum of Pale­ gards to fossils from Florida, it lagged behind those ontology and the George C. Page Museum in Los An­ of the Florida Geological Survey in Tallahassee, geles. Jonathan will join us in the first half of 2004, Harvard University's bringing with him his Museum of Compara­ paleobotanist wife tive Zoology, and the Elizabeth Kowalski American Museum of and their newly born Natural History in New son Aidan.
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