Fossil Fever

  Saturday, March 31st, 2011 Lysorophus: Permian (287 million years ago) burrowing carnivorous amphibian. They would estivate to escape the heat and the dry season. At this site they are found varying in shape and size, curled up in half donut looking burrows. Lung fish and a jaw (may be sillerpeton or Phlegethontia) in same area.  Lysorophus skeletons curled inside semi-donut shaped burrows The first bone found at site Area 51 was actually a neural spine bit from a larger amphibian called Eryops, a carnivore with primitive ear drums. The piece of neural spine was approximately two inches long, lying completely exposed on the east side of Area 51. I spotted the neural spine on my way back to join Dr. Bakker after visiting an "Adventure Bush". Many other bone bits from Eryops were found with the neural spine. A bit further from the Eryops remains appeared to be rocks scattered all over the hill. After taking a closer look, each of these rocks were full of

3-10-11 First day of the Spring Break dig in Seymour, Texas. Arrived Thursday and Dr. Bakker and Kathy are with us (my mom and I) We went out prospecting for bones. I found a fossilized fern tree and got to name the site! I did not know what to call it but it became known as “Apple”.                     My mom found the first two bones of the day and named her new site “Nutmeg” (After our dog). We went back to the cars for lunch and spent some time skipping rocks across a small lake. Dr. Bakker taught me how to pick and skip rocks!       The four of us went to a new area we had never been before. I found part of a dimetrodon rib that resembled porcelain. Dr. Bakker found more of the porcelain bone while I found a bit of neural spine (porcelain style). It was a specific kind of dimetrodon because the spine was shaped like a figure 8. Kathy helped with the name of the site and it was decided to be called the “Lazy 8”    Eve's R