New Fossils at Xiphactinus Killzone

        Yesterday proved to be a fantastic field day.  Volunteers, staff and public participants arrived at the Xiphactinus site to continue excavation of the specimens.  The site is making excellent progress and field jackets are starting to come into the museum.  Both the fish Xiphactinus and the mosasaur Clidastes have been mapped onto a grid and are beng jacketed as we speak.

        There was some excitement at the site with a large crayfish found while bringing some water up from a near by water source to finish the field jackets.  It was about 13 cm in length with great big pincers.  It scared us half to death and thought it was going to get my big toe!

        Later in the afternoon, a large portion of the lower jaw from Xiphactinus was recovered, numerous small teeth and fish vertebrae as well as a lower leg bone (tibiotarsus) of the bird Hesperornis by a 5-day Fossil Adventure participant, Gavin. It is complete and excellently preserved.

Anita Janzic
Curator

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