RAPID: Salvage Excavation of a Critically Important Late Miocene Fossil Deposit in North-Central Florida: A Rare Opportunity for Science and Education

2015年11月，在佛罗里达州盖恩斯维尔西南约30公里处的一次采砂作业造成的暴露中，化石骨骼被发现风化。佛罗里达自然历史博物馆的古生物学家很快确定该遗址可能具有非常重要的意义，并开始了采石工作。该遗址位于私人财产上，土地所有者将允许进入，直到2017年春季，并已同意将所有标本捐赠给外国语大学永久研究收藏品。然而，挖掘化石的时间有限，因为坑很快就会被填满，然后土地就会被用来回收马厩的废物，并为牛提供牧场。因此，通过仔细的挖掘，尽可能多地恢复化石是非常紧迫的。这个有500万年历史的遗址到目前为止已经产生了大约50个脊椎动物类群的化石。人体的大小范围非常广泛，小老鼠大小的动物骨骼和火蜥蜴与犀牛和大象的骨骼在同一地层中被发现。遗址的一部分是丰富的化石，一些地区经常产生关节骨骼。这是东南沿海平原这个时代第一个骨骼完整的脊椎动物产地，也是唯一一个小型脊椎动物区系多样的地方。本科生、高中教师和公民科学家将接受培训并参与此次挖掘。最终，标本将在佛罗里达自然历史博物馆展出。

In November 2015, fossil bones were discovered weathering out of exposures created by a sand mining operation about 30 km southwest of Gainesville, Florida. Paleontologists of the Florida Museum of Natural History quickly determined that the site was potentially very significant, and began quarrying operations. The site is located on private property and the landowner will allow access until Spring 2017 and has agreed to donate all specimens to the FLMNH permanent research collections. However there is a finite time to excavate fossils, as the pit will soon be filled in and the land then used for horse stable waste recycling and pasture for cattle. Thus there is a great urgency to recover as many fossils as possible through careful excavation.The 5-million-year old site has so far produced fossils of about 50 vertebrate taxa. A very broad range of body size is represented, with bones of animals the size of small mice and salamanders found in the same strata as those of rhinos and elephants. Portions of the site are richly fossiliferous and some areas routinely produce articulated skeletons. This is the first vertebrate locality of this age in the southeastern coastal plain with complete skeletons, and also the only one with a diverse fauna of small vertebrates. Undergraduate students, high school teachers, and citizen scientists will be trained and involved in this excavation. Ultimately specimens will be displayed at the Florida Museum of Natural History.