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中，人们发现了骨骼化石。佛罗里达自然历史博物馆的古生物学家们很快确定，这个遗址可能非常重要，并开始了采石作业。该地点位于私人财产上，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FLMNH永久研究收藏。然而，挖掘化石的时间是有限的，因为坑很快就会被填满，然后土地就会被用于马棚废物的回收和牛的牧场。因此，通过仔细挖掘，尽可能多地恢复化石是非常紧迫的。到目前为止，这个有500万年历史的遗址已经发现了大约50种脊椎动物的化石。在与犀牛和大象相同的地层中发现了小老鼠和蝾螈大小的动物骨骼，代表了非常广泛的身体尺寸。该遗址的部分地区有丰富的化石，有些地区经常发现铰接的骨骼。这是东南沿海平原上第一个有完整骨架的这个时代的脊椎动物地点，也是唯一一个有多种小型脊椎动物动物群的地方。大学生、高中教师和公民科学家将接受培训并参与这次发掘。最终，这些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.