T157 Sigma Gamma Epsilon Undergraduate Research (Posters)

Bone Weathering of the Aaron Scott Dinosaur Site (Jurassic, Morrison Formation) in Central Utah

Paper number: T157-22
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 8:00 AM – 4:45 PM

Authors

Abstract

The Aaron Scott Site consists of an accumulation of vertebrate remains in the Jurassic Morrison Formation of central Utah that is dominated by a partially articulated skeleton of a Diplodocid sauropod. In addition, disarticulated and fragmented remains of numerous animals have been recovered including Allosaurus, Ceratosaurus, an ornithopod dinosaur, turtle, crocodile and sphenodonts.

The degree of weathering on the bones was ranked based on taphonomic features of the fossils. Based on these weathering stages, the bones appear to have experienced varying degrees of weathering from disarticulation, splintering, breaking and rounding of the edges, indicating that the bones were exposed on the surface and had accumulated over a period of time prior to being buried.

This range of weathering on the bones is consistent with an accumulation of bones over a period of time. The site is thought to be a lake margin where animals accumulated during a drought, died and partially decomposed before being buried by rising lake levels.