inside vmnh research 2007
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Learn more about scientific research and collections at the Virginia Museum of Natural History.TRANSCRIPT
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CADDISFLIES
CHINESE CONNECTION
VIRGINIA COAST
InsideVirginia Museum of NATUR AL HISTORY RESEARCH
Number 2 • 2007TWO DOLLArS
CADDISFLIES
CHINESE CONNECTION
VIRGINIA COAST
ThethreemainarticlesinthisissueofInside VMNH Researchillustratethreefundamentalfacetsofresearch:Firstly,itcanbeofimmensesignificancetoourwayoflife.Secondly,ignoringthewritingsoftheearliestresearcherscouldproveperilous.Thirdly,itisoftentrulysurprisingandproducesspectacularresults. Takethehumblecaddisfly.AsDr.RichardHoffmanpointsout,theseinsectsareanimportantfoodsourcefortrout,andasaresult,theabilitytomakeagoodimitationlurecanreapgreatrewardsforfishermen.However,theyarealsosignificantindicatorsofwaterquality,anditisthereforevitallyimportanttohaveaclearunderstandingoftheirdiversityinourstreams,andtohavetheabilitytomonitorchangesintheirdistribution.Suchmonitoringcan’tbesuccess-fuluntilacomprehensiveinventoryofcaddisfliesiscompleted.Fortunately,Richardandhiscolleagues,Drs.OliverFlintandCharlesParker,havealreadymadegreatstridesinthisendeavorfortheCom-monwealthofVirginia.Theirworkwillundoubtedlybeagreathelptofuturegenerationsofbiologistsandconservationistsaswestrivetomaintainthequalityofourwaterways. Dr.LauckWardhasspentalifetimescouringthewaterwaysandclifffacesoftheCoastalPlain,record-ingthedistributionofvariousfossilinvertebratesandvertebrates.WhereriverssuchastheMattaponi,theJames,thePotomacandthePamunkeysnakeacrosstheCoastalPlain,Lauckknowseachturnlikethebackofhishand.Heisalsoequallyconversantwiththeworkoftheearliestexplorersandscientists.Work-erssuchasThomasSay,MartinListerandCharlesLyellwerekeenobserversandastutethinkers,andintheworldoffieldgeology,wealwaysdowelltoturntothemastersbeforejumpingtoourownconclu-sions.Admittedly,somebranchesofscience,suchasmolecularbiologyandgenetics,seemtochangewithsuchalarmingspeedthatpublicationsjustadecade
ConductingmeaningfulscientificresearchandthensharingthatknowledgeiswhatthescientistsandeducatorsattheVirginiaMuseumofNaturalHistorydobest.ThisissueofInside VMNH Researchisnoexception.WeproudlypresentoursecondissueafterpublishingourfirstissuelastyeartoexcellentreviewsincludingbeinghonoredbytheSoutheasternMuseumsConference(SEMC). Inourfirstissue,wesharedwithreadersresearchbeingconductedbythreeofourscientists.IncludedwerethestoriesofDr.JimBeard’squesttosolvesomeofthemysteriesofthedeepoceancrust;Dr.JudithWinston’sdiscoveryofanewfaunaofminutespeciesofbryozoansandotherencrustinganimals;and,thesearchbyDr.AltonDooleytofindfossilwhalesinthePeruviandesert. Withthisissue,welearnfromDr.Lauck“Buck”WardabouthisresearchintheCoastalPlainandthefossilbedsincliffsthathavebeen
studiedsincetheBritishsettledthisregion.Dr.RichardHoffmantellsusaboutcaddisfliesandtheiruniqueabilitytoconstructabodeswithprecisionandelegance.AndthenthereisDr.NickFraser,whoisstudyingsitesinChinaandVirginiawithhopesofdiscoveringwhetherthefloraandfaunaofthetwohadmoreincommonduringtheTriassicthantheydotoday.AsexecutivedirectoroftheVirginiaMuseumofNaturalHistory,itisarealprivilegetoworkwithourscientistsandeducatorsasweconductresearcharoundtheworldandthensharethatknowledgethroughpublications,lectures,exhibitsandourWebsite,www.vmnh.net. Timothy J. Gette
oldarenowcompletelyobsolete.Yet,itiscomfortingtoknowthatthisiscertainlynottrueformanybasicscientificdisciplines;westillcontinuetobuildonthefoundationofearlierknowledge. Scienceisalwayscapableoftheunbelievable.In1963theStateGeologistpronouncedtheSoliteQuarrytobeinterestingbutlargelydevoidoffos-sils.Todayweknowitasoneoftheworld’smostsignificantTriassiclocalities!Thepreservationoffossilinsectsfromthissiteistrulyremarkable,andtheyarematchedonlybysomequitebizarreglidingandswimmingreptiles.EquallysurprisingisanewTriassiclocalityhalfwayaroundtheworldthatisyieldingstun-ninglypreservedplantfossils.IanticipatethatthisnewsiteinChinawillhelpusbuildanevenclearerpictureoflifeintheTriassic,andatthesametime,providealinktoVirginia. IhopethatthesethreequitedifferentpeeksintoresearchattheVirginiaMuseumofNaturalHistorywillinspireyoutogooutintothecountrysidearoundyourownhomeandseewhatsurprisesthereareinstoreforyouwhenyoutakeacloserlook.Thenperhaps,goabitfurtherafield–theworldisyouroyster.
Dr. Nicholas Fraser
InsideVirginia Museum of NATUR AL HISTORY RESEARCH
From the Director of Research and Collections
From the Executive Director
Published by the Virginia Museum of NaturalHistory, 21 Starling Avenue, Martinsville, VA24112,forVMNHmembers,scholars,educators,libraries,journalistsandsupporters.Formember-ship information, call (276) 634-4141 or visitwww.vmnh.net
Production StaffRyanL.Barber,EditorMelodyCartwright,Art DirectorJessicaHylton, Managing Editor
Executive StaffTimothyJ.Gette,Executive DirectorGloriaW.Niblett,Director of Administration and ServicesDr.NicholasC.Fraser,Director of Research and CollectionsDr.DennisA.Casey,Director of Education and Public ProgramsRyanL.Barber,Director of Marketing and External AffairsNancyBell,Director of Development
Research and Collections Board CommitteeDr.J.JamesMurray,Jr.,Chair Dr.OliverS.Flint,Jr.,Vice ChairBriggsW.AndrewsDr.BruceD.SmithLisaL.Wu
Scientific Advisory BoardDr.WilliamShear,Chair Dr.JohnHolsingerDr.MichaelKosztarabDr.DuncanPorterDr.JanetReidDr.MarySchweitzer
Research and Collections StaffDr.NicholasC.Fraser,Director of Research and Collections, Curator of Vertebrate PaleontologyDr.RichardL.Hoffman,Assistant Director for Biological Sciences, Curator of Recent Invertebrates Dr.JamesS.Beard,Curator of Earth SciencesDr.AltonC.Dooley,Jr.,Assistant Curator of PaleontologyDr.NancyD.Moncrief,Curator of MammalogyDr.ElizabethA.Moore,Curator of Archaeology Dr.LauckW.Ward,Curator of Invertebrate PaleontologyDr.JudithE.Winston, Curator of Marine Biology
JulieHoskin,Collections ManagerJillK.Harris,RegistrarMaryCatherineSantoro, LibrarianHaleyE.Cartmell,Research Assistant, Biology SusanC.Kirby,Lab Assistant, Earth Sciences
About the cover: TheHarvestFoundationofthePiedmontGreatHallatthenewVirginiaMuseumofNaturalHistory,21StarlingAvenueinMartinsville.(Photo by Melody Cartwright)
Number 2 • 2007
The Virginia Museum of Natural History is accredited by the American Association of Museums, and is a member of the Association of
Science-Technology Centers, Southeastern Museums Conference, NSC Alliance, Virginia Association of Museums, andMuseum Store Association. VMNH is an agency of the
Secretary of Natural Resources for the Commonwealth of Virginia.The VMNH Foundation is a 501 (c)3 nonprofit organization.
Entomology
More than just trout food! By Dr. Richard Hoffman,VMNH Curator of Recent Invertebrates and Assistant Director of Biological Sciences
utofsight,underthewater,livethecaddisflylarvae.Allovertheworld,thesesmallaquatic
insectsconducttheirdailyactivities.Inicysprings,woodlandpools,rivers,lakes,andevenwarmstagnantswamps,theythriveinastonishingnumbersofbothindividualsandspecies.Likeanimalselsewhere,somearevegetariansthatgrindupandrecyclebothlivinganddeadplantmaterial;othersarecarnivorouspredators;stillothersextractmicroscopicfoodparticlesfromflowingwaterbyusingexceptionallyfinesack-likenetsoftheirownweaving.Allfallpreytolargeranimals,amongthemaquaticbiolo-gistsandentomologistslikemewhochoose
themasobjectsofstudy.Theselarvae,rarelyoveraninchinlength,closelyresemblethecaterpillarstageoftheirrelatives,thebutter-fliesandmoths.Theydifferintheiruseofgillstoextractoxygenfromthewater.Likecaterpillars,thecaddislarvaearebasicallythefeedingandgrowthstage,andliketheirrelatives,theyundergoaperiodofstructuralmetamorphosisthatproducesawinged,reproductivestage.Adultcaddisfliesarenotalwayseasytodistinguishfromsmallmoths,butabasicdifferenceisthattheirwingsarecoveredwithfineshorthairsinsteadofcolorfulscales.Thescientificgroupnameappliedtocaddisfliescollectively,Tricho-ptera,reflectsthatcharacter(fromtheGreek
trichos,hair+pteron,wing). Manykindsofanimalsarerenownedforconstructingabodesforindividualsorcolo-nies:ants,termites,wasps,beavers,weaverbirds,andhumans.Butintermsofstructur-alcomplexityandeleganceofdesign,nonecancomparewiththecase-makingcaddislarvae.Thesecreatures,despitetheirsome-whatworm-likeappearance,haveevolvedawidevarietyofshelterswhichtheyconstructwithprecisionandadherencetopatternscharacteristicoftheirspecies.Theybuildthesesheltersbyusingwhatevermaterialsmaybeavailable.Speciesthatliveinpondsorslowstreamsoftenuseplantmaterial:ahollowed-outgrass-stem,forinstance,ora
O
(continued)
Above: With a wingspan of 2.5 inches (60 mm), Hydatophylax argus is Virginia’s largest caddisfly. The species is widespread in Virginia, but not frequently collected. Right: Pinned specimens of three large Virginia caddisfly adults.
INSIDE VMNH RESEARCH • 2007 1
longtubecomposedofbitsofplantstemsandleavescuttosizeandgluedtogether.Thelarvaisthuscamouflagedanddifficulttonoticeexceptwhenitmovesabout.Somestream-dwellersusesmallpebblesstucktogether;othersspecializeonsandgrainsgluedintoalonghollowtube.Theindivid-ualsandgrainsarecarefullyfittedtogetheratthelargerendtoextendthetubeasitsoc-cupantgrows.Thegrainsmaybevariableinappearance,orinsomecases,almostexactlysimilarinsize,shape,andcolor.Eachgrainisobviouslyselectedwithgreatdeliberation. Theunderwaterphaseoflifeendswhenthemetamorphosizinginsectsacquirewingsandreproductiveorgansandfloattothesurface.Thisemergenceisalmostinstanta-
neous;theadultmustbereadytoflyassoonasitbreaksthesurfacefilm(therecanbenolongperiodofwinggrowthandhardeningsuchasenjoyedbymoths).Suchemergencesoftenconsistofuntoldthousandsofinsects,alargenumberofwhichfallpreytotrout,birds,dragonflies,andotherpredators.Enoughsurvivetoreproduceandrecom-mencethelifecycle.Itisbyrandommigra-tionoffertilizedfemales(luckyenoughtofindanothersuitablehabitattodroptheireggs)thatcaddisfliesmaintainandextendtherangesofthevariousspecies. Over9,000speciesofcaddisfliesareknownglobally,withabout1,400forNorthAmerica,andatpresent,343inVirginia.Sincetheseinsectsactasimportantindica-
2 INSIDE VMNH RESEARCH • 2007
Top: Dr. Hoffman demonstrates collection of night-flying adults using an
ultra-violet light trap. Insects attracted to the light tube are deflected by the four
clear plastic panels and fall into a jar of preservative centered in the bucket below.
Right: An adult caddisfly of the genus Pycnopsyche, represented in Virginia by
14 large, light brown species. (Photos by Dr. David Jones)
torsofwaterqualityandserveanimpor-tantroleinaquaticfoodchains,theyareofmuchinteresttoenvironmentalistsandtroutfishermen,someofwhomtietheirdry-flylurestoresembletheadults.Seriousresearchonourin-statefaunaextendsbackover30years,butitwasgreatlyacceleratedwhenthefoundingofVMNHprovidedtheopportunityforstatewideinventoryprojects.Adults,activemostlyatnight,arestronglyattractedtoultra-violetlight,andmaybecollectedbyplacingalightedsheetorbuckettrapbesideastreamorpondafterdark.Sometimesthousandsofindividualswillcongregateatthelightwithinamatterofminutes,especiallyinaTidewaterswamponahothumidnight.Thecollectormust
Below: A selection of cases produced by various caddisfly larvae. The structure at left shows a larva partly exposed at top. Despite the great variety in the shape of the cases, the adult stages of the various larvae are basically very similar in overall appearance.
endurebecomingcoveredwithsmallexcitedcaddisflies,entirelyharmlessbutarealnui-sancewheninone’seyes,ears,throat,andnasalsinuses! Thelarvaearecollectedfromtheirvariousaquatichabitatsbyhand-pickingorwiththeuseofnets.Bothlarvaeandadultsarepreservedinalcohol,butsomeadultsareusuallypinnedaswell.Identificationisnormallymadeinthelaboratory,althoughanumberofspeciesaredistinctiveenoughtoberecognizableinthefield.AlthoughmanymuseumcollectionscontainVirginiacaddis-flies,byfarthethreemostimportantareatVMNH,theNationalMuseumofNatural
“... ongoing investigations
in under-collected
regions of the state
may extend our list of
resident caddisflies
to nearly 400.”
History,andtheEntomologyDepartmentatVirginiaTech.Thesecollectionstogetherholdwellover100,000specimensfromtheCommonwealth.CurrentlyanannotatedlistofVirginia’sspeciesisbeingcompiledasthefirststeptowardaneventualillustratedmanualthatwillbeusedtoidentifyspeciesandhelpformthebasisformoreappliedstudies.AsVMNHCuratorofRecentInvertebrates,IamworkingwithDr.OliverS.Flint,emerituscuratorattheNationalMuseumandaVMNHseniorscientist,andDr.CharlesParker,aVMNHresearchasso-ciatestationedattheGreatSmokyMoun-tainsNationalParkasco-investigatorsfor
thisproject.ExtensivedonationsofmaterialfromzoologistsoftheNaturalHeritagedivi-sionoftheDepartmentofConservationandRecreationaidourresearch.Thefirsthalfofthelistwaspublishedin“Banisteria”in2006;thesecondhalfisnowbeingpreparedforpublication.Itisexpectedthatongoinginvestigationsinunder-collectedregionsofthestatemayextendourlistofresidentcaddisfliestonearly400.Virginianowjoinsthefewotherstates(NewYork,Illinois,Ten-nessee,andAlabama)thathaveachievedasignificantstageintheknowledgeoftheseinterestinginsects.Wehopetotaketheleadinmakingthembetterknown.
INSIDE VMNH RESEARCH • 2007 3
hankstomodernairlinetravel,thedistancebetweenChinaandVirginiadoesn’tseemquiteasfar
asitoncedid.Yet,itisstillanarduous13-hourplusflight,andthesights,soundsandsmellsofthecrowdedBeijingairportfore-warnVirginianvisitorsthatagreatculturaldifferencewaitsbeyondtheairport–par-ticularlyiftheystepoutsideBeijing.ThedistancebetweeneasternNorthAmericaandeasternAsiawasjustasdaunting220millionyearsagoasitistoday.ButwastheOrientsodistinctfromtheOccidentwhenthecontinentswerejoinedtogetherasthesupercontinentPangaeaandthejourneybetweenthetworegionscouldbemadeentirelybyland? Topartlyanswerthatquestion,mycolleaguesandIhavebeenundertakingdetailedexcavationsattheSoliteQuarry.
A Chinese Connection?By Dr. Nicholas Fraser,VMNH Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology and Director of Research and Collections
Left: Dr. Zan Shuqin stands in a village in Liaoning Province built on Triassic sediments.
Paleontology
4 INSIDE VMNH RESEARCH • 2007
T
Thisuniquesite,whichstraddlestheVir-ginia–NorthCarolinastateline,isprovidinguswithoneoftheclearestwindowsintoter-restriallife220millionyearsago.NootherTriassicsiteintheworldhasyieldedsuchanabundanceofcompleteinsects.Indeed,therocksatthislocalityholdsuchawealthanddiversityofnewmaterialanddatathatitwouldbeimpracticalforonepersontotakeontheresearchsingle-handedly.In1994,Ibegantoputtogetherateamtoinvestigateeveryaspectofthesedimentsandtheirfos-sils.Dr.PaulOlsenofColumbiaUniver-sity,whooriginallydiscoveredthesitein1974,joinedmetostudythevertebrates.Dr.DaveGrimaldi,CuratorofEntomol-ogyattheAmericanMuseumofNaturalHistoryandaworldauthorityoninsectsinamber,wasdelightedtoleadtheinsectresearch.Forplants,IapproachedDr.BrianAxsmith,apaleobotanistattheUniversityofSouthAlabama.Alongtheway,ourteamhassoughtthehelpofanumberof
INSIDE VMNH RESEARCH • 2007 5
(continued)
Many of the Triassic
forms are remarkably
similar to their
living counterparts.
Left: Dr. Nicholas Fraser stands con-templating dinosaur-bearing sediments in a village in northern China.
Above: Triassic scorpionfly from the Solite Quarry.Right: Triassic thrips from the Solite Quarry.
otherexperts.Forexample,weimmediatelycontactedarecognizedauthorityoffossilarachnids,Dr.PaulSelden(atthetimeattheUniversityofManchesterinEngland)whenwefoundourfirstspider.Whenwewereunabletofindamethodtocleanthesedimentawayfromtwouniquespecimensofanewglidingreptile,Dr.TimRyanatPennStatekindlyagreedtoCTscantheblocks,andtheincredibleskeletonsoftheseremarkablebeastswerequicklyrevealed. Thankstotheteam’sdiscoveries,wenowknowthattheoriginsofmanyoftoday’sinsectordersandfamiliesarelinkedtotheTriassic.Furthermore,manyoftheTriassicformsareremarkablysimilartotheirlivingcounterparts.Forexample,athysanopteran(thrips)thatislittlemorethan1mmlongshowsexactlythesamenarrowbodyandcharacteristicfringedwingmarginsasindi-vidualsfoundtodaywreakinghavoconrosegardens.Abundantplantremainstellastoryofrichlyvegetatedhillsidesthatsurroundedalakeinwhichsmallaquaticreptilesandfishoncefeastedonhostsofwaterbugs.Thiscouldn’thavebeenanisolatedverdantoasisofabundantinsectlifeintheTriassic.
Whatwaslifelikeinotherpartsoftheworld?WaslifesodifferentintheOrient220millionyearsago? Tanytrachelos,thelittleaquaticreptileattheSoliteQuarry,hasaveryclosecousincalledTanystropheusthatlivedinSwitzer-landandnorthernItaly.Tanystropheus mustrankamongthestrangest-lookingcreaturesthateverlived.Withanecklongerthanitsbodyandtailcombined,ithasbeencomparedtosomesortoflivingdraincleaner.TanystropheusandTanytrachelos bothbelongtoalittle-knowngroupofex-tinctreptilescalledprotorosaurs.Recently,anewlong-neckedreptilewasdiscoveredinChinaanddescribedbyDr.LiChun,apaleontologistattheInstituteofVertebratePaleontologyandPaleoanthropologyinBeijing.HenameditDinocephalosaurus(“terribleheadedreptile”)andinvitedmeandmygoodfriendDr.OlivierRieppeloftheFieldMuseumtoinvestigatethisbeast.Thenatureofitslongneck,completewithextraordinarilyelongate,overlappingribs,immediatelyhintedatverycloseaffinitiestotheprotorosaurs.But,Dinocephalosaurus,likeTanystropheus,wasamarineanimal.Whilethefossilhelpedusbetterunder-standtherelationshipsofTanytrachelos,the
Above: Countryside around Yixian, Liaoning Province.
(Photos courtesy of Dr. Nicholas Fraser)
6 INSIDE VMNH RESEARCH • 2007
Above: Cladophlebis, a fossil fern from the Triassic of China. Below: Drs. Zan Shuqin and Xing Dehe collect Triassic fossils from Liaoning.
marinesedimentsdidnotprovideanycluesaboutlifeonlandorlifearoundriversandlakesduringthattime. Thisiswhereastrokeofgoodfortuneintervened.Twoyearsago,aspartofanAAMsponsoredpartner-shipprogram,IspentfiveweeksinNorthernChinawithmyhost,Dr.ZanShuqinofJilinUniversityMuseum.Whilethere,IpersuadedhertotakemetothecountrysidearoundthetownofYixian,LiaoningProvince,whichishometothefamedfeathereddinosaurs.Whileitwouldbedisingenuousformetoclaimthatthefeathereddinosaurswerenotasignificantdrawforme,Iwasdesperatetovisitthelittle-knownTriassicoutcropsthatoccurinexactlythesamearea.Soonehumidafternoonwesetoffinasmallblacksedan.Whenwecouldgonofartheroffthedirtroad,weabandonedthecarinfavoroffirst,ourfeet,andlater,adonkey-drawncart.Wefinallyreachedaremotevillagethatapparentlylackedanyrunningwaterbutwaswellequippedwithsatellitedishes!ThisvillageisbuiltonTriassicsediments–sedimentsthatwesoonfoundtobeextremelyrichinfossilplants.Thisfacthadnotescapedthelocalfarmerswhoshowedussomeofthemostcompleteexamplesofferns,cycadsandhorsetailsknownfromtheentireMesozoicera,letalonetheTrias-sic.Sufficetosay,withthesupportofaNationalGeographicSocietygrant,IshallbereturningtoLiaoningProvincethisyearwithDrs.BrianAxsmithandZanShuqintoundertakeacarefulpa-leontologicalexcavation.Thepossibil-ityfornewinsectremainsis,perhaps,justasexcitingastheplantfossils.WehavehighhopesthatthissitewilltelluswhetherthefloraandfaunaofChinaandVirginiahadmoreincommonintheTriassicthantheydotoday.
Background photo: These vertical cliffs make collecting a scary experience.(Photos by Dr. Lauck Ward)
illiamStrachey,anexplorerwhoaccompaniedCaptainJohnSmith,wroteinhisnotes
in1609“AllthelowlandofSouthandNorthVirginiaisconjecturedtohavebeengainednaturallyoutofthesea...Andwefindwithintheshoresofourriverswholebanksofoystersandscallopswhichlieunopenedandthicktogetherasiftherehadbeentheirnaturalbedbeforethesealeftthem.” TheareaStracheywasdescribingisVirginia’sCoastalPlain,thecradleoftheBritishcoloniesintheNewWorld.Thoughnotageologist,Stracheycorrectlyobservedthatthesemolluskswerefossils,stillintheirlivingpositions,andthatthisareamusthavebeencoveredbytheseaatonetime.TheCoastalPlainstillexhibitsthesefossilbedsincliffsgreatandsmalloneverytidalriverinEasternVirginia.PaleontologistshavebeencollectingandstudyingthesefossilssincetheBritishsettled.TheoldestknownillustrationofafossilfromNorthAmericawasofaspecimenfromtheJames-townarea.ThespecimenwaspublishedbyMartinListerin1687andthespecieswaslaternamedPecten jeffersoniusbyThomasSayin1824(nowknownasChesapecten jeffersonius).
TheCoastalPlainisthatpartofVirginiawhichhasbeenintermittentlycoveredbytheoceanduringthelast180millionyears.Theresultofthesemarinetransgressionsisaseriesofsedimentarybedsthatcontainthefossilsofthatera.Thetidalriv-ersandnortheastwindhavehelpedtoerodethesebedsintospectacularcliffsfulloffossils.ExposuresdirectlyacrosstheriverfromtheJamestownareaex-hibitslightlylowercliffs,buttheyarestillcompletelyfilledwithmarinefossils,principallymollusks.Otherfindsinthesebedsaremacro-fossils(easilyvisibletothenakedeye)suchaswhales,andmicro-fossils(onlyvisibleundermicroscope)suchasdiatoms. Whilemostamateurcollectorsprefertheeaseofcollectinginstreamsandbeaches,theseriousresearchworkermustembarkonmorestrenuousactivitiesincludingscaling150footcliffstocollectfossilssystematicallyfromeachhorizon.Overtheyears,throughsuchefforts,Ihavebeenabletoiden-tifyandname21newanduniquegeologicalstratafromMaryland,Virginia,NorthCarolina,andSouthCarolina.TheseunitshavebeenformallyacceptedbytheU.S.GeologicalSurveyaswellasthegeologicalsurveysofthosestates.Moreover,Ihavealsonamed10newgeneraand64newfossilspeciesfromMary-land,Virginia,andNorthCarolina.Thisismoreatestamenttohowmuchremainstobediscoveredaboutthisareaandmypersistencetolearnthanany
geniusonmypart. Myinterestinfossilswassparked
duringavisittotheShenan-doahValleyateight
yearsold.
Virginia’s Coastal PlainWhere the New World OriginatedBy Dr. Lauck Ward,VMNH Curator of Invertebrate Paleontology
W
Invertebrate Paleontology
INSIDE VMNH RESEARCH • 2007 7
(continued)
“... the serious
research worker
must embark on
more strenuous
activities including
scaling 150 foot cliffs
to collect fossils
systematically from
each horizon.”
Above: Whales are common in some Coastal Plain beds. This one dates back to about 14 mya (million years ago).
Right: Martin Lister’s 1687 figure of a fossil scallop now known as Cheseapecten jeffersonius. It is Virginia’s state fossil.
8 INSIDE VMNH RESEARCH • 2007
There,atBryces,IcollectedbrachiopodsandtrilobitesfromtheDevonianperiod(around375millionyearsago).Atthetime,IlivedinRichmondandthoughtfossilsonlycamefromthemoun-tainousregions;Ididn’trealizeIwasgrowingupontheedgeoftheCoastalPlainwherefossilsabound.MyfirsttasteoftheCoastalPlainwasinSurryCounty,rightacrossfromJamestown.Marinescallopslitteredthebeach,andIwastoldtheywerebroughttherebytheIndians.FinallyaknowledgeableamateurtookmetothebeachesatClaremontandproperlyintroducedmetotheCoastalPlain.ThebulkofVMNH’sInvertebratePaleontologyCollectioniseffectivelytheresultofthatfortuitousmeetingsomanyyearsago.Todaythesecollectionsconsistof68casescontaining3,400drawersofCoastalPlainfossilsspanningthelast100millionyearsofearth’shistory.Ourcollectionhousesmostlymolluskfossils,butalsoconsistsofcoral,bryozoans,echinoids,crustaceans,etc.thathavebeencollectedfromsomeofthemostimportantfossillocali-tiesrangingfromMassachusettstoMississippi. Thecontentsrepresentamixtureofspecimenscollectedduringmycollegeyears,twoyearsworkingfortheMarylandAcademyofSciences,followedby19yearsworkingfortheU.S.GeologicalSurvey,andfinallymylast18yearsworkingforVMNH.
Right inset: Mollusks from the Yorktown Formation (3.5 mya).
Above: Typical cliff in the Coastal Plain. The geolo-gists pictured are sampling beds that contain the richest assortment of fossils.
Top left: Lieutenant Run in Petersburg contains abun-dant fossil shells that have been studied since the 1840’s.
Right: Pictured is a cliff exposure of fossils around 7 mya at Cobham Wharf in Surry County.
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ANewSpeciesofSqualodon(Mammalia,Cetacea)fromtheMiddleMioceneofVir-ginia.A.C.Dooley,Jr.Pp.1-17.2005.
Guidebooks:EarlytoMiddleCarnian(Triassic)FloraandFaunaoftheRichmondandTaylorsvilleBasins,VirginiaandMaryland,U.S.A.B.CornetandP.E.Olsen.Pp.1-83.1990.
GeologicEvolutionoftheEasternUnitedStates.A.SchultzandE.Compton-Gooding.Pp.1-304.1991.
StratfordHallPlantationandWestmorelandStatePark:PhysicalandCulturalGeology,andPaleontology.L.B.Rohr,M.E.Lewis,andL.W.Ward.Pp.1-93.2002.
EoceneandOligoceneStratigraphyofSoutheasternNorthCarolina.L.W.Ward.Pp.1-25.2003
GeologyandPaleontologyoftheStratfordHallPlantationandWestmorelandStatePark.L.W.WardandA.C.DooleyJr.,Pp.1-87.2005.
GeologyintheSouthsideVirginiaPied-mont.W.S.Henika,J.Hibbard,J.S.Beard.Pp.1-30.2006.InsectsofVirginia:SeedbugsofVirginiaHeteroptera:Lygae-oidea:Lygaeidae).R.L.HoffmanPp.i-vi,1-111.1996.
AssassinbugsofVirginia(Heteroptera:Reduviidae).R.L.Hoffman.Pp.1-73.2006.
Books listed may be ordered online at www.vmnh.net or by calling 276-634-4141 (leave message if voice mail activates). Other options include fax: 276-634-4199 or e-mail: [email protected].
VirginiaMuseumofNaturalHistoryAttention:PublicationsOrder21StarlingAvenueMartinsville,VA24112
VMNH Senior Fellows
Dr. Mitchell ByrdCollege of William & MaryWilliamsburg, Virginia
Dr. Oliver S. Flint, Jr.Smithsonian InstitutionWashington DC
Dr. William J. Hargis, Jr.Virginia Institute of Marine ScienceGloucester Point, Virginia
Dr. Clayton E. RaySmithsonian InstitutionWashington, DC
Dr. William A. ShearHampden Sydney CollegeHampden Sydney, Virginia
Dr. E-An ZenUniversity of MarylandCollege Park, Maryland
VMNHResearchAssociatesDr. Laurie AndersonLouisiana State UniversityBaton Rouge, Louisiana
Dr. Brian J. AxsmithUniversity of South AlabamaMobile, AL
Dr. Miranda J. Armour-CheluHoward UniversityWashington, DC
Dr. Michael B. BarberU. S. Forest Service-Jefferson and Washington ForestsSalem, Virginia
Dr. Gretchen K. BenedixVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBlacksburg, Virginia
Dr. Donna Boyd Radford UniversityRadford, Virginia
Dr. R. P. Stephen Davis, Jr.Univ. of North Carolina-Chapel HillChapel Hill, North Carolina
Dr. Raymond D. Dueser Utah State UniversityLogan, Utah
Dr. Ralph P. EckerlinNorthern Virginia Community CollegeAnnandale, Virginia
Dr. Arthur V. Evans Richmond Virginia
Dr. Steven J. Hageman Appalachian State UniversityBoone, North Carolina
Mr. William S. Henika Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBlacksburg, Virginia
Dr. Richard HightonProfessor EmeritusUniversity of MarylandCollege Park, Maryland
Dr. John R. Holsinger Old Dominion UniversityNorfolk, Virginia
Dr. Patricia H. Kelley University of North Carolina- WilmingtonWilmington, North Carolina
Dr. Boris C. Kondratieff Colorado State UniversityFort Collins, Colorado
Ms. Marilyn R. LondonSmithsonian InstitutionNational Museum of Natural HistoryUniversity of MarylandBethesda, Maryland
Dr. Jerry N. McDonaldGranville, Ohio
Dr. Frank K. McKinney Appalachian State UniversityBoone, North Carolina
Dr. Joseph C. Mitchell University of RichmondRichmond, Virginia
Dr. Andrew L. MooreKent State UniversityKent, OH
Dr. Karen MudarNational Park ServiceWashington, DC
Dr. Paul E. OlsenLamont-Doherty Geological ObservatoryPalisades, New York
Dr. John F. Pagels Virginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmond, Virginia
Dr. Charles R. ParkerUSGS Biological Resources Division- Great Smoky Field StationGatlinburg, Tennessee
Dr. John H. Porter University of VirginiaCharlottesville, Virginia
Dr. Janet ReidVirginia Museum of Natural HistoryMartinsville, Virginia
Dr. Steven M. Roble Virginia Department of Conservation and RecreationDivision of Natural HeritageRichmond, Virginia
Dr. Edwin S. RobinsonEmeritus ProfessorDepartment of Geological SciencesVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBlacksburg, Virginia
Dr. A. Krishna Sinha Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBlacksburg, Virginia
Dr. Hans-Dieter Sues Smithsonian InstitutionNational Museum of Natural HistoryWashington, DC
Dr. Richard P. Tollo George Washington UniversityWashington, DC
Dr. Robert J. Tracy Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBlacksburg Virginia
Dr. Christopher TudgeAmerican UniversityWashington, DC
Dr. William David Webster University of North Carolina- WilmingtonWilmington, North Carolina
Dr. Robert M. WoollacottHarvard UniversityCambridge, MA
Affiliated ResearchersMs. Carole L. NashJames Madison UniversityHarrisonburg, Virginia
INSIDE VMNH RESEARCH • 2007
thrilledtoseeawonderfularrayofmineralsfromVirginiaandaroundtheworld. ThroughMr.Ferguson’sgenerosity,VMNHnowhasanadditional200min-eralspecimensthatwillbeaccessibletothestudentsofVirginia.WehopethatthesamemineralsthatinspiredGeorgeFergusontobegincollectingyearsagowillexcitefuturegenerationsofVirginianstu-dents,andwearegratefultoMr.FergusonforhiswillingnesstosharehispassionwiththepeopleoftheCommonwealth.
InsideVirginia Museum of NATUR AL HISTORY RESEARCH
Number 2 • 2007
r.GeorgeFergusonofBracey,Virginiahasbeenanenthusiasticcollectorofmineralsformany
years.Whenhiscollectionreachedthepointwhereithadstartedtoovertakethebase-mentofhislakesidehome,Fergusondecid-edhewantedtoshareitwithothersinsteadofleavingitinhisbasementwhereonlyhe,hisfamily,andhisfriendscouldenjoyit.So,Mr.FergusonapproachedVMNHCuratorofEarthSciencesDr.JimBeard.Onarriv-ingattheFergusonhome,Dr.Beardwas
M
New to Collections
The George Ferguson Mineral Collection
Virginia Museum of Natural History21StarlingAvenueMartinsville,Virginia24112
www.vmnh.netADDRESSSERVICEREQUESTED
Non-ProfitOrganizationU.S. Postage
P A I DMartinsville, VAPermit No. 456
Specimens were donated by George Ferguson.*denotes those donated on behalf of John Smith. Photos by VMNH Registrar, Jill K. Harris.
*Turgite,Buckingham County, Virginia
Picture Agate, NevadaFlame Agate, Texas
Angelwing Calcite,Mexico
Blue Kyanite from Willis Mountain, Buckingham County, Virginia
*Amazonite, Amelia County, Vir-ginia
*Sulfur, Mexico.