What is known is that the turtle is disarticulated, meaning it does not have all its bones in a life-like position, he said, noting when such animals are buried, events can affect how much is preserved.
How much of the turtle has been preserved is not yet known, Larson said. A sled was used to haul it out of the area.Ī pneumatic air scribe - a miniature air-powered jackhammer - will be used to chisel rock around the fossil, millimetre by millimetre. The fossil is encased in what is called mudstone or siltstone, and Larson estimates it weighs about 90 kilograms. He said the turtle fossil is not the only one in the museum’s collection, but it is the only one from the Trent River formation. But vertebrate fossils are more rare than invertebrate ones, Larson said.
#SEATURTLE FOSSIL PROFESSIONAL#
Professional palaeontologists and amateur fossil hunters know the Puntledge River often reveals fossils. “They recognized the discovery’s significant scientific value and immediately set to work ensuring the fossil would end up where everyone in B.C. “Russell Ball and the Vancouver Island Palaeontological Society did everything right,” Larson said. fossil management office, which is responsible for protection and management of fossils in B.C. Museum, the provincial repository for significant fossil finds, and the B.C. After spotting the fossil, Ball contacted the Vancouver Island Palaeontological Society, which agreed it was likely a turtle. The fossil was discovered in January by Russell Ball of Courtenay on the Puntledge River in what is known as the Trent River formation. “If the fossil turns out to be a species that is new to science, that could exponentially advance our understanding of marine ecosystems millions of years ago.” “If the fossil is a known species, we’ll learn a lot of new information about that species because these specimens are rare and, so far, incomplete. “Either way, this discovery is a win for palaeontology in B.C.,” said Derek Larson, the museum’s palaeontology collections manager. It could be one of two known species from that area or something completely new. The fossilized turtle is believed to have existed about 84 million years ago, based on the age of other fossils nearby. Museum staff will be meticulously cleaning off the remains of an ancient sea turtle discovered this year on the Puntledge River in hopes of figuring out if it is a new species.
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