Re: US Fossil Collections

[Tom Holtz <tholtz@geochange.er.usgs.gov>]

>But,last year someone discovered dinosaur tracks in China. They were
>found IN TERTIARY ROCKS (my emphasis). Last I heard they were going to
>close the case this year. Life definately survived in areas of the world
>where the fewest problems affected their life.  Not one single cause did
>in most of the life at the time. It was many causes.

Tertiary by what definition?  Last I heard, there were dinosaur tracks
found in China that were a meter or two BENEATH some Paleocene mammals.  As
Peter Sheehan and others have pointed out several times on the net, a meter
of terrestrial deposit can sometimes represent tens of thousands of years,
because of erosion, periods of nondeposition, etc.

There may be new evidence out, but I still have not heard of nonavian
dinosaurs defintively above unquestionable Paleogene markers.

                                
Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.                                   
tholtz@geochange.er.usgs.gov
Vertebrate Paleontologist in Exile                  Phone:      703-648-5280
U.S. Geological Survey                                FAX:      703-648-5420
Branch of Paleontology & Stratigraphy
MS 970 National Center
Reston, VA  22092
U.S.A.