Re: Controversial Patterson "Diatryma footprint" slab has been moved

[Andrew Milner <amilner@sgcity.org>]

If  you can't go and see this proposed "Diatryma track", you can always 
check out the following paper about it:

Patterson, J. & Lockley, M. G., 2004. A probable _Diatryma_ track from the 
Eocene of Washington: An intriguing case of controversy and skepticism. 
Ichnos, 11(3-4): 341-347.

Abstract - A large tridactyl track from the Franklin Series of the Eocene 
Puget Group has been named _Ornithoformipes controversus_ ichnogen et 
ichnosp. nov. and is attributed to a large ground-dwelling _Diatryma_ or a 
_Diatryma_-like bird. The isolated footprint clearly shows that the 
trackmaker had broad semi-circular unguals and feet that show several 
correspondences with the foot morphology inferred for _Diatryma_ and related 
forms. The age of the footprint is estimated at about 45 million years, 
which is about 5 million years younger than known _Diatryma_ body fossils. 
The sedimentary geology context of the track is consistent with an 
interpretation of the trackmaker as a large herbivore that lived in 
well-vegetated areas.

Andrew R. C. Milner
City Paleontologist
St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm
2180 East Riverside Drive
St. George, Utah 84790
USA

Tracksite Phone: (435) 574-DINO (3466)
Cell: (435) 705-0173
Tracksite Fax: (435) 627-0340
Home: (435) 586-5667

Email: amilner@sgcity.org
Website: http://www.dinotrax.com

"There is no branch of detective science which is so important and so much 
neglected as the art of tracing footsteps" -- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, 1891

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Phil Bigelow" <bigelowp@juno.com>
To: <dinosaur@usc.edu>
Sent: Sunday, April 02, 2006 5:22 AM
Subject: Controversial Patterson "Diatryma footprint" slab has been moved


> Attention Foot People!  Just a short heads-up.
>
> While attending a geology brown bag seminar at Western Washington
> University a month ago, I happened to pass a familiar large slab of rock
> sitting on a pallet out in the hallway.  I soon recognized the slab as
> the possibly faked "Diatryma" footprint that was collected from the Puget
> Group (Eocene, Flaming Geyser State Park site) in the Washington Cascades
> foothills. Aka, the "Patterson print."
>
> The "footprint" was previously stored out of sight in the Burke Museum in
> Seattle.  It's curatorial status has now been demoted to a hallway in the
> geology dept. at WWU in Bellingham, WA.  This may be its permanent
> resting place.
>
> If you are in the area, stop by and check it out.  It's sitting in the
> 2nd floor hallway in the Environmental Studies building (visitors welcome
> during class hours).
>
> <pb>
> --
> Former White House Hunter Safety instructor
> Recently appointed as the new Danish Ambassador to Iran