The FOSSIL Project

Thank you everyone for contributing to the ThresherFest mini event! During the two week span, we saw an increase in activity on the myFOSSIL eMuseum with 329 new fossils uploaded, 16 of which belonged to thresher sharks. Thresher shark teeth are rare fossils because they tend to live in the deep ocean and most fossil shark tooth sites on land represent shallow water ecosystems. These images will be super helpful as we continue to develop our AI powered shark tooth identification tool. Please keep sharing your amazing finds!

For more information on this fossil as well as other neat specimens, check out the link below!
https://www.myfossil.org/dwc-specimen/130987/
Image by myFOSSIL user Ellen McGowen (CC BY-NC 4.0)

This month at the FOSSIL Project... Thresher Fest 2022!

Calling all fossil shark enthusiasts! Help train an -driven shark tooth identification tool by uploading images of your thresher shark teeth to http://myFOSSIL.org!

MyFOSSIL.org is a great resource for all fossil related things, including fossil identification! Our “What is it?” group has over 2,000 members with active daily discussions and identification help.

In this week’s Florida Fossil Spotlight, we take a closer look at Carcharodon hastalis.
Fun fact: C. hastalis has often been thought to belong to the mako shark lineage, however new evidence suggests that it may be an ancestor of the modern great white shark.
Information and photo from the Florida Museum.

: This large otter swam across both freshwater and coastal marine habitats from 6.5 to 4.5 million years ago. It is believed that this species was more terrestrial than sea otters, and thus more comparable to modern day river otters. Fossils of this species have been found in Marion County and Polk County here in Florida, as well as in southern California. This extinct otter is currently the only species in this genus. For more information on this fossil, click the link in our bio. ⁠
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For more fossil and paleontology related content, check out on Instagram as well as myFOSSIL.org! ⁠
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Info and photos from .⁠
Image from Wikimedia Commons user Chris Paul (CC-BY-2.0) ⁠

For more information on this fossil as well as other neat specimens, check out the link below!
https://www.myfossil.org/dwc-specimen/80641/
Image by myFOSSIL user Jacob Polzin (CC BY-NC 4.0)

Fossils from four different specimens have been recovered from the site. Evidence suggests that these plesiosaurs would have adapted to freshwater, similar to modern day river dolphins. For more information, check out the full article linked below!

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/07/220727110711.htm

Image from Wikimedia Commons user Dmitry Bogdanov (CC-BY-3.0).

In this week’s Florida Fossil Spotlight, we take a closer look at Hemiauchenia macrocephala, or the large-headed llama.

Fun fact: This species would have overlapped with the first humans to inhabit Florida.

Information and photo from the Florida Museum.

For more information on this fossil as well as other neat specimens, check out the link below!
https://www.myfossil.org/dwc-specimen/126818/
Image by myFOSSIL user Staci Conkling (CC BY-NC 4.0).

: The Inglis toad hopped across central Florida from 2 to 1.6 million years ago. This toad would have looked similar to the modern-day Southern toad pictured above, only slightly larger in size. The species name, Bufo defensor, is derived from the Florida Defenders of the Environment. This conservation group protected the area where the fossils were found during a period of canal construction. It was determined that this site was a dry habitat based on the presence of the Inglis toad fossils as well as other toad taxa. For more information on this fossil, click the link in our bio. ⁠
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For more fossil and paleontology related content, check out on Instagram as well as myFOSSIL.org! ⁠
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Info and photos from . ⁠
Image from Wikimedia Commons user Geoff Gallice (CC-BY-2.0) ⁠

Everyone’s story is different, and it would be impossible to include them all in one post! How did you find your passion for paleontology?

Once your fossils are uploaded to the eMuseum, our curators will review and potentially classify them as research grade. Your fossils then have the chance to be featured on our website or here on our socials for Fossil Friday. This also allows scientists to learn from your specimens for research purposes. Start uploading today!

For more information on this fossil as well as other neat specimens, check out the link below!
https://www.myfossil.org/dwc-specimen/77285/
Image by myFOSSIL user Martin Fowler (CC BY-NC 4.0).

In this week’s Florida Fossil Spotlight, we take a closer look at Siren lacertina, or Greater Siren.

Fun fact: The oldest examples of this fossil have been found in Pinellas County and Sarasota County.

Information and photo from the Florida Museum.

For more information on this fossil as well as other neat specimens, check out the link below!
https://www.myfossil.org/dwc-specimen/79927/
Image by myFOSSIL user Nathan Newell (CC BY-NC 4.0).

Many hypotheses have been posed regarding the short length of T. rex’s arms. This study argues that other studies do not explain why the arms got smaller in the first place, and this hypothesis could potentially answer that question. For more information, check out the full article linked below.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/04/220401094852.htm

: This Sea Cow swam around Florida from about 14 to 7 million years ago, with most members of this species living out their days in the ocean. In Florida, dugong fossils are the most common mammalian fossils found, with rib fossils being the most abundant. The map shown here indicates where fossil specimens have been found in Florida. The exact evolutionary origin of this species is unknown, however scientists hypothesize two main possibilities. 1.) cross-ocean dispersal of similar species from other continents or 2.) origins from dugong ancestors from other parts of North America. For more information on this fossil, click the link in our bio. ⁠
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For more fossil and paleontology related content, check out on Instagram as well as myFOSSIL.org! ⁠
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Info and photos from . ⁠
Image from Wikimedia Commons user Julien Willem (CC-BY-SA 3.0) ⁠

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For more information on this fossil as well as other neat specimens, check out the link below!

https://www.myfossil.org/dwc-specimen/76558/

Image by myFOSSIL user Mason Hintermeister (CC BY-NC 4.0).

Paleontologists do so many jobs we couldn't cover them all! What are some jobs that we missed?

For more information on this fossil as well as other neat specimens, check out the link below!

https://www.myfossil.org/dwc-specimen/50864/

Image by myFOSSIL user John Christian (CC BY-NC 4.0).

In this week’s Florida Fossil Spotlight, we take a closer look at Neohipparion eurystyle.

Fun fact: While teeth and jaw fragments of this species have been found in Florida, the only known skulls of this species have been found in Mexico.

Information and photo from the Florida Museum.

This project gives students the opportunity to have hands-on experience with machine learning, where they will teach computers how to identify fossilized shark teeth. For more information, check out the full article linked below.
https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/earth-systems/blog/uf-earns-grant-to-teach-middle-schoolers-about-shark-teeth-using-ai/

For more information on this fossil as well as other neat specimens, check out the link below!

https://www.myfossil.org/dwc-specimen/79837/

Image by myFOSSIL user Thijs Verbeke (CC BY-NC 4.0).

Did you know? Become a member today at myFOSSIL.org

: This rabbit inhabited Florida between 2.5 to 1.5 million years ago, with its fossils only being found in Florida! Webb’s Marsh Rabbit was likely ancestral to the modern-day marsh rabbit, which still calls Florida home. Modern-day marsh rabbits are known for being excellent swimmers! The Florida Museum of Natural History is home to a mounted skeleton of Webb’s Marsh Rabbit, named after a previous paleontology curator. For more information on this fossil, click the link in our bio. ⁠
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For more fossil and paleontology related content, check out on Instagram as well as myFOSSIL.org! ⁠
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Info and photos from . ⁠
Image from Wikimedia Commons user Tomfriedel (CC-BY-3.0) ⁠

Happy Valentine's Day from the FOSSIL Project!

A heart-shaped fossil, just in time for Valentine’s Day!

For more information on this fossil, check out the link below.
https://www.myfossil.org/dwc-specimen/81112/
Image by myFOSSIL user Charlie Smith (CC BY-NC 4.0).

Scientists examined ~252-million-year-old shells under a microscope and found they were in excellent condition — which does not support the theory they were exposed to extreme acidity. This study is the first to use fossilized mollusks in the investigation of ocean chemistry. For more information, check out the full article linked below.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/01/220126165526.htm