Taphonomy of the Late Triassic Lamy amphibian quarry (Garita Creek Formation: Chinle Group), central New Mexico
- ASU Author/Contributor (non-ASU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Andrew B. Heckert Ph.D., Professor (Creator)
- Institution
- Appalachian State University (ASU )
- Web Site: https://library.appstate.edu/
Abstract: The Lamy amphibian quarry, located in central New Mexico in the Upper Triassic Garita Creek Formation of the Chinle Group, is a paucispecific assemblage dominated by the remains of large metoposaurid amphibians assigned to Buettneria perfecta. The quarry has long been considered to have been produced by drastic drought conditions. However, an examination of the original field data as well as specimens from the quarry reveal that the Lamy quarry is, in fact, a hydrodynamically sorted semi-attritional accumulation. Particularly relevant taphonomic features of the quarry are the finegrained
sediments that lack mudcracks and fine laminations that occur with the fossil material, as well as a strong preferred orientation to the material, hydrodyamic sorting and imbrication of fossils, lack of articulation, dominance of adult animals, lack of scavenging and no apparent weathering of the bone surfaces. It is probable that given the size distribution of the skulls, the Lamy amphibians died in a catastrophic mortality event elsewhere and were subsequently transported.
Taphonomy of the Late Triassic Lamy amphibian quarry (Garita Creek Formation: Chinle Group), central New Mexico
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Zeigler, K.E., Lucas, S.G., and Heckert, A.B., (2002) Taphonomy of the Late Triassic Lamy amphibian quarry (Garita Creek Formation: Chinle Group), central New Mexico. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin 21, p. 179-187. (ISSN 1524-4156) Archived in NC DOCKS with permission of the editor. The version of record is available at: http://econtent.unm.edu/
- Language: English
- Date: 2002