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Marmarth Research Foundation: In the Hell Creek Formation of North Dakota

Marmarth Research Foundation: In the Hell Creek formation of North Dakota

Palatobaena cohen
Turtle Graveyard Excavation, 2006
Hell Creek Formation

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Palatobaena cohen

Crocodile vertebra

Crocodile vertebra
Turtle Graveyard
2005

I was blown away by the types of fossils that we saw and that MRF has collected. The staff was friendly and explained it to us as we went along. We did it all at MRF.

J. Johnson
North Carolina

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Turtle Ridge

Photos of the turtle ridge excavation

Large field jacket
A stretcher was made out of the large jacket so it could be carried out of the drainage and loaded into the back of an ATV.
Turtle after turtle
MRF volunteers uncovered over 30 Stygiochelys shells along the Turtle Ridge in 2007.
Complete Stygiochelys skeleton
Numerous complete Stygiochelys skeletons have been collected from the Turtle Ridge.
Stygiochelys skull
A large baenid turtle skull.
Trionychid skull (bottom)
The bottom of a large Trionychid skull.
The crew
The crew after loading a very heavy jacket containing six Stygiochelys skeletons into the back of an ATV.
Prepared Trionychid skull
The 23 cm long Trionychid skull after Barb prepared it.
In situ Stygiochelys shell
Each fragment is photographed and mapped before its removal.
Preparation
The jacket containing six Stygiochelys skeletons was opened as soon as it was collected from the field.
Stygiochelys hand
A perfectly preserved hand was uncovered during the preparation of the large field jacket containing six partial Stygiochelys skeletons.
Tyler's "road"
Tyler scouts out a "road" for the ATV carrying a large field jacket containing six Stygiochelys skeletons
Trionychid skull
Lateral view of a large Trionychid skull (Axestemys?)
Trionychid skull
This beautifully preserved skull was collected along the Turtle Ridge. It may belong to Axestemys.
Log
Lignified logs provide clues for the direction of flow for the ancient stream channels.
Tyler, Franklin, and six turtles
Tyler Lyson and his dog Franklin sit on a jacket containing six Stygiochelys skeletons prior to its removal.
John Akerley leads the volunteers to a new locality
Volunteer John Akerley has participated with the MRF since 2004.
Turtle Ridge excavation
Here is one of four places along the Turtle Ridge MRF volunteers excavated in 2007. Ten shells and other postcranial material was collected here.
A pile of turtles
Stygiochelys shell after shell was uncovered at one of the sites along the Turtle Ridge.
In situ Trionychid skull
A large trionychid skull prior to its removal.
Dorsal view of a large Trionychid skull
A beautifully preserved Trionychid skull that was over 18 cm long was collected at the Turtle Ridge.
What a tail!!
This Stygiochelys individual had a tail that was just under 80 cm long!!