PaleoJim
@paleojim.bsky.social
State Paleontologist for Utah; exploring and promoting the history of life in our southwestern deserts for the public good and the wonder of it all
Remember, the zero line is the average from 1951 -2000. It would look even worse if the average for baseline started in the 1040s. I'M really hoping this means less snow for this old man to shovel in Salt Lake City while providing plenty of snowpack in our mountains. @jeremybroberts.bsky.social
November 16, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Remember, the zero line is the average from 1951 -2000. It would look even worse if the average for baseline started in the 1040s. I'M really hoping this means less snow for this old man to shovel in Salt Lake City while providing plenty of snowpack in our mountains. @jeremybroberts.bsky.social
Since we just found many new dino bones at the basal Cretaceous ferruginous paleosol site ("iron stone bonebed") including a second cervical ring spine. I feel we can diagnose polacanthid sp. C. Some diagnostic fossils for #FossilFriday @utahpaleo-ufop.bsky.social @jlivelypaleo.bsky.social BIOSTRAT!
November 14, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Since we just found many new dino bones at the basal Cretaceous ferruginous paleosol site ("iron stone bonebed") including a second cervical ring spine. I feel we can diagnose polacanthid sp. C. Some diagnostic fossils for #FossilFriday @utahpaleo-ufop.bsky.social @jlivelypaleo.bsky.social BIOSTRAT!
I will be speaking on the exciting data (science) from Utah pertaining to the J-K dinosaur mass extinction that whiped out the Morrison Dinosaur the end of the Real Jurassic Park at Clark Planetarium at the Gateway downtown Salt Lake City, Thurs 7PM. Nov. 13th. www.eventbrite.com/e/how-fossil...
November 12, 2025 at 6:26 AM
I will be speaking on the exciting data (science) from Utah pertaining to the J-K dinosaur mass extinction that whiped out the Morrison Dinosaur the end of the Real Jurassic Park at Clark Planetarium at the Gateway downtown Salt Lake City, Thurs 7PM. Nov. 13th. www.eventbrite.com/e/how-fossil...
Utah Friends of Paleontology will have Colin Boisvert as speaker on Thursday November 13th, 7:00 pm Mountain Time. He will be speaking on his research on Diplodocid sauropods, while at BYU. The link for that talk is here. meet.google.com/piy-hxai-qog @utahpaleo-ufop.bsky.social
November 10, 2025 at 12:06 AM
Utah Friends of Paleontology will have Colin Boisvert as speaker on Thursday November 13th, 7:00 pm Mountain Time. He will be speaking on his research on Diplodocid sauropods, while at BYU. The link for that talk is here. meet.google.com/piy-hxai-qog @utahpaleo-ufop.bsky.social
Out looking at correlation of Lower Cret strata and looking at the J-K boundary with Ed Simpson. This is always an educational experience.
November 9, 2025 at 12:14 AM
Out looking at correlation of Lower Cret strata and looking at the J-K boundary with Ed Simpson. This is always an educational experience.
#FossilFriday This morning we were shown a Ruby Ranch wood site preserving insect frass (poop). More importantly the site looks like extremely rare pollen site near Aptian-Albian boundary...fingers crossed. Very promising..screen wash for micros..too... @utahpaleo-ufop.bsky.social
November 8, 2025 at 12:27 AM
#FossilFriday This morning we were shown a Ruby Ranch wood site preserving insect frass (poop). More importantly the site looks like extremely rare pollen site near Aptian-Albian boundary...fingers crossed. Very promising..screen wash for micros..too... @utahpaleo-ufop.bsky.social
SCORE!!!! #FossilFriday Today; checking out the basal Cedar Mt ferrugenous paleosol, Berriasian. Josh Lively walked up on a bunch of bones weathering out. Nice polacanthine 2nd cervical spine, iguanodont jaw & ungual. Enough material to name polacanthine n. Sp. C. @utahpaleo-ufop.bsky.social
November 8, 2025 at 12:17 AM
SCORE!!!! #FossilFriday Today; checking out the basal Cedar Mt ferrugenous paleosol, Berriasian. Josh Lively walked up on a bunch of bones weathering out. Nice polacanthine 2nd cervical spine, iguanodont jaw & ungual. Enough material to name polacanthine n. Sp. C. @utahpaleo-ufop.bsky.social
That would probably be an eolian sandstone bed in the lower or middle Jurassic, the Smith Cabin is nestled in the middle Jurassic Carmel Fm.
November 7, 2025 at 2:13 PM
That would probably be an eolian sandstone bed in the lower or middle Jurassic, the Smith Cabin is nestled in the middle Jurassic Carmel Fm.
Checked out the old Smith homestead on east side of San Rafael Swell. There is either an unmapped fault to east (we had geological map) or there is a very thick Cedar Mt section capped by a large fossil lake. Another trip to investigate. @jlivelypaleo.bsky.social @utahpaleo-ufop.bsky.social
November 7, 2025 at 12:27 AM
Checked out the old Smith homestead on east side of San Rafael Swell. There is either an unmapped fault to east (we had geological map) or there is a very thick Cedar Mt section capped by a large fossil lake. Another trip to investigate. @jlivelypaleo.bsky.social @utahpaleo-ufop.bsky.social
Some great geology on the south side of the Abajo Mts. Is that a sauropod track in the Morrison Formation? @utahpaleo-ufop.bsky.social @paleontologizing.bsky.social @jeremybroberts.bsky.social @andrewtracks.bsky.social
November 6, 2025 at 4:56 AM
Some great geology on the south side of the Abajo Mts. Is that a sauropod track in the Morrison Formation? @utahpaleo-ufop.bsky.social @paleontologizing.bsky.social @jeremybroberts.bsky.social @andrewtracks.bsky.social
We are talking about conducting a paleo inventory of unexplored regions of the Blanding Basin in the spring for which we will be recruiting volunteers. A number of us are retiring in next few years. These positions will be highly competitive. @utahpaleo-ufop.bsky.social @jeremybroberts.bsky.social
November 5, 2025 at 1:27 PM
We are talking about conducting a paleo inventory of unexplored regions of the Blanding Basin in the spring for which we will be recruiting volunteers. A number of us are retiring in next few years. These positions will be highly competitive. @utahpaleo-ufop.bsky.social @jeremybroberts.bsky.social
Afternoon was spent looking at Morrison around the southern of Black Mesa before looking at Naturita out a Hovenweep NM before dinner in Bluff, where we ran into the Queen of the Morrison, Christine Turner! @dinochick.bsky.social @utahpaleo-ufop.bsky.social @paleontologizing.bsky.social
November 4, 2025 at 2:49 AM
Afternoon was spent looking at Morrison around the southern of Black Mesa before looking at Naturita out a Hovenweep NM before dinner in Bluff, where we ran into the Queen of the Morrison, Christine Turner! @dinochick.bsky.social @utahpaleo-ufop.bsky.social @paleontologizing.bsky.social
Describing and sampling J/K boundary on cut on SR 191 sw of Blanding lotsof thin section s to come big uppermost Morrison "bauxite" samples from laterite to slab. Ferrugenous paleosols of Yellow Car cool too. Section measured, but lots of work remains. @utahpaleo-ufop.bsky.social
November 3, 2025 at 11:02 PM
Describing and sampling J/K boundary on cut on SR 191 sw of Blanding lotsof thin section s to come big uppermost Morrison "bauxite" samples from laterite to slab. Ferrugenous paleosols of Yellow Car cool too. Section measured, but lots of work remains. @utahpaleo-ufop.bsky.social
In the field for the next week. First off, heading down into the Blanding Basin of southeastern Utah with mapping program to field check maps and provide insights of mapping mid Mesozoic formation contacts for up coming mapping projects. @utahpaleo-ufop.bsky.social @paleontologizing.bsky.social
November 3, 2025 at 3:11 AM
In the field for the next week. First off, heading down into the Blanding Basin of southeastern Utah with mapping program to field check maps and provide insights of mapping mid Mesozoic formation contacts for up coming mapping projects. @utahpaleo-ufop.bsky.social @paleontologizing.bsky.social
For #FossilFriday an amazing fossil from the largest dino Museum in the world' Shandong Tianyu Museum of Nature, China. This Beipiaosaurus specimen knocked my sox off. Play with this 3D model, we made out of my photographs through the glass. sketchfab.com/3d-models/be... @utahpaleo-ufop.bsky.social
October 31, 2025 at 10:32 PM
For #FossilFriday an amazing fossil from the largest dino Museum in the world' Shandong Tianyu Museum of Nature, China. This Beipiaosaurus specimen knocked my sox off. Play with this 3D model, we made out of my photographs through the glass. sketchfab.com/3d-models/be... @utahpaleo-ufop.bsky.social
As someone who has worked hard to bring economic benefit to the state of Utah as it preserves one of the most complete fossil bearing rock sequences especially in the world through bringing conference to Utah and developing tourism & educational opportunities; this is really depressing news!
October 30, 2025 at 3:27 PM
As someone who has worked hard to bring economic benefit to the state of Utah as it preserves one of the most complete fossil bearing rock sequences especially in the world through bringing conference to Utah and developing tourism & educational opportunities; this is really depressing news!
I will be speaking on the exciting data (science) from Utah pertaining to the J-K dinosaur mass extinction that wipped out the Morrison Dinos at end of Real Jurassic Park at Clark Planetarium at the Gateway downtown Salt Lake City, Thursday evening Nov. 13th. www.eventbrite.com/e/how-fossil...
October 29, 2025 at 11:31 PM
I will be speaking on the exciting data (science) from Utah pertaining to the J-K dinosaur mass extinction that wipped out the Morrison Dinos at end of Real Jurassic Park at Clark Planetarium at the Gateway downtown Salt Lake City, Thursday evening Nov. 13th. www.eventbrite.com/e/how-fossil...
Lost an important keystone of my Ph. D. committee. Don Eicher was an expert on Cret. forams and a great guy who was a great counterpoint to Erle Kauffman, " Captain Cretaceous." With Bill Cobban, ammonites and Bill Hay, paleoclimatology I had pretty amazing advisors. @utahpaleo-ufop.bsky.social
October 27, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Lost an important keystone of my Ph. D. committee. Don Eicher was an expert on Cret. forams and a great guy who was a great counterpoint to Erle Kauffman, " Captain Cretaceous." With Bill Cobban, ammonites and Bill Hay, paleoclimatology I had pretty amazing advisors. @utahpaleo-ufop.bsky.social
Kevin Bylund has donated 100s of well-documented documented fossils to Brigham Young University's Paleontology Museum. This Placenticeras is on exhibit at the John Wesley Powell River History Museum in Green River, Utah.
October 25, 2025 at 6:18 PM
Kevin Bylund has donated 100s of well-documented documented fossils to Brigham Young University's Paleontology Museum. This Placenticeras is on exhibit at the John Wesley Powell River History Museum in Green River, Utah.
Kevin Bylund wins the very deserved Strimple Award for scientific contributions by an amateur from the Paleontological Society at the Annual Geological Society of America meeting. He is Utah's top cephalopod biostratigraphy expert! @utahpaleo-ufop.bsky.social @utah.edu @jeremybroberts.bsky.social
October 25, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Kevin Bylund wins the very deserved Strimple Award for scientific contributions by an amateur from the Paleontological Society at the Annual Geological Society of America meeting. He is Utah's top cephalopod biostratigraphy expert! @utahpaleo-ufop.bsky.social @utah.edu @jeremybroberts.bsky.social
LARRY THE COLLARED LIZARD
by Serena Supplee
Thurs, Nov. 20th, 2025
2- 4pm
A gathering to welcome Larry to his pad on public lands
Mile marker 1 on SR 128 (The River Road)
Light refreshments will be served
Collaborative project of BLM and
Canyonlands Natural History Association.
by Serena Supplee
Thurs, Nov. 20th, 2025
2- 4pm
A gathering to welcome Larry to his pad on public lands
Mile marker 1 on SR 128 (The River Road)
Light refreshments will be served
Collaborative project of BLM and
Canyonlands Natural History Association.
October 24, 2025 at 11:11 PM
LARRY THE COLLARED LIZARD
by Serena Supplee
Thurs, Nov. 20th, 2025
2- 4pm
A gathering to welcome Larry to his pad on public lands
Mile marker 1 on SR 128 (The River Road)
Light refreshments will be served
Collaborative project of BLM and
Canyonlands Natural History Association.
by Serena Supplee
Thurs, Nov. 20th, 2025
2- 4pm
A gathering to welcome Larry to his pad on public lands
Mile marker 1 on SR 128 (The River Road)
Light refreshments will be served
Collaborative project of BLM and
Canyonlands Natural History Association.
Know anyone wanting to chase after rapidly evolving brackish water mid. Cret. taxa in southeastern Utah. Pretty low hanging fruit.
October 24, 2025 at 10:56 PM
Know anyone wanting to chase after rapidly evolving brackish water mid. Cret. taxa in southeastern Utah. Pretty low hanging fruit.
Not exogyra, certainly in this case a pycnodonte oyster, most likely Texigryphaea. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texigry...
October 24, 2025 at 10:17 PM
Not exogyra, certainly in this case a pycnodonte oyster, most likely Texigryphaea. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texigry...
To celebrate the Morrison ankylosaur monograph peer reviewed & getting type set; some Morrison ankylosaur osteoderms vs those I'm figuring in describing the new basal Cretaceous polacanthines (sp. A huge & B) for #FossilFriday. @utahpaleo-ufop.bsky.social
October 24, 2025 at 6:15 PM
To celebrate the Morrison ankylosaur monograph peer reviewed & getting type set; some Morrison ankylosaur osteoderms vs those I'm figuring in describing the new basal Cretaceous polacanthines (sp. A huge & B) for #FossilFriday. @utahpaleo-ufop.bsky.social
#FossilFriday...So what to highlight. I know a few fossils from pond in Monitor Butte Mbr. of the Chinle Fm. near the head of Red Canyon, se Utah. Lacustrine sites deserve more love! A small crustacean, a possible beetle electra, coprolites (100s present at margin of site), with plants and fish.
October 24, 2025 at 4:56 PM
#FossilFriday...So what to highlight. I know a few fossils from pond in Monitor Butte Mbr. of the Chinle Fm. near the head of Red Canyon, se Utah. Lacustrine sites deserve more love! A small crustacean, a possible beetle electra, coprolites (100s present at margin of site), with plants and fish.