WHAT'S BEHIND DRAWER NUMBER ONE? INVENTORY AND PHOTOGRAPHING OF USGS DENVER SCAPHITID STRATIGRAPHIC COLLECTION

The USGS Denver fossil collection is one of the finest and most complete Upper Cretaceous Scaphitid collections (Albian-Maastrichtian) in America or Europe. Along WITH the other similarly impressive ammonite collections, it provides the basis for fine-scale lithologic, chronologic, and climatological analyses of the Upper Cretaceous U.S. Western Interior research conducted by William A. Cobban. This collection is an important archiving component of the USGS Data Recovery Program.

We have seven cases of Scaphitids that are sorted by genus and species within each stratigraphic stage. These fossil cases have between nine and eleven drawers. Each drawer has approximately 40 trays with a varying number of specimens per tray. Specimens range from small macrofossils between 1”-3” maximum length to larger fossils 6”-9” maximum length. Digital photographs were taken and specimen label data recorded. Photographs were taken in close-up view 300 dpi, an upper left light source displaying a standard lateral specimen view. Lighting and shadowing were adjusted to enhance the contrast of diagnostic morphologic characteristics. In addition, we temporarily whitened Scaphitids to enhance morphology, an innovative technique introduced last year. When numerous specimens of the same species were present, the best specimens were selected to photograph.

Digital photographs, taxonomic data, and complete inventories including formation and locality of each specimen will augment the USGS National Paleontologic Database as well as the USGS Denver Mesozoic database. The web version will associate photographs and lithologic section, visually illustrating the Albian-Maastrichtian Scaphitids. The purpose of a more complete database and online version of the database is to allow in-house and visiting researchers to find specific specimens and localities when needed for examination. Investigators who are unable to visit the USGS Denver fossil collection will still be able to find information and corresponding photographs to complete their research.