REDISCOVERY, CURATION, AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A MIOCENE RHINOCEROS (PERISSODACTYLA: RHINOCEROTIDAE) HASH FROM AGATE SPRINGS, NEBRASKA

Rediscovery of an exceptionally preserved portion of the Agate Springs bone bed of Nebraska (Miocene) led to a collaborative conservation effort between paleontologists of the Department of Geology and Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS) at the University of Illinois. The hash, comprising a large accumulation of bones collected by geologist Harold R. Wanless ca. 1950, was found in late 2014 during renovation of the Natural History Building on the Urbana-Champaign campus. This historically significant material was removed to the INHS paleontological laboratory where urgent conservation work is being undertaken to secure, identify and curate the specimens. More modern preparatory practices were used to hopefully extend the longevity of the specimen. The hash has been mechanically prepared using acetone and various hand tools to remove the aging shellac and matrix, and consolidated and repaired using Paleobond PB002 and PB100 to stabilize the bones.

Preliminary study reveals two female Menoceras arikarense Barbour, 1906. The ongoing study of the hash consists of two parts: a paleobiologic review of Menoceras and a geologic examination of the sediment. Technical descriptions of the two partial skulls will include measurements of the teeth and cranial elements to compare to others of the species. The matrix around the specimen will be analyzed t to give insight into the transportation and taphonomy of the specimen. This study will help to better understand the paleoecology and geology of the Miocene Agate Springs community.