Inside VMNH Research 2007

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CADDISFLIES

CHINESE CONNECTION

VIRGINIA COAST

InsideVirginia Museum of NATUR AL HISTORY RESEARCH

Number 2 • 2007TWO DOLLArS

CADDISFLIES

CHINESE CONNECTION

VIRGINIA COAST

ThethreemainarticlesinthisissueofInside VMNH Researchillustratethreefundamentalfacetsofresearch:Firstly,itcanbeofimmensesignificancetoourwayoflife.Secondly,ignoringthewritingsoftheearliestresearcherscouldproveperilous.Thirdly,itisoftentrulysurprisingandproducesspectacularresults. Takethehumblecaddisfly.AsDr.RichardHoffmanpointsout,theseinsectsareanimportantfoodsourcefortrout,andasaresult,theabilitytomakeagoodimitationlurecanreapgreatrewardsforfishermen.However,theyarealsosignificantindicatorsofwaterquality,anditisthereforevitallyimportanttohaveaclearunderstandingoftheirdiversityinourstreams,andtohavetheabilitytomonitorchangesintheirdistribution.Suchmonitoringcan’tbesuccess-fuluntilacomprehensiveinventoryofcaddisfliesiscompleted.Fortunately,Richardandhiscolleagues,Drs.OliverFlintandCharlesParker,havealreadymadegreatstridesinthisendeavorfortheCom-monwealthofVirginia.Theirworkwillundoubtedlybeagreathelptofuturegenerationsofbiologistsandconservationistsaswestrivetomaintainthequalityofourwaterways. Dr.LauckWardhasspentalifetimescouringthewaterwaysandclifffacesoftheCoastalPlain,record-ingthedistributionofvariousfossilinvertebratesandvertebrates.WhereriverssuchastheMattaponi,theJames,thePotomacandthePamunkeysnakeacrosstheCoastalPlain,Lauckknowseachturnlikethebackofhishand.Heisalsoequallyconversantwiththeworkoftheearliestexplorersandscientists.Work-erssuchasThomasSay,MartinListerandCharlesLyellwerekeenobserversandastutethinkers,andintheworldoffieldgeology,wealwaysdowelltoturntothemastersbeforejumpingtoourownconclu-sions.Admittedly,somebranchesofscience,suchasmolecularbiologyandgenetics,seemtochangewithsuchalarmingspeedthatpublicationsjustadecade

ConductingmeaningfulscientificresearchandthensharingthatknowledgeiswhatthescientistsandeducatorsattheVirginiaMuseumofNaturalHistorydobest.ThisissueofInside VMNH Researchisnoexception.WeproudlypresentoursecondissueafterpublishingourfirstissuelastyeartoexcellentreviewsincludingbeinghonoredbytheSoutheasternMuseumsConference(SEMC). Inourfirstissue,wesharedwithreadersresearchbeingconductedbythreeofourscientists.IncludedwerethestoriesofDr.JimBeard’squesttosolvesomeofthemysteriesofthedeepoceancrust;Dr.JudithWinston’sdiscoveryofanewfaunaofminutespeciesofbryozoansandotherencrustinganimals;and,thesearchbyDr.AltonDooleytofindfossilwhalesinthePeruviandesert. Withthisissue,welearnfromDr.Lauck“Buck”WardabouthisresearchintheCoastalPlainandthefossilbedsincliffsthathavebeen

studiedsincetheBritishsettledthisregion.Dr.RichardHoffmantellsusaboutcaddisfliesandtheiruniqueabilitytoconstructabodeswithprecisionandelegance.AndthenthereisDr.NickFraser,whoisstudyingsitesinChinaandVirginiawithhopesofdiscoveringwhetherthefloraandfaunaofthetwohadmoreincommonduringtheTriassicthantheydotoday.AsexecutivedirectoroftheVirginiaMuseumofNaturalHistory,itisarealprivilegetoworkwithourscientistsandeducatorsasweconductresearcharoundtheworldandthensharethatknowledgethroughpublications,lectures,exhibitsandourWebsite,www.vmnh.net. Timothy J. Gette

oldarenowcompletelyobsolete.Yet,itiscomfortingtoknowthatthisiscertainlynottrueformanybasicscientificdisciplines;westillcontinuetobuildonthefoundationofearlierknowledge. Scienceisalwayscapableoftheunbelievable.In1963theStateGeologistpronouncedtheSoliteQuarrytobeinterestingbutlargelydevoidoffos-sils.Todayweknowitasoneoftheworld’smostsignificantTriassiclocalities!Thepreservationoffossilinsectsfromthissiteistrulyremarkable,andtheyarematchedonlybysomequitebizarreglidingandswimmingreptiles.EquallysurprisingisanewTriassiclocalityhalfwayaroundtheworldthatisyieldingstun-ninglypreservedplantfossils.IanticipatethatthisnewsiteinChinawillhelpusbuildanevenclearerpictureoflifeintheTriassic,andatthesametime,providealinktoVirginia. IhopethatthesethreequitedifferentpeeksintoresearchattheVirginiaMuseumofNaturalHistorywillinspireyoutogooutintothecountrysidearoundyourownhomeandseewhatsurprisesthereareinstoreforyouwhenyoutakeacloserlook.Thenperhaps,goabitfurtherafield–theworldisyouroyster.

Dr. Nicholas Fraser


From the Director of Research and Collections

From the Executive Director

Published by the Virginia Museum of NaturalHistory, 21 Starling Avenue, Martinsville, VA24112,forVMNHmembers,scholars,educators,libraries,journalistsandsupporters.Formember-ship information, call (276) 634-4141 or visitwww.vmnh.net

Production StaffRyanL.Barber,EditorMelodyCartwright,Art DirectorJessicaHylton, Managing Editor

Executive StaffTimothyJ.Gette,Executive DirectorGloriaW.Niblett,Director of Administration and ServicesDr.NicholasC.Fraser,Director of Research and CollectionsDr.DennisA.Casey,Director of Education and Public ProgramsRyanL.Barber,Director of Marketing and External AffairsNancyBell,Director of Development

Research and Collections Board CommitteeDr.J.JamesMurray,Jr.,Chair Dr.OliverS.Flint,Jr.,Vice ChairBriggsW.AndrewsDr.BruceD.SmithLisaL.Wu

Scientific Advisory BoardDr.WilliamShear,Chair Dr.JohnHolsingerDr.MichaelKosztarabDr.DuncanPorterDr.JanetReidDr.MarySchweitzer

Research and Collections StaffDr.NicholasC.Fraser,Director of Research and Collections, Curator of Vertebrate PaleontologyDr.RichardL.Hoffman,Assistant Director for Biological Sciences, Curator of Recent Invertebrates Dr.JamesS.Beard,Curator of Earth SciencesDr.AltonC.Dooley,Jr.,Assistant Curator of PaleontologyDr.NancyD.Moncrief,Curator of MammalogyDr.ElizabethA.Moore,Curator of Archaeology Dr.LauckW.Ward,Curator of Invertebrate PaleontologyDr.JudithE.Winston, Curator of Marine Biology

JulieHoskin,Collections ManagerJillK.Harris,RegistrarMaryCatherineSantoro, LibrarianHaleyE.Cartmell,Research Assistant, Biology SusanC.Kirby,Lab Assistant, Earth Sciences

About the cover: TheHarvestFoundationofthePiedmontGreatHallatthenewVirginiaMuseumofNaturalHistory,21StarlingAvenueinMartinsville.(Photo by Melody Cartwright)

Number 2 • 2007

The Virginia Museum of Natural History is accredited by the American Association of Museums, and is a member of the Association of

Science-Technology Centers, Southeastern Museums Conference, NSC Alliance, Virginia Association of Museums, andMuseum Store Association. VMNH is an agency of the

Secretary of Natural Resources for the Commonwealth of Virginia.The VMNH Foundation is a 501 (c)3 nonprofit organization.

Entomology

More than just trout food! By Dr. Richard Hoffman,VMNH Curator of Recent Invertebrates and Assistant Director of Biological Sciences

utofsight,underthewater,livethecaddisflylarvae.Allovertheworld,thesesmallaquatic

insectsconducttheirdailyactivities.Inicysprings,woodlandpools,rivers,lakes,andevenwarmstagnantswamps,theythriveinastonishingnumbersofbothindividualsandspecies.Likeanimalselsewhere,somearevegetariansthatgrindupandrecyclebothlivinganddeadplantmaterial;othersarecarnivorouspredators;stillothersextractmicroscopicfoodparticlesfromflowingwaterbyusingexceptionallyfinesack-likenetsoftheirownweaving.Allfallpreytolargeranimals,amongthemaquaticbiolo-gistsandentomologistslikemewhochoose

themasobjectsofstudy.Theselarvae,rarelyoveraninchinlength,closelyresemblethecaterpillarstageoftheirrelatives,thebutter-fliesandmoths.Theydifferintheiruseofgillstoextractoxygenfromthewater.Likecaterpillars,thecaddislarvaearebasicallythefeedingandgrowthstage,andliketheirrelatives,theyundergoaperiodofstructuralmetamorphosisthatproducesawinged,reproductivestage.Adultcaddisfliesarenotalwayseasytodistinguishfromsmallmoths,butabasicdifferenceisthattheirwingsarecoveredwithfineshorthairsinsteadofcolorfulscales.Thescientificgroupnameappliedtocaddisfliescollectively,Tricho-ptera,reflectsthatcharacter(fromtheGreek

trichos,hair+pteron,wing). Manykindsofanimalsarerenownedforconstructingabodesforindividualsorcolo-nies:ants,termites,wasps,beavers,weaverbirds,andhumans.Butintermsofstructur-alcomplexityandeleganceofdesign,nonecancomparewiththecase-makingcaddislarvae.Thesecreatures,despitetheirsome-whatworm-likeappearance,haveevolvedawidevarietyofshelterswhichtheyconstructwithprecisionandadherencetopatternscharacteristicoftheirspecies.Theybuildthesesheltersbyusingwhatevermaterialsmaybeavailable.Speciesthatliveinpondsorslowstreamsoftenuseplantmaterial:ahollowed-outgrass-stem,forinstance,ora

O

(continued)

Above: With a wingspan of 2.5 inches (60 mm), Hydatophylax argus is Virginia’s largest caddisfly. The species is widespread in Virginia, but not frequently collected. Right: Pinned specimens of three large Virginia caddisfly adults.

INSIDE VMNH RESEARCH • 2007 1

longtubecomposedofbitsofplantstemsandleavescuttosizeandgluedtogether.Thelarvaisthuscamouflagedanddifficulttonoticeexceptwhenitmovesabout.Somestream-dwellersusesmallpebblesstucktogether;othersspecializeonsandgrainsgluedintoalonghollowtube.Theindivid-ualsandgrainsarecarefullyfittedtogetheratthelargerendtoextendthetubeasitsoc-cupantgrows.Thegrainsmaybevariableinappearance,orinsomecases,almostexactlysimilarinsize,shape,andcolor.Eachgrainisobviouslyselectedwithgreatdeliberation. Theunderwaterphaseoflifeendswhenthemetamorphosizinginsectsacquirewingsandreproductiveorgansandfloattothesurface.Thisemergenceisalmostinstanta-

neous;theadultmustbereadytoflyassoonasitbreaksthesurfacefilm(therecanbenolongperiodofwinggrowthandhardeningsuchasenjoyedbymoths).Suchemergencesoftenconsistofuntoldthousandsofinsects,alargenumberofwhichfallpreytotrout,birds,dragonflies,andotherpredators.Enoughsurvivetoreproduceandrecom-mencethelifecycle.Itisbyrandommigra-tionoffertilizedfemales(luckyenoughtofindanothersuitablehabitattodroptheireggs)thatcaddisfliesmaintainandextendtherangesofthevariousspecies. Over9,000speciesofcaddisfliesareknownglobally,withabout1,400forNorthAmerica,andatpresent,343inVirginia.Sincetheseinsectsactasimportantindica-

2 INSIDE VMNH RESEARCH • 2007

Top: Dr. Hoffman demonstrates collection of night-flying adults using an

ultra-violet light trap. Insects attracted to the light tube are deflected by the four

clear plastic panels and fall into a jar of preservative centered in the bucket below.

Right: An adult caddisfly of the genus Pycnopsyche, represented in Virginia by

14 large, light brown species. (Photos by Dr. David Jones)

torsofwaterqualityandserveanimpor-tantroleinaquaticfoodchains,theyareofmuchinteresttoenvironmentalistsandtroutfishermen,someofwhomtietheirdry-flylurestoresembletheadults.Seriousresearchonourin-statefaunaextendsbackover30years,butitwasgreatlyacceleratedwhenthefoundingofVMNHprovidedtheopportunityforstatewideinventoryprojects.Adults,activemostlyatnight,arestronglyattractedtoultra-violetlight,andmaybecollectedbyplacingalightedsheetorbuckettrapbesideastreamorpondafterdark.Sometimesthousandsofindividualswillcongregateatthelightwithinamatterofminutes,especiallyinaTidewaterswamponahothumidnight.Thecollectormust

Below: A selection of cases produced by various caddisfly larvae. The structure at left shows a larva partly exposed at top. Despite the great variety in the shape of the cases, the adult stages of the various larvae are basically very similar in overall appearance.

endurebecomingcoveredwithsmallexcitedcaddisflies,entirelyharmlessbutarealnui-sancewheninone’seyes,ears,throat,andnasalsinuses! Thelarvaearecollectedfromtheirvariousaquatichabitatsbyhand-pickingorwiththeuseofnets.Bothlarvaeandadultsarepreservedinalcohol,butsomeadultsareusuallypinnedaswell.Identificationisnormallymadeinthelaboratory,althoughanumberofspeciesaredistinctiveenoughtoberecognizableinthefield.AlthoughmanymuseumcollectionscontainVirginiacaddis-flies,byfarthethreemostimportantareatVMNH,theNationalMuseumofNatural

“... ongoing investigations

in under-collected

regions of the state

may extend our list of

resident caddisflies

to nearly 400.”

History,andtheEntomologyDepartmentatVirginiaTech.Thesecollectionstogetherholdwellover100,000specimensfromtheCommonwealth.CurrentlyanannotatedlistofVirginia’sspeciesisbeingcompiledasthefirststeptowardaneventualillustratedmanualthatwillbeusedtoidentifyspeciesandhelpformthebasisformoreappliedstudies.AsVMNHCuratorofRecentInvertebrates,IamworkingwithDr.OliverS.Flint,emerituscuratorattheNationalMuseumandaVMNHseniorscientist,andDr.CharlesParker,aVMNHresearchasso-ciatestationedattheGreatSmokyMoun-tainsNationalParkasco-investigatorsfor

thisproject.ExtensivedonationsofmaterialfromzoologistsoftheNaturalHeritagedivi-sionoftheDepartmentofConservationandRecreationaidourresearch.Thefirsthalfofthelistwaspublishedin“Banisteria”in2006;thesecondhalfisnowbeingpreparedforpublication.Itisexpectedthatongoinginvestigationsinunder-collectedregionsofthestatemayextendourlistofresidentcaddisfliestonearly400.Virginianowjoinsthefewotherstates(NewYork,Illinois,Ten-nessee,andAlabama)thathaveachievedasignificantstageintheknowledgeoftheseinterestinginsects.Wehopetotaketheleadinmakingthembetterknown.


hankstomodernairlinetravel,thedistancebetweenChinaandVirginiadoesn’tseemquiteasfar

asitoncedid.Yet,itisstillanarduous13-hourplusflight,andthesights,soundsandsmellsofthecrowdedBeijingairportfore-warnVirginianvisitorsthatagreatculturaldifferencewaitsbeyondtheairport–par-ticularlyiftheystepoutsideBeijing.ThedistancebetweeneasternNorthAmericaandeasternAsiawasjustasdaunting220millionyearsagoasitistoday.ButwastheOrientsodistinctfromtheOccidentwhenthecontinentswerejoinedtogetherasthesupercontinentPangaeaandthejourneybetweenthetworegionscouldbemadeentirelybyland? Topartlyanswerthatquestion,mycolleaguesandIhavebeenundertakingdetailedexcavationsattheSoliteQuarry.

A Chinese Connection?By Dr. Nicholas Fraser,VMNH Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology and Director of Research and Collections

Left: Dr. Zan Shuqin stands in a village in Liaoning Province built on Triassic sediments.

Paleontology


T

Thisuniquesite,whichstraddlestheVir-ginia–NorthCarolinastateline,isprovidinguswithoneoftheclearestwindowsintoter-restriallife220millionyearsago.NootherTriassicsiteintheworldhasyieldedsuchanabundanceofcompleteinsects.Indeed,therocksatthislocalityholdsuchawealthanddiversityofnewmaterialanddatathatitwouldbeimpracticalforonepersontotakeontheresearchsingle-handedly.In1994,Ibegantoputtogetherateamtoinvestigateeveryaspectofthesedimentsandtheirfos-sils.Dr.PaulOlsenofColumbiaUniver-sity,whooriginallydiscoveredthesitein1974,joinedmetostudythevertebrates.Dr.DaveGrimaldi,CuratorofEntomol-ogyattheAmericanMuseumofNaturalHistoryandaworldauthorityoninsectsinamber,wasdelightedtoleadtheinsectresearch.Forplants,IapproachedDr.BrianAxsmith,apaleobotanistattheUniversityofSouthAlabama.Alongtheway,ourteamhassoughtthehelpofanumberof


(continued)

Many of the Triassic

forms are remarkably

similar to their

living counterparts.

Left: Dr. Nicholas Fraser stands con-templating dinosaur-bearing sediments in a village in northern China.

Above: Triassic scorpionfly from the Solite Quarry.Right: Triassic thrips from the Solite Quarry.

otherexperts.Forexample,weimmediatelycontactedarecognizedauthorityoffossilarachnids,Dr.PaulSelden(atthetimeattheUniversityofManchesterinEngland)whenwefoundourfirstspider.Whenwewereunabletofindamethodtocleanthesedimentawayfromtwouniquespecimensofanewglidingreptile,Dr.TimRyanatPennStatekindlyagreedtoCTscantheblocks,andtheincredibleskeletonsoftheseremarkablebeastswerequicklyrevealed. Thankstotheteam’sdiscoveries,wenowknowthattheoriginsofmanyoftoday’sinsectordersandfamiliesarelinkedtotheTriassic.Furthermore,manyoftheTriassicformsareremarkablysimilartotheirlivingcounterparts.Forexample,athysanopteran(thrips)thatislittlemorethan1mmlongshowsexactlythesamenarrowbodyandcharacteristicfringedwingmarginsasindi-vidualsfoundtodaywreakinghavoconrosegardens.Abundantplantremainstellastoryofrichlyvegetatedhillsidesthatsurroundedalakeinwhichsmallaquaticreptilesandfishoncefeastedonhostsofwaterbugs.Thiscouldn’thavebeenanisolatedverdantoasisofabundantinsectlifeintheTriassic.

Whatwaslifelikeinotherpartsoftheworld?WaslifesodifferentintheOrient220millionyearsago? Tanytrachelos,thelittleaquaticreptileattheSoliteQuarry,hasaveryclosecousincalledTanystropheusthatlivedinSwitzer-landandnorthernItaly.Tanystropheus mustrankamongthestrangest-lookingcreaturesthateverlived.Withanecklongerthanitsbodyandtailcombined,ithasbeencomparedtosomesortoflivingdraincleaner.TanystropheusandTanytrachelos bothbelongtoalittle-knowngroupofex-tinctreptilescalledprotorosaurs.Recently,anewlong-neckedreptilewasdiscoveredinChinaanddescribedbyDr.LiChun,apaleontologistattheInstituteofVertebratePaleontologyandPaleoanthropologyinBeijing.HenameditDinocephalosaurus(“terribleheadedreptile”)andinvitedmeandmygoodfriendDr.OlivierRieppeloftheFieldMuseumtoinvestigatethisbeast.Thenatureofitslongneck,completewithextraordinarilyelongate,overlappingribs,immediatelyhintedatverycloseaffinitiestotheprotorosaurs.But,Dinocephalosaurus,likeTanystropheus,wasamarineanimal.Whilethefossilhelpedusbetterunder-standtherelationshipsofTanytrachelos,the

Above: Countryside around Yixian, Liaoning Province.

(Photos courtesy of Dr. Nicholas Fraser)


Above: Cladophlebis, a fossil fern from the Triassic of China. Below: Drs. Zan Shuqin and Xing Dehe collect Triassic fossils from Liaoning.

marinesedimentsdidnotprovideanycluesaboutlifeonlandorlifearoundriversandlakesduringthattime. Thisiswhereastrokeofgoodfortuneintervened.Twoyearsago,aspartofanAAMsponsoredpartner-shipprogram,IspentfiveweeksinNorthernChinawithmyhost,Dr.ZanShuqinofJilinUniversityMuseum.Whilethere,IpersuadedhertotakemetothecountrysidearoundthetownofYixian,LiaoningProvince,whichishometothefamedfeathereddinosaurs.Whileitwouldbedisingenuousformetoclaimthatthefeathereddinosaurswerenotasignificantdrawforme,Iwasdesperatetovisitthelittle-knownTriassicoutcropsthatoccurinexactlythesamearea.Soonehumidafternoonwesetoffinasmallblacksedan.Whenwecouldgonofartheroffthedirtroad,weabandonedthecarinfavoroffirst,ourfeet,andlater,adonkey-drawncart.Wefinallyreachedaremotevillagethatapparentlylackedanyrunningwaterbutwaswellequippedwithsatellitedishes!ThisvillageisbuiltonTriassicsediments–sedimentsthatwesoonfoundtobeextremelyrichinfossilplants.Thisfacthadnotescapedthelocalfarmerswhoshowedussomeofthemostcompleteexamplesofferns,cycadsandhorsetailsknownfromtheentireMesozoicera,letalonetheTrias-sic.Sufficetosay,withthesupportofaNationalGeographicSocietygrant,IshallbereturningtoLiaoningProvincethisyearwithDrs.BrianAxsmithandZanShuqintoundertakeacarefulpa-leontologicalexcavation.Thepossibil-ityfornewinsectremainsis,perhaps,justasexcitingastheplantfossils.WehavehighhopesthatthissitewilltelluswhetherthefloraandfaunaofChinaandVirginiahadmoreincommonintheTriassicthantheydotoday.

Background photo: These vertical cliffs make collecting a scary experience.(Photos by Dr. Lauck Ward)

illiamStrachey,anexplorerwhoaccompaniedCaptainJohnSmith,wroteinhisnotes

in1609“AllthelowlandofSouthandNorthVirginiaisconjecturedtohavebeengainednaturallyoutofthesea...Andwefindwithintheshoresofourriverswholebanksofoystersandscallopswhichlieunopenedandthicktogetherasiftherehadbeentheirnaturalbedbeforethesealeftthem.” TheareaStracheywasdescribingisVirginia’sCoastalPlain,thecradleoftheBritishcoloniesintheNewWorld.Thoughnotageologist,Stracheycorrectlyobservedthatthesemolluskswerefossils,stillintheirlivingpositions,andthatthisareamusthavebeencoveredbytheseaatonetime.TheCoastalPlainstillexhibitsthesefossilbedsincliffsgreatandsmalloneverytidalriverinEasternVirginia.PaleontologistshavebeencollectingandstudyingthesefossilssincetheBritishsettled.TheoldestknownillustrationofafossilfromNorthAmericawasofaspecimenfromtheJames-townarea.ThespecimenwaspublishedbyMartinListerin1687andthespecieswaslaternamedPecten jeffersoniusbyThomasSayin1824(nowknownasChesapecten jeffersonius).

TheCoastalPlainisthatpartofVirginiawhichhasbeenintermittentlycoveredbytheoceanduringthelast180millionyears.Theresultofthesemarinetransgressionsisaseriesofsedimentarybedsthatcontainthefossilsofthatera.Thetidalriv-ersandnortheastwindhavehelpedtoerodethesebedsintospectacularcliffsfulloffossils.ExposuresdirectlyacrosstheriverfromtheJamestownareaex-hibitslightlylowercliffs,buttheyarestillcompletelyfilledwithmarinefossils,principallymollusks.Otherfindsinthesebedsaremacro-fossils(easilyvisibletothenakedeye)suchaswhales,andmicro-fossils(onlyvisibleundermicroscope)suchasdiatoms. Whilemostamateurcollectorsprefertheeaseofcollectinginstreamsandbeaches,theseriousresearchworkermustembarkonmorestrenuousactivitiesincludingscaling150footcliffstocollectfossilssystematicallyfromeachhorizon.Overtheyears,throughsuchefforts,Ihavebeenabletoiden-tifyandname21newanduniquegeologicalstratafromMaryland,Virginia,NorthCarolina,andSouthCarolina.TheseunitshavebeenformallyacceptedbytheU.S.GeologicalSurveyaswellasthegeologicalsurveysofthosestates.Moreover,Ihavealsonamed10newgeneraand64newfossilspeciesfromMary-land,Virginia,andNorthCarolina.Thisismoreatestamenttohowmuchremainstobediscoveredaboutthisareaandmypersistencetolearnthanany

geniusonmypart. Myinterestinfossilswassparked

duringavisittotheShenan-doahValleyateight

yearsold.

Virginia’s Coastal PlainWhere the New World OriginatedBy Dr. Lauck Ward,VMNH Curator of Invertebrate Paleontology

W

Invertebrate Paleontology


(continued)

“... the serious

research worker

must embark on

more strenuous

activities including

scaling 150 foot cliffs

to collect fossils

systematically from

each horizon.”

Above: Whales are common in some Coastal Plain beds. This one dates back to about 14 mya (million years ago).

Right: Martin Lister’s 1687 figure of a fossil scallop now known as Cheseapecten jeffersonius. It is Virginia’s state fossil.


There,atBryces,IcollectedbrachiopodsandtrilobitesfromtheDevonianperiod(around375millionyearsago).Atthetime,IlivedinRichmondandthoughtfossilsonlycamefromthemoun-tainousregions;Ididn’trealizeIwasgrowingupontheedgeoftheCoastalPlainwherefossilsabound.MyfirsttasteoftheCoastalPlainwasinSurryCounty,rightacrossfromJamestown.Marinescallopslitteredthebeach,andIwastoldtheywerebroughttherebytheIndians.FinallyaknowledgeableamateurtookmetothebeachesatClaremontandproperlyintroducedmetotheCoastalPlain.ThebulkofVMNH’sInvertebratePaleontologyCollectioniseffectivelytheresultofthatfortuitousmeetingsomanyyearsago.Todaythesecollectionsconsistof68casescontaining3,400drawersofCoastalPlainfossilsspanningthelast100millionyearsofearth’shistory.Ourcollectionhousesmostlymolluskfossils,butalsoconsistsofcoral,bryozoans,echinoids,crustaceans,etc.thathavebeencollectedfromsomeofthemostimportantfossillocali-tiesrangingfromMassachusettstoMississippi. Thecontentsrepresentamixtureofspecimenscollectedduringmycollegeyears,twoyearsworkingfortheMarylandAcademyofSciences,followedby19yearsworkingfortheU.S.GeologicalSurvey,andfinallymylast18yearsworkingforVMNH.

Right inset: Mollusks from the Yorktown Formation (3.5 mya).

Above: Typical cliff in the Coastal Plain. The geolo-gists pictured are sampling beds that contain the richest assortment of fossils.

Top left: Lieutenant Run in Petersburg contains abun-dant fossil shells that have been studied since the 1840’s.

Right: Pictured is a cliff exposure of fossils around 7 mya at Cobham Wharf in Surry County.

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DevelopingStaffResourcesforManagingCollections.P.S.Cato.Pp.1-71.1996.

TheBiologyofTigerBeetlesandaGuidetotheSpeciesoftheSouthAtlanticStates.C.B.KnisleyandT.D.Schultz.Pp.1-210.1997.

EcologyandEvolutionaryBiologyofTreeSquirrels.M.A.Steele,J.F.Merritt,D.A.Zegers.Pp1-310.1998

ProceedingsoftheAppalachianBiogeogra-phySymposium.R.P.Eckerlin.Pp.1-258.1999.

ChecklistoftheMillipedsofNorthandMiddleAmerica.R.L.Hoffman.Pp.1-564.1999.

IdentificationofWaterfowlBreastbonesandAvianOsteology(Sterna)ofNorthAmeri-canAnseriformes.D.W.Oates,E.D.Boyd,andJ.S.Ramaekers.Pp.1-51.2003.

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TheHispineBeetlesofAmericaNorthofMexico(Chrysomelidae:Cassidinae).CharlesL.Staines.Pp.1-178.2006

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MolluscanBiostratigraphyoftheMiocene,MiddleAtlanticCoastalPlainofNorthAmerica.L.W.Ward.Pp.1-159.2001.

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Re-descriptionandrevisionofSmitt’s“FloridanBryozoa”intheCollectionoftheMuseumofComparativeZoology,HarvardUniversity.J.E.Winston.Pp.1-160.2005.

ANewSpeciesofSqualodon(Mammalia,Cetacea)fromtheMiddleMioceneofVir-ginia.A.C.Dooley,Jr.Pp.1-17.2005.

Guidebooks:EarlytoMiddleCarnian(Triassic)FloraandFaunaoftheRichmondandTaylorsvilleBasins,VirginiaandMaryland,U.S.A.B.CornetandP.E.Olsen.Pp.1-83.1990.

GeologicEvolutionoftheEasternUnitedStates.A.SchultzandE.Compton-Gooding.Pp.1-304.1991.

StratfordHallPlantationandWestmorelandStatePark:PhysicalandCulturalGeology,andPaleontology.L.B.Rohr,M.E.Lewis,andL.W.Ward.Pp.1-93.2002.

EoceneandOligoceneStratigraphyofSoutheasternNorthCarolina.L.W.Ward.Pp.1-25.2003

GeologyandPaleontologyoftheStratfordHallPlantationandWestmorelandStatePark.L.W.WardandA.C.DooleyJr.,Pp.1-87.2005.

GeologyintheSouthsideVirginiaPied-mont.W.S.Henika,J.Hibbard,J.S.Beard.Pp.1-30.2006.InsectsofVirginia:SeedbugsofVirginiaHeteroptera:Lygae-oidea:Lygaeidae).R.L.HoffmanPp.i-vi,1-111.1996.

AssassinbugsofVirginia(Heteroptera:Reduviidae).R.L.Hoffman.Pp.1-73.2006.

Books listed may be ordered online at www.vmnh.net or by calling 276-634-4141 (leave message if voice mail activates). Other options include fax: 276-634-4199 or e-mail: [email protected].

VirginiaMuseumofNaturalHistoryAttention:PublicationsOrder21StarlingAvenueMartinsville,VA24112

VMNH Senior Fellows

Dr. Mitchell ByrdCollege of William & MaryWilliamsburg, Virginia

Dr. Oliver S. Flint, Jr.Smithsonian InstitutionWashington DC

Dr. William J. Hargis, Jr.Virginia Institute of Marine ScienceGloucester Point, Virginia

Dr. Clayton E. RaySmithsonian InstitutionWashington, DC

Dr. William A. ShearHampden Sydney CollegeHampden Sydney, Virginia

Dr. E-An ZenUniversity of MarylandCollege Park, Maryland

VMNHResearchAssociatesDr. Laurie AndersonLouisiana State UniversityBaton Rouge, Louisiana

Dr. Brian J. AxsmithUniversity of South AlabamaMobile, AL

Dr. Miranda J. Armour-CheluHoward UniversityWashington, DC

Dr. Michael B. BarberU. S. Forest Service-Jefferson and Washington ForestsSalem, Virginia

Dr. Gretchen K. BenedixVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBlacksburg, Virginia

Dr. Donna Boyd Radford UniversityRadford, Virginia

Dr. R. P. Stephen Davis, Jr.Univ. of North Carolina-Chapel HillChapel Hill, North Carolina

Dr. Raymond D. Dueser Utah State UniversityLogan, Utah

Dr. Ralph P. EckerlinNorthern Virginia Community CollegeAnnandale, Virginia

Dr. Arthur V. Evans Richmond Virginia

Dr. Steven J. Hageman Appalachian State UniversityBoone, North Carolina

Mr. William S. Henika Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBlacksburg, Virginia

Dr. Richard HightonProfessor EmeritusUniversity of MarylandCollege Park, Maryland

Dr. John R. Holsinger Old Dominion UniversityNorfolk, Virginia

Dr. Patricia H. Kelley University of North Carolina- WilmingtonWilmington, North Carolina

Dr. Boris C. Kondratieff Colorado State UniversityFort Collins, Colorado

Ms. Marilyn R. LondonSmithsonian InstitutionNational Museum of Natural HistoryUniversity of MarylandBethesda, Maryland

Dr. Jerry N. McDonaldGranville, Ohio

Dr. Frank K. McKinney Appalachian State UniversityBoone, North Carolina

Dr. Joseph C. Mitchell University of RichmondRichmond, Virginia

Dr. Andrew L. MooreKent State UniversityKent, OH

Dr. Karen MudarNational Park ServiceWashington, DC

Dr. Paul E. OlsenLamont-Doherty Geological ObservatoryPalisades, New York

Dr. John F. Pagels Virginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmond, Virginia

Dr. Charles R. ParkerUSGS Biological Resources Division- Great Smoky Field StationGatlinburg, Tennessee

Dr. John H. Porter University of VirginiaCharlottesville, Virginia

Dr. Janet ReidVirginia Museum of Natural HistoryMartinsville, Virginia

Dr. Steven M. Roble Virginia Department of Conservation and RecreationDivision of Natural HeritageRichmond, Virginia

Dr. Edwin S. RobinsonEmeritus ProfessorDepartment of Geological SciencesVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBlacksburg, Virginia

Dr. A. Krishna Sinha Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBlacksburg, Virginia

Dr. Hans-Dieter Sues Smithsonian InstitutionNational Museum of Natural HistoryWashington, DC

Dr. Richard P. Tollo George Washington UniversityWashington, DC

Dr. Robert J. Tracy Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBlacksburg Virginia

Dr. Christopher TudgeAmerican UniversityWashington, DC

Dr. William David Webster University of North Carolina- WilmingtonWilmington, North Carolina

Dr. Robert M. WoollacottHarvard UniversityCambridge, MA

Affiliated ResearchersMs. Carole L. NashJames Madison UniversityHarrisonburg, Virginia

INSIDE VMNH RESEARCH • 2007

thrilledtoseeawonderfularrayofmineralsfromVirginiaandaroundtheworld. ThroughMr.Ferguson’sgenerosity,VMNHnowhasanadditional200min-eralspecimensthatwillbeaccessibletothestudentsofVirginia.WehopethatthesamemineralsthatinspiredGeorgeFergusontobegincollectingyearsagowillexcitefuturegenerationsofVirginianstu-dents,andwearegratefultoMr.FergusonforhiswillingnesstosharehispassionwiththepeopleoftheCommonwealth.


Number 2 • 2007

r.GeorgeFergusonofBracey,Virginiahasbeenanenthusiasticcollectorofmineralsformany

years.Whenhiscollectionreachedthepointwhereithadstartedtoovertakethebase-mentofhislakesidehome,Fergusondecid-edhewantedtoshareitwithothersinsteadofleavingitinhisbasementwhereonlyhe,hisfamily,andhisfriendscouldenjoyit.So,Mr.FergusonapproachedVMNHCuratorofEarthSciencesDr.JimBeard.Onarriv-ingattheFergusonhome,Dr.Beardwas

M

New to Collections

The George Ferguson Mineral Collection

Virginia Museum of Natural History21StarlingAvenueMartinsville,Virginia24112

www.vmnh.netADDRESSSERVICEREQUESTED

Non-ProfitOrganizationU.S. Postage

P A I DMartinsville, VAPermit No. 456

Specimens were donated by George Ferguson.*denotes those donated on behalf of John Smith. Photos by VMNH Registrar, Jill K. Harris.

*Turgite,Buckingham County, Virginia

Picture Agate, NevadaFlame Agate, Texas

Angelwing Calcite,Mexico

Blue Kyanite from Willis Mountain, Buckingham County, Virginia

*Amazonite, Amelia County, Vir-ginia

*Sulfur, Mexico.

Documents

Inside VMNH Research 2007