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Tag: inflated ammonites

VicPS meeting: Wednesday, Oct. 8, 7:30 – 9 pm

At this next meeting, our VicPS vice-chair Sandy M. S. McLachlan will speak to his paper “Additions and revisions to the inflated Pachydiscidae from the Campanian (Upper Cretaceous) strata of Denman and Hornby islands, British Columbia, Canada; taxonomic implications and insights into mode of life.”

Sandy’s pachydiscid study, published in Journal of Paleontology, 1–2,  is open access and can be read at: https://doi.org/10.1017/jpa.2025.10105.  An introductory guide to ammonite terminology (in final draft) will be shared prior to the Oct. 8th presentation to assist newer members with scientific terminology.

This paper, which is a study of a group of conservative ammonites from the Late Cretaceous that lived approximately 90–66 million years ago, allows for greater refinement of age placement and paleoecological interpretations. Over 100 specimens were examined from the Nanaimo Group rocks among the Gulf Islands of southern British Columbia in the eastern North Pacific. A reappraisal of this group addresses the range of variation within several forms, proposes a consistent framework of diagnostic characters, and sees the erection of a new species with description of the full development from juvenile to adult. Exclusive death assemblages of the new species support the inference of a gregarious mode of early life.

The meeting is in-person and on-line.

Physical Address: 

Branta Biostratigraphy Ltd. (office of Ed Davies, Paleontologist and VicPS member)

2680 Seaview Road, Victoria, BC.

Park in the driveway, or on street if driveway is full.

Online Access (open to the public): 

Zoom (7:30PM PDT)

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88390132369?pwd=0SxRq94aGGWp7mlxxZdhvq9PwwGxac.1

Meeting ID: 883 9013 2369

Passcode: 413249

September 10 Meeting Highlights

Some notes from the Sept 10th VicPS meeting held at the office of Edward Davies, Branta Biostratigraphy Ltd.

This unusual find from the motocross site in Nanaimo is about the size, shape, and texture of a fish jaw (unconfirmed). Congratulations to the member who found this unusual specimen!

Another noteworthy find from that location is the crab Bicornis-ranina bocki, named in 2008 by Torrey Nyborg and John Fam (in honour of Nanaimo collector Peter Bock). Previously described from Northwest Bay locality and Inland Island Highway roadcut near Courtenay, this is perhaps the third known example from the motocross site in Nanaimo, which is older in age than the exposures at Northwest Bay. Again, congratulations to the member who found this well-preserved specimen.

Speaking of crabs, congratulations to Caleb Cliffold-Hoyle, who found this raninid specimen (below) at Northwest Bay. The specimen is thought to be a Joerinina (platys?). We will know for sure soon; this specimen is currently under study by Torrey Nyborg and John Fam and will contribute to a pending paper.  It’s wonderful when our discoveries have an immediate and direct impact on science and research!

Be on the look-out for scallop shells about a size of a fingernail. The one pictured here was found at Chemainus River in 2023 during the 14th BCPA Symposium fieldtrip. BCPA member Raymond Graham is seeking photos and locality information for these specimens, which are similar to ones found in Northern California described as belonging to Propeamussium (Parvamusseum)spp.by Sundberg in 1989. If you are not familiar with Raymond, reach out to me, and I’ll put you in touch with him. 

Some topics suggested for upcoming meetings include geology of different regions on the Island, biostratigraphic use of fossils, evolution of paleontology, and mollusc terminology. VicPS member Sandy McLachlan will give a talk in October about inflated ammonites from the upper Nanaimo Group rocks. Stay tuned for more information.