CO-49, Dino Cove: Late/Upper Kimmeridgian - Tithonian, Colorado
collected by A. Fiorillo, K. Trujillo, C. May 1995–1998

List of taxa
Where & when
Geology
Taphonomy & methods
Metadata & references
Taxonomic list
Branchiopoda
Conchostraca indet. Sars 1867
invalid subgroup of Diplostraca
"common"
unclassified
Mammaliaformes indet. Rowe 1988
Koch et al. 2006
Isolated teeth
Reptilia - Crocodyliformes
Crocodyliformes indet. (Hay 1930)
Koch et al. 2006 1 specimen
Long bone
Reptilia - Stegosauridae
Stegosaurus sp. Marsh 1877
Koch et al. 2006 2 specimens
MWC 5525, one anterior caudal centrum and one mid-caudal centrum
Reptilia
Allosaurus sp. Marsh 1877
1 specimen
tooth
cf. Apatosaurus sp. Marsh 1877
1 individual
MWC 5140, partial skeleton consisting of two nearly complete cervical vertebrae, parts of at least three other cervical vertebrae, four dorsal vertebrae, four sacral vertebrae, four caudal vertebrae, several chevrons, left femur, a partial ilium, a partial ischium, several partial ribs, and many fragments
    = Apatosaurus sp. Marsh 1877
Foster 2003
see common names

Geography
Country:United States State/province:Colorado County:Gunnison
Coordinates: 38.5° North, 107.4° West (view map)
Paleocoordinates:34.4° North, 54.5° West
Basis of coordinate:based on nearby landmark
Geographic resolution:small collection
Time
Period:Jurassic Epoch:Late/Upper Jurassic
Key time interval:Late/Upper Kimmeridgian - Tithonian
Age range of interval:155.70000 - 145.00000 m.y. ago
Age estimate:maximum 151 ± 0.5 Ma (U/Pb)
Stratigraphy
Formation:Morrison Member:Brushy Basin
Stratigraphic resolution:bed
Lithology and environment
Primary lithology:lenticular,"cross stratification",planar lamination,fine,medium sandstone
Secondary lithology:green mudstone
Includes fossils?Y
Lithology description: "lens-shaped, fine- to medium-grained sandstone...In the thickest part of the sandstone body the sedimentary structures show a transition from crossbeds with heights of 10-12cm at the bottom of the unit, to well-defined planar beds, to cross-beds with heights of 2-3cm, to poorly-defined beds at the top of the unit...Above and below the sandstone are green, smectite-rich, massive mudstones."
Environment:crevasse splay
Geology comments: "a flood event with rapidly decreasing flow velocity" in "a playa-like complex" of lakes. Possible crevasse splay.
Taphonomy
Modes of preservation:body
Degree of concentration:dispersed
Size of fossils:macrofossils,mesofossils
Spatial orientation:random
Preservation of anatomical detail:good
Articulated whole bodies:some
Disassociated major elements:some
Fragmentation:occasional
Encrustation:none
Temporal resolution:snapshot
Spatial resolution:parautochthonous
Collection methods and comments
Collection methods:selective quarrying,mechanical,field collection
Reason for describing collection:taxonomic analysis
Collectors:A. Fiorillo, K. Trujillo, C. May Collection dates:1995–1998
Metadata
Also known as:Curecanti N.R.A., Blue Mesa Apatosaurus Quarry
Database number:38883
Authorizer:M. Carrano, P. Mannion Enterer:M. Carrano, J. Tennant
Modifier:M. Carrano Research group:vertebrate
Created:2004-05-12 15:59:24 Last modified:2023-09-08 13:58:37
Access level:the public Released:2004-05-12 15:59:24
Creative Commons license:CC BY
Reference information

Primary reference:

10502. A. R. Fiorillo and C. L. May. 1996. Preliminary report on the taphonomy and depositional setting of a new dinosaur locality in the Morrison Formation (Brushy Basin Member) of Curecanti National Recreation Area, Colorado. In M. Morales (ed.), The Continental Jurassic. Museum of Northern Arizona Bulletin 60:555-561 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano/M. Carrano]

Secondary references:

15179ETE J. R. Foster. 2003. Paleoecological analysis of the vertebrate fauna of the Morrison Formation (Upper Jurassic), Rocky Mountain region, U.S.A. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin 23:1-95 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano]
69484 J. R. Foster and J. E. Peterson. 2016. First report of Apatosaurus (Diplodocidae: Apatosaurinae) from the Cleveland-Lloyd Quarry in the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation of Utah: abundance, distribution, paleoecology, and taphonomy of an endemic North American sauropod clade. Palaeoworld 25:431-443 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano]
50456 A. L. Koch, F. Frost, and K. Trujillo. 2006. Palaeontological discoveries at Curecanti National Recreation Area and Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation, Colorado. In J. R. Foster & S. G. Lucas (ed.), Paleontology and Geology of the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin 36:35-38 [P. Mannion/J. Tennant/M. Carrano]
13281ETE C. E. Turner and F. Peterson. 1999. Biostratigraphy of dinosaurs in the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation of the Western Interior, U.S.A. In D. D. Gillette (ed.), Vertebrate Paleontology in Utah, Utah Geological Survey Miscellaneous Publication 99-1:77-114 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano/M. Carrano]
81455 J. S. Tweet, V. L. Santucci, T. Connors and J. P. Kenworthy. 2012. Paleontological Resource Inventory and Monitoring: Northern Colorado Plateau Network. National Park Service Technical Report NPS/NCPN/NRTR—2012/585 xii-524 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano]
84543 J. S. Tweet and V. L. Santucci. 2018. An inventory of non-avian dinosaurs from National Park Service areas. In S. G. Lucas & R. M. Sullivan (ed.), Fossil Record 6. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin 79:703-730 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano]