Object Record
Images
Metadata
Object Name |
Vertebrae, Plesiosaur |
Source |
Sioux City Public Museum |
Iowa History Era Tag |
First Iowans (10,000 BCE-1673) |
Chronological Tag |
Three Worlds Meet (Beginning to 1620) |
Catalog Number |
2018.046.002 |
Credit line |
Sioux City Public Museum - Sioux City, Iowa |
Description |
These vertebrae belonged to a Plesiosaur, an aquatic reptile that lived in the sea that covered Iowa during the Cretaceous Period, which lasted from about 145 to 65 million years ago. The vertebrae were discovered by D. H. Talbot, a scientist who worked in Stone State Park near Sioux City, Iowa. Talbot and a team of workmen found these pieces while digging a cistern, and they uncovered nearly an entire skeleton. Content can be used with the following standards: Kindergarten SS K.14 Environment in a lesson on the prehistoric animals and environment of Iowa. For any use other than instructional resources, please check with the organization that owns this item regarding copyright restrictions. |
Additional Research & Sources |
Known as the Dakota Formation in southwest Iowa, a river system that drained into an interior source of water left behind sediment full of fossils relating back to the Cretaceous period. Often confused with being part of the dinosaur species, the fossils of the Plesiosaur were instead part of the marine reptile family. The reptile lived in the water and is characterized as having long or short necks, with paddle-like flippers and had a diet consisting mainly of fish. |
Notes on Related Objects |
Object is related to the following library resources, which can be found by searching the catalog number in the advanced search section: Catalog #: 2018.045.061- Pony Creek Archaeology |
Primary/Secondary Source |
Significant - State/National |
County Tag |
Plymouth |Woodbury |
People |
Talbot, D. H. |
Relation |
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Multimedia Links |
Click here to view/hear the file. |
Search Terms |
Environment Plants & Animals Plesiosaur Reptiles Archaeology Skeletons |
Legal Status |
Ownership of this resource is held by the Sioux City Public Museum and has been provided here for educational purposes only, specifically for use in the Iowa Museum Association's "Teaching Iowa History" project. It may not be downloaded, reproduced or distributed in any format without written permission from the Rights Holder. For information on U.S. and International copyright laws, consult an attorney. |
