Marine Reptiles
WIN SOME LOSE SOME
Win some lose some, in Te Papa is one of the best Plesiosaur skulls found anywhere in the world. Reg. No CD 425, At the time of the finding there were only 8 others in a similar condition anywhere in the world, different to the rest, it was given its own Genus and type.
The type species was named as a tribute to Mr. LW,Keyes in recognition of his unstinted assistance and review of papers over 15 years and for his contribution to New Zealand Palaeontoloy.
Found in a large boulder, far too large for normal methods. The boulder which had the posterior (rear) end of the skull exposed on the external surface was broken apart with explosives, Consequently fractured and collected in a number of pieces. After extraction, taking months of work, given up on by one and taken over by another the skull was reassembled much like a jigsaw puzzle. Given the name Tuarangi (Maori for ancient) saurus. We had won one.
Away from the Mangahouanga stream, though seemingly unspoiled bush lies a cut and well marked track, Tree Ferns line parts with a delightful avenue where if you looked close enough you may see often Ruru the Morepork spending the day. Undulating until the last steep descent, with ladders in place, lies “Top Beach”. Many wonderful specimens have been collected from this area and many more have been left for budding palaeontologists to look at and wonder.
One year “Claim Jumpers’ swept down from Auckland on a prospecting raid. Intercepted and escorted out by the forest manager, we found later that a prime specimen had gone with them leaving evidence of their predations at the bottom of a pool.
Returning to HQ, one evening from Top Beach after a hard day’s work collecting I was tail end Charlie of our small, very tired party. Every one was carrying a full pack of recovery gear and fossils. Light fading fast and a good half-hour to base meant no delay. I was tired and my pack was heavy. Riding high on my shoulders for comfort. Walking nearer to the wall of the bush edge than usual I caught my foot on a wedge shape section of sandstone going down hard. It took an effort to regain my footing as the rest of the party carried on. Once on my feet I glanced down at the offending slab. Too my surprise the sharp edge of the wedge showed on each side a row of interlocking Plesiosaur teeth. They could only be attached to the jaws of the reptile* The jaws hopefully attached to the skull Dilemma. I called to the others to signify my find. “It is to late leave it till tomorrow” was the reply. Of course they were right. To make it easy to find the next day I stood it against a rock wall and walked on. Next day arrived as it usually does. In a hurry I retraced my steps to my prize.
Down the ladders, through the stream, along the boulder beds not long now. Round the last curve and!!!!!!! There it was. A huge landslide, covering my treasure, the boulder bed and everything in sight. Trees, shrubs, rocks and pumice meters high. Disaster, there would be days of work to uncover the slab with the risk of more slips to follow It is still there buried for now.
We lost one.
MOSASAUR
Over the year’s large numbers of fossil terrestrial and marine vertebrates, invertebrates, plant and insect remains have been collected by this talented team of amateurs
These collections have made the Mangahouanga stream known world wide through the new Genera and new species described from them. Mosasa-urs were numerous, as the amount of remains recovered is equal if not a little more than Plesiosaur. A large Mosasaur skull, equivalent to some of the best found anywhere was a spectacular find
In 1982 an articulated skull with four cervical (neck) vertebrae attached were collected from locally derived boulders of the Maungataniwha sandstone. Different to any other found it was deemed to be a first of its type, It was given the name “Rikisauris Tehoensis” Riki a Maori word for small, sauris, as by now you know Greek for lizard. Its specific name was after the Te Hoe valley, the area from which it was collected.
These are mentioned for we seem to have a propensity to find much, which is the first for New Zealand, if not the world. A partial illium of a Dryosaurus- like Ornithopod Dinosaur represented another first showing the diversity of Dinosaurs we had roaming our backyards.
RIKISAURIS TEHOENSIS MOSASAUR SKULL
