Orange County Marine Fossils May Yield Scientific Bonanza

August 3, 2001

 

A treasure trove of marine fossils uncovered during excavations for a golf course in south Orange County will be examined by top scientific experts, thanks to an agreement between Orange County’s Public Facilities and Resources Department and the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History.

The collection consists of nearly 300 specimens of marine vertebrate and some invertebrate fossils more than 10 million years old, according to John D. Cooper, Cal State Fullerton professor of geological science and paleontologist at the Orange County Archaeology/Paleontology Curation Facility, which is part of the county’s Public Facilities and Resources Department.

Among the exciting finds are several dozen baleen whale specimens, several species of toothed whales, one of the most complete examples of an extinct large plant-eating marine mammal, sea lions, walruses and seals, as well as shark teeth preserved in some of the oldest diatomite deposits in Southern California.

“These fascinating sea creatures lived millions of years ago when most of south Orange County was covered by ocean waters,” says Cooper.  “There is a great potential for describing and naming new animals previously unknown to science, as well as adding major pieces to help unravel the puzzles of middle Miocene – 10 to 15 million years ago – evolutionary relationships and patterns among several groups of marine mammals.

“Some of the data associated with this collection,” notes Cooper, “will allow determinations about Miocene marine environments and climates.  There will also be provisions for public exhibits and information for scientific publications.”

The fossils first came to light during grading and surface excavations for AMH Golf Corp.’s Aliso Viejo Golf Course and Practice Center.  The specimens were collected by RMW Paleo Associates of Mission Viejo, which was under contract with AMH to perform the paleontological evaluations required by law.  RMW brought in scientists from the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History to examine the fossils as they were unearthed.

“It was during these initial assessments that the scientific importance of the growing collection began to emerge,” adds Cooper.  “It was determined that this exceptional collection, including delicately preserved and unique specimens, would require skilled professional preparation and extensive research.”

The Aliso Viejo Golf Club then donated the collection to the County of Orange.  The Orange County Archaeology/Paleontology Curation Facility, presently operated by Cal State Fullerton through a federal grant administered by the county, acquired the collection last fall.

The collection is now on long-term loan to the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History for study.  John Harris, chief curator at the Natural History Museum, and Robert Selway, chief of Orange County’s Office of Historical and Cultural Programs, negotiated the loan agreement.  Harris says that he anticipates that “this will be the beginning of a long and mutually beneficial association between the Natural History Museum and Orange County.”

“This renewable loan represents a major breakthrough in developing a partnership between the Orange County Curation Facility, with its collections of globally important Miocene marine vertebrate fossils, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, a world-class institution with a cadre of scientific experts on Miocene marine vertebrates,” says Cooper, who holds a doctorate in geology from the University of Texas.

“It is a prime example of the scientific importance of fossils being matched by the level of scientific expertise.  The loan agreement does the right thing for the fossils and the citizens of Orange County,” Cooper adds.  “Both parties heartily agree that this is the best scenario for eventually communicating the information the fossils represent to the scientific community and to the public.”