Lets dig up a gator!!

Below: Preparation

Click here for Excavation and salvage / Click here to see the skull of this guy finished (its on the table).

Skull from the "salvaged" individual as we prepared it for cleaning. My hand is visible for a rough scale. Note the black stain on the teeth from the initial decomposition. This specimen will make a nice addition to the comparative collection for the Gray Fossil Site. (Picture by Dawn Coleman)

Again, special thanks are given to Kelly Irwin and his wife Lisa for leading Dr. Wallace, Jerry Nave, and their crew of students on this project.

Thanks also go to Charles & Diane Sharpe for their gracious hospitality. Not only did they provide a tour of Grassy Lake to view live alligators (see below), but they fed the crew a fine meal as well!

Pictures like this show the advanced state of decomposition of this specimen. Note the exposed scutes on the back. Again, these will make fine additions to the collection. (Picture by Dawn Coleman)

Again, notice the wonderful preservation of the teeth. Also note the "counter sockets" (or recessed pockets) on the maxilla and premaxilla for the lower teeth. (Picture by Dawn Coleman)