Dean Sherman : “Fossil Geeks Thrilled by 52MYO Salamander Near Kemmerer”

When Dean Sherman received the photographs of a new specimen unearthed in one of the renowned fossil quarries near Kemmerer, Wyoming, he immediately abandoned his current task and hurried to the location.

“As soon as I saw the picture, I knew exactly what it was,” he told Cowboy State Daily. “I was like, ‘Oh my goodness, that\’s a salamander. It must be a salamander.’”

Sherman, the proprietor of In Stone Fossils, has discovered thousands of remarkable fossils from the Green River Formation. However, the foot-long salamander captured in that photo represents a new milestone personally, professionally, and in the field of paleontology.

“In over 20 years of excavating experience, I have never come across anything even remotely similar,” he stated. “It is truly a one-of-a-kind discovery.”

Exceptional Soft Salamander

Although the Green River Formation is known as one of the most fossil-rich rock formations globally, the National Park Service notes that amphibian fossils are “extremely rare.” Dave Dilworth, an employee of In Stone Fossils, stumbled upon the fossil while digging in a new layer in an existing quarry that had previously yielded several remarkable Green River discoveries.

Sherman identified the specimen as a Paleoamphiuma, an omnivorous salamander that roamed the earth around 52 million years ago. It is only the third known specimen of this prehistoric amphibian.

“We have confirmed the presence of the skull, at least two front appendages, and the two rear appendages that appear to be overlapping on one side of the specimen,” he explained. “The only missing part is a small section of the tail.”

What adds to the excitement is the presence of indications of soft tissue preservation. Sherman was able to determine this by observing the “halo” surrounding the specimen.

“The halo surrounding the fossil is a visual indication of the presence of skin around the specimen itself,” he said. “This would be the first Paleoamphiuma ever discovered with soft tissue preservation.”

No Place Like Home

The scientific implications of the salamander are undeniably thrilling, but that is not the only exciting aspect of the fossil’s future. This significant Cowboy State fossil will remain in Wyoming, both now and in perpetuity.

Sherman clarified that the quarry where the salamander was found is situated on a piece of land leased by In Stone Fossils from the state of Wyoming. Therefore, the fossil belongs to, and will eventually be housed in, Wyoming.

“When a rare fossil is discovered in a state quarry, it will be placed in the repository of the state of Wyoming,” he stated. “Once it has been prepared, it could be exhibited at the Wyoming State Museum or another location, but it will be held in public ownership. The state of Wyoming will have possession of it.”

Fossils from the Wyoming deposits of the Green River Formation are considered prized possessions in museums worldwide. A unique mouse bird found by In Stone Fossils in a private quarry in Kemmerer was recently donated to the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago.

The newly uncovered salamander may temporarily leave the state for research and display at other institutions, but it will always return home. The Wyoming salamander will forever remain part of Wyoming.

Hours And Years Ahead

The salamander was fully excavated on the same day it was discovered. It is currently in the possession of In Stone Fossils and will remain there for the foreseeable future.

Although the rare fossil is the property of the people of Wyoming, it will not be available for public viewing for quite some time. There are numerous hours and many years between the fossil’s discovery and its eventual public unveiling.

“It is currently in a state of limbo,” he remarked. “It will soon be transferred to the state of Wyoming, but I have seen items stored in a cabinet for an extended period of time.”

The state will need to secure funding for the preparation of the fossil, a meticulous process that involves removing the rock without damaging the fragile bones. Sherman estimated that it would require hundreds of hours of preparation to fully reveal the salamander.

“You are looking at a minimum of 200 hours of preparation on the specimen alone, and that number could easily increase,” he noted. “I do not know what funding Wyoming has allocated for a project of this nature.”

Once funding becomes available, a bidding process will be initiated for the preparation of the fossil. This could involve the temporary transfer of the fossil out of state to be worked on by a professional preparator.

While Sherman has successfully bid to prepare several fossils for the state of Wyoming, he is likely to pass on the opportunity to work on the salamander. He is currently focused on a larger project, preparing a massive and exceptionally well-preserved crocodile.

“The crocodile is our main priority at the moment,” he stated. “Given our current workload, I do not think I would bid on this particular project.”

Sherman is uncertain about the timeline for when the people of Wyoming will be able to witness the full magnificence of their salamander. Nevertheless, patience will be required.

“I have seen items stored in a cabinet for years until funding became available for preparation and display,” he remarked. “It all comes down to funding.”

A Fossiliferous Future

The extraordinary fossil salamander is the first fossil discovered in a previously untouched layer in the Kemmerer quarry. This initial find suggests that the layer holds much more than was previously believed, and additional 52 million-year-old secrets are emerging from the rock.

“Just today, we came across a plant-like specimen attached to a flower,” he revealed. “We collaborate with a paleobotanist at the Field Museum who will be visiting us in less than a month, and some of this information is crucial to his research. Plant material of this kind from the Green River Formation has not been extensively studied.”

Moreover, all the fossils found in this layer fall within the state lease. Whatever Sherman and his team uncover will belong to Wyoming.

“The quarry has been active for some time, but this particular layer has not been excavated by anyone,” he explained. “Many were unaware of the wealth of material it contained, but we are already making some fascinating discoveries.”

Nevertheless, it will be challenging to surpass the discovery of the soft-tissue salamander, which is one of a kind.

“We are extremely proud to have it in public ownership in Wyoming,” Sherman stated. “It will be available for future scientists to study.”

Andrew Rossi can be contacted at arossi@cowboystatedaily.com.