Sliding bones: movement of skeletal material over Smith Creek Playa in Nevada and its taphonomic and paleontologic implications

Authors

George D. Baumgardner, Nevada State Museum, Carson City, NVFollow
Brian S. ShafferFollow

Abstract

In July 2013, a unique type of movement was noted of cattle (Bos taurus) bones across the surface of Smith Creek Valley Playa, in central Nevada. Portions of 3 skeletal elements and 2 sections of articulated elements were found at the ends of shallow, linear, furrow-like trails inscribed in the playa surface. These trails, with their skeletal material, are similar to those produced by the phenomenon described as “racing” or “sailing rocks” that is best documented from Racetrack Playa in Death Valley, California. As has been recently observed for the rocks of Racetrack Playa, the material here was probably moved by a combination of wind acting on ice floating on liquid water. This is the first report of such movement of objects from Smith Creek Playa and represents a previously unreported mechanism for taphonomic transport of skeletal material.


En Julio de 2013, un tipo único de movimiento de huesos bovinos (Bos taurus) fueron observados sobre la superficie de una Playa seca en el Valle de Smith Creek la cual se encuentra en la parte central del estado de Nevada, EUA. Fragmentos de tres esqueletos óseos y dos secciones de elementos articulados fueron encontrados descansando al término de surcos o senderos inscritos en la superficie de una playa seca sin intervensión alguna. Estos senderos con sus restos óseos se semejan al fenómeno conocido como “piedras viajeras ó piedras rodantes” el cual ha sido documentado como Racetrack Playa del Párque Nacional de Death Valley (Valle de la Muerte) en California, EUA. Como ha sido recientemente demostrado por las “piedras viajeras o rodantes” de Racetrack Playa, el movimiento aqui fué probablemente causado por medio de una combinacion de viento actuando con hielo flotando sobre agua liquida. Éste es el primer informe de tal movimiento ó desplasamiento de objetos sobre la playa seca de Smith Valley, el cuál representa un mecanismo tafonómico no reportado previamente sobre el transporte de material óseo.

Recommended Citation

Baumgardner, George D. and Shaffer, Brian S. (2015) "Sliding bones: movement of skeletal material over Smith Creek Playa in Nevada and its taphonomic and paleontologic implications," Western North American Naturalist: Vol. 75: No. 2, Article 12.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/wnan/vol75/iss2/12