Welcome to the Dallas Paleontological Society Website

The Dallas Paleontological Society was founded in 1984 for the purpose of promoting interest in and knowledge of the science of paleontology.  It was intended by the founding members that the Society would be a network for the exchange of data between professionals and serious amateurs in this field.

Regular Meeting, 2nd Wednesday, June 14

Baculites

On Wednesday, June 14th, at 7PM Central time, we will meet again in the Boonesville Auditorium (Room 125) of the Ellison Miles Building (Bldg H) at Brookhaven Campus of Dallas College, 3939 Valley View Lane, in Farmers Branch.  Dr. Joshua Slattery will speak on “Baculites of the Western Interior Seaway”.

The Western Interior Seaway connected the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic Ocean during the Cretaceous.  It separated North America into two parts:  the ancestral Rocky Mountains, actively rising on the west, from broad coastal plains and lowlands on the east.  With mountains rising to the west, the west side of the seaway received huge amounts of sediment eroded off the mountains, forming deltas of sandstone and coarser sediment.  Because the ancestral Rocky Mountains weighed down the crust, those sediments were trapped in the rapidly-subsiding western side of the seaway.  That allowed only mud, chalk, and limestone to be deposited in the center and east side of the seaway.  The abundance of limestone in the Cretaceous of North Texas indicate that the shoreline was far away to the west, and the similar fauna indicates that our sea sometimes connected to the Western Interior Seaway.   The straight-shelled ammonite commonly found in the Ozan Marl of the North Sulphur River is part of that similar fauna.

Joshua Slattery earned his BS in Geology from the U of Wyoming in 2007, and then a MS in 2011 from the U of South Florida in Tampa on the ammonites and other fossils from the Red Bird section of the Pierre Shale in eastern Wyoming.  He continued there to earn a PhD in Geology in 2019 with a dissertation “Documenting Evolution: Comparing and contrasting Late Mesozoic and Late Cenozoic Molluscan Patterns”.  Dr. Slattery is currently visiting faculty at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville and continuing his research on the Campanian cephalopod fauna of North America.  He has spoken before to the DPS, in September of 2021, on the ecology of ammonites.

Several things will make this meeting special:

1). We just tested a new setup of web camera and microphone at Brookhaven and we have solved the delayed echo audio problem.  We will be using the shared-screen feature of Zoom so you will have higher-resolution video of the presentation.

2). Joshua will receive a grant from the DPS for research on the Campanian-age Ozan Marl of the North Sulphur River and study of the ammonites, inoceramids, and microfossils (with an extended team of micro-paleontologists).  There will be opportunities for DPS members to contribute to this study, both by showing your specimens and by trenching and bulk sampling this summer.

3). Several years ago, DPS received a large number of papers in vertebrate paleontology from our advisor Dr. Art Busbey when he retired from TCU.  We will be giving those away, so come get something to read.  There are many papers on crocodiles, the Permian of Texas and Oklahoma, and the Cenozoic of Nebraska, plus many other topics in vertebrate paleontology, and even a few on invertebrates.  First come, first served.

DPS meetings are always free and open to the public.  Members often bring food or snacks to share, and DPS will provide water and sodas.  Everyone is invited to bring fossils.  We like to see your recent finds, as well as your favorite old ones and collections.  We will even try to identify mystery specimens.  Remote attendees can join our Zoom meeting at: 

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88375673507

Meeting ID: 883 7567 3507
Passcode: 227202
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Meeting ID: 883 7567 3507
Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/keA6Gj1QOp

Our ZOOM information was incorrect in the June issue of the Fossil Record.  The above information is the correct access code for joining online for the June Meeting.

DPS Officers for 2023

The officers for 2023 are: 


President Michelle Kelly   mailto:president@dallaspaleo.org

Vice President: Joe O'Neil   mailto:vp@dallaspaleo.org

Fossil Record Editor Bill Weaver   mailto:editor@dallaspaleo.org

Secretary:  Dana Baggott    mailto:secretary@dallaspaleo.org

Treasurer Pam (Paul) Lowers    mailto:treasurer@dallaspaleo.org               

Fossil Bits and Pieces

The DPS offers extra benefits for Members. Types of Memberships and costs of each can be found under MEMBERSHIP choice in the menu bar, then New Member Online Application. Below is a list of what Members receive and the reasons you should plan to join (or re-join) us in our paleo adventures!

                                        MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

Newsletter: The Fossil Record, the Society’s monthly newsletter, is sent to all members.

Volunteerism: Volunteer opportunities to work the DPS booths provides community outreach, interaction with the public, and occasionally free entry to an event.  We need volunteers for all committees (to see our list of committees, click here) and activities.

Special Events: Members receive Eblasts on surprise events and reminders of upcoming events.

DPS Website: Current members have access to the Members only section of the DPS website, which includes the Membership Directory, past newsletters, and more.

Field Trips: Some field trips have limited access (quarries, Oklahoma trilobites, etc.), and some field trips are designated members-only.

Excavations: Participation in Fossil Bureau of Investigation (FBI) excavations.

Discounts: Fossil prep kits, display items, books, and other unique items are occasionally offered at a discount to members.

Occasional Papers: Each Occasional Papers is a collection of in-depth articles on paleontology written by members. One copy per membership is free to members for a limited time immediately following publication. Past Occasional Papers are available for purchase.

Family: Family Membership provides a discount to a second adult and allows for PIT Crew membership in which children can participate in special PIT Crew-only workshops, classroom activities, and field trips.

Dues pay for: food and drinks at the monthly meetings, refreshments on field trips, scholarships, and professional speakers for special meetings.


Latest info on Lake Ralph Hall on the North Sulphur River:

Looking ahead to 2023

Lake Ralph Hall/North Sulphur River, Fanin County

To view a new 18 minute film on Florissant Fossil Beds Monument, please click on the link below:

https://www.nps.gov/media/video/view.htm?id=42760664-E715-FE44-F38270C2561E1366

We at SMU prepared a short video about the Smithsonian exhibit, "Sea Monsters Unearthed: Life in Angola's Ancient Seas," that has been posted on the Embassy of Angola in the United States website (https://angola.org) and on the Embassy Facebook page.  To see it, click on the link (https://angola.org), which will take you to the website.  The video is playing without sound on the banner.  Scroll down to Highlights and you will see a photo of a fossil. Click on that photo and you will see the video with sound and Portuguese captioning on the Embassy Facebook page. Attached is an information sheet about the exhibit, prepared for the Angolan Embassy.  If you would like the video with English captioning, just let me know.  Enjoy!

Louis Jacobs, DPS Advisor        jacobs@mail.SMU.edu  

NMNH Notice and Links_July 2020.docx       (This will download to your computer to view.)

We are very happy to announce that the very first Occasional Papers Volume 1, written by 9 members of the founding group of the DPS is now available to download!  It is under the HOME choice on the menu bar, then Members-Only Content and then Documents and Resources.

To see the info for Earth Science week, click here.

The Paleontograph back issues are now available at the following link

https://www.aaps-journal.org/the-paleontograph.html


Dallas Library and DPS

The Dallas Library’s Podcast on Natural Dallas (P.O.N.D.) Annual Community Nature Expo includes a video featuring the DPS. Please watch all the videos for some interesting things to do and learn about in the outside world. Visit http://dallaslibrary2.org/pond/ for the videos.

Upcoming Events

What we are doing!!

DPS field trip to Ash Grove Quarry

May 7




Our Schedule of all upcoming DPS planned Events is coming soon!



Now Available!

Order your T-Shirt Now.  Click on the image to see details.

   

Also Available Now

Copies can be purchased at monthly meetings for instant gratification. Or the book can be purchased and shipped to your home by Clicking Here

Join us now

Come and join us for a great time at our next meeting, and click below to become a member.  Individual and Family memberships are available, and kids can participate in the PIT Crew (Paleontologists In Training).

Mail Check to:

DPS

PO BOX 223846

Dallas, Texas 75222-3846



JOIN US


The PIT Crew

The Paleontologists In Training is a program of the DPS that is open to kids from age 7 to 15.  If you are interested in fossils, want to have fun on field trips, and like learning about our beautiful world, come join us at one of our meetings, or field trips.  You will find it educational, and fun at the same time!

For more information, Click the link here or click the link under the home page called "For Kids - The Pit Crew" , to see policies, upcoming events, announcements, and how to sign up to take advantage of this new program.

About Us and Our Monthly Meetings

The Dallas Paleontological Society normally meets the second Wednesday of every month at 7:00 PM.

We are holding our monthly meetings Face to Face and on ZOOM.  Please check our Calendar for exact dates.  Come meet with us about 6:30 PM and before the start of the meeting. You will be welcome, and we will enjoy meeting you. This is a way to show your latest finds, get identification for them, and meet and greet other paleo people. Our speakers are a great way to learn about paleontology. 

Buy DPS Books Online

You can now buy books from the DPS online by clicking the "Store" button on the navigation bar at the top of this page.  If you buy online, and we ship the books to your home, you will have a shipping charge and tax.  If you buy the book at a meeting, you will not have to pay the shipping fee or tax.  Check out this new service.

Questions For DPS?

If You have any questions about the Dallas Paleo Society feel free to:

Contact Us 

Hot Line 

817-355-4693 

Who we are

The DPS is a group of professional and amateur paleontologists that want to exchange information, interact, and continue their education in paleontology.  We meet once a month on the second Wednesday evening of the month at Brookhaven College, Building H.

Mailing address: 

Dallas Paleontological Society 
P.O. Box 223846 Dallas, Texas 75222-3846



What we do

Do you have a question? If you have a fossil you cannot identify, or need a site investigation, contact the Fossil Bureau of Investigation for help.

Contact Us at 817-355-4693.


 

Why join us

We have fun.

We learn stuff.

We go cool places.

We find interesting things.

We make new friends.


Visiting Researcher Program

The Dallas Paleontological Society (DPS) offers local logistical assistance to professionals/academics conducting research in the North Central Texas area.  Assistance may include the loan of tools, but is not financial.  Past projects have included providing transportation to field sites, assistance in locating particular fossils or outcrops of a particular formation, field collection and excavation.     If you are interested in assistance, please contact the DPS President at president@dallaspaleo.org


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The Dallas Paleontological Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
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