An approximately 84-million-year-old fossil discovered in Courtenay earlier this year may be an entirely new species of ancient sea turtle.
The Puntledge River, which runs for 49 kilometres at the north end of Courtenay before flowing into the Courtenay River, is a well-known site for fossils, and a favourite spot of fossil hunter Russ Ball. In January, Ball was examining the area when he found what looked like a sea turtle that could be a couple feet in length.
While many fossils have been found along the river, it is rare to find vertebrate ones. Vertebrates are animals that have a backbone, like birds, fish, amphibians, reptiles and mammals. Invertebrates, on the other hand, include insects, spiders, worms, crustaceans, mollusks and coral.
But, backbone or no, after 84 million years the fossil had to be handled extremely carefully.
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| The ancient turtle fossil is estimated to be 84 million years old.(Credit: Derek Larson) |
鈥淭urtle fossils are very fragile,鈥� Ball told Black Press Media in April. 鈥淵ou take the whole block with all the fossils in it.鈥�
Now housed at the Royal B.C. Museum, palaeontology collections manager Derek Larson says it may be one of two known species of ancient sea turtle from the area, or 鈥� more excitingly 鈥� a newly discovered species.
鈥淓ither way, this discovery is a win for palaeontology in B.C.,鈥� Larson said. 鈥淚f the fossil is a known species, we鈥檒l learn a lot of new information about that species because these specimens are rare and, so far, incomplete. If the fossil turns out to be a species that is new to science, that could exponentially advance our understanding of marine ecosystems millions of years ago.鈥�
Studying the fossil is a priority for the palaeontology team, but Larson cautioned it can take time. Having determined the age of the turtle based on the fossil shells located nearby, it鈥檚 now time to chisel away the rock surrounding it. The millimetre by millimetre process is done with the help of a miniature air-powered jackhammer, called a pneumatic air scribe.
Larson said the discovery speaks to the value of citizen science, noting that they may never have found the turtle specimen if it wasn鈥檛 for Ball and other volunteers. He encourages everyone in B.C. to keep an eye out for fossils, but says fossil collection laws should be reviewed first.
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-With files from Mike Chouinard
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