AboutDavid Prus Expertise I can answer any general questions about dinosaurs and on prehistoric mammals in the Cenozoic. I also know a bit about the media's various depictions of dinosaurs and their inaccuracies. I don't know much about "microfauna"-small animals, or about Paleozoic besides some knowledge about Permian animals. Plants are right out, I'm afraid.
Experience I have been interested in dinosaurs for most of my life, own a large collection of scientific papers and books on the subject, and am a member of the Field Museum in Chicago.
Education/Credentials I am in college, but studied biology and geology both in high school and as a personal effort.
QUESTION: I uncovered a fossil of a mini-raptor with soft tissue in my backyard. It looks to be almost all there; it appears to be a full body fossil. I would like to send a photo to someone that has knowledge of what it might be. It has raptor claws.
Thank you for your time and beast regards. Robert
ANSWER: It's very hard to tell what it is from the photo. It looks like some sort of bird. Where do you live? There's probably a good place around for interesting fossils like these.
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QUESTION: Dear David Prus; thank you for your time. I live in the southern most part of the Sierra Nevada Mountains on the foothills of Split Mountain, Wofford Heights CA 93285. Bakersfield is the nearest city to me; it is about 50 miles away. Attached is a close up photo of some exposed bones and claws I can provide other close up shots if you’re time allows. Thank you again, Robert Rickwalt
Answer Thank you, Robert.
Again, it's hard to see fossils with an untrained eye like mine (my firs assumption was it was just a concretion, but there's something else going on that I can't place), but it does look like you have something interesting.
Unfortunately, it looks like the nearest place that could help you is LA itself with the famed Natural History Museum and UCLA, about 100 miles. Still, I do think it could be worth it. If you're right, you've got something history-making.
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