Red Hills Fissure

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Red Hills Fissure is a palaeontological site at the Red Hills in Saint Andrew Parish of south-eastern Jamaica.

Contents

Description

The Red Hills Fissure is a karstic solutional feature, with a vertical extent of about 8 m and a maximum width of 3 m, that was exposed by road construction in 1988. Originally a cleft or cave in the rock, it was infilled with sediments and debris that included the remains of animals that became trapped there. When it was discovered it was recognised as a rich source of vertebrate, gastropod and well-preserved millipede fossils dating from the late Pleistocene. The abundant fossil remains of the Jamaican Coney (Geocapromys brownii) found there have enabled the construction of a life table for that species. Analysis of fluorine uptake in the fossil bone has allowed the time-span of the deposit to be dated to about 25–40 thousand years ago. [1] Fossil remains of the extinct Jamaican flightless ibis (Xenicibis xympithecus) have also been found there. [2]

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<i>Anas</i> Genus of birds

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Plotopteridae

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<i>Mycteria</i>

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<i>Eudocimus</i>

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Paleontology or palaeontology is the study of prehistoric life forms on Earth through the examination of plant and animal fossils. This includes the study of body fossils, tracks (ichnites), burrows, cast-off parts, fossilised feces (coprolites), palynomorphs and chemical residues. Because humans have encountered fossils for millennia, paleontology has a long history both before and after becoming formalized as a science. This article records significant discoveries and events related to paleontology that occurred or were published in the year 1977.

Paleontology or palaeontology is the study of prehistoric life forms on Earth through the examination of plant and animal fossils. This includes the study of body fossils, tracks (ichnites), burrows, cast-off parts, fossilised feces (coprolites), palynomorphs and chemical residues. Because humans have encountered fossils for millennia, paleontology has a long history both before and after becoming formalized as a science. This article records significant discoveries and events related to paleontology that occurred or were published in the year 1976.

Paleontology or palaeontology is the study of prehistoric life forms on Earth through the examination of plant and animal fossils. This includes the study of body fossils, tracks (ichnites), burrows, cast-off parts, fossilised feces (coprolites), palynomorphs and chemical residues. Because humans have encountered fossils for millennia, paleontology has a long history both before and after becoming formalized as a science. This article records significant discoveries and events related to paleontology that occurred or were published in the year 1973.

Paleontology or palaeontology is the study of prehistoric life forms on Earth through the examination of plant and animal fossils. This includes the study of body fossils, tracks (ichnites), burrows, cast-off parts, fossilised feces (coprolites), palynomorphs and chemical residues. Because humans have encountered fossils for millennia, paleontology has a long history both before and after becoming formalized as a science. This article records significant discoveries and events related to paleontology that occurred or were published in the year 1963.

<i>Hesperotestudo</i> genus of turtle

Hesperotestudo is an extinct genus of tortoise that lived from the Miocene to the Pleistocene. Its remains are known from North America, Central America and Bermuda. Further specimens identifiable only to genus have been found in El Salvador.

Jamaican ibis

The Jamaican ibis, Jamaican flightless ibis or clubbed-wing ibis is an extinct bird species of the ibis subfamily uniquely characterized by its club-like wings. It is the only species in the genus Xenicibis, and one of only two flightless ibis genera, the other being the genus Apteribis endemic to Hawaii.

Swansea Cave

Swansea Cave is a cave and palaeontological site in the Saint Catherine Parish of south-eastern Jamaica.

References

Notes

  1. McFarlane & Blake (2005).
  2. Longrich & Olson (2010).

Sources

Coordinates: 18°04′N76°52′W / 18.067°N 76.867°W / 18.067; -76.867