Doi - Guatemala Paleo Museum Trip Report - Final

Summary Report

Evaluation of Paleontology Specimens and Exhibits at the Museo de Paleontología y Arqueología Roberto Woolfolk Saravia, Estanzuela, Zacapa “Sitio Paleontológico Nacional” Completed for: Guatemalan Institute for Tourism Conducted by U.S. Department of the Interior, International Technical Assistance Program Sponsored by Guatemalan Institute for Tourism With assistance from: Counterpart International

Written By H. Gregory McDonald Senior Curator of Natural History Park Museum Management Program National Park Service Contact for more information Cynthia Perera, International Program Manager

International Technical Assistance Program, U.S. Department of the Interior Phone 202 219 0537, Cynthia_Perera ios.doi.gov

TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary Introduction Evaluation Team Activities Summary • •

Specimen Preparation and Conservation Fossil Preparation

Exhibits • •

Current Individual Exhibits Proposed New Exhibits o Geology o Great American Biotic Interchange o Types of Fossilization o Field work in Zacapa and Collecting Fossils o Exhibit on Fossil Plants o Modern Plants and Animals of the Area o Fossil Elephants and Their Relatives o Modern Skeletal Material o Areas managed by INGUAT and Natural Areas in Guatemala

Interactive Exhibits Paleontology Program Infrastructure Listing of Recommendations Conclusion and Technical Assistance Follow Up Acknowledgments References on the Paleontology of Central America Appendix 1. Price Quotes for casts of Eremotherium Bones from Valley Anatomical. Appendix 2. General Outline for book on Introduction to Paleontology to be prepared by INGUAT for school children.

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Trip Report Cooperative Project with INGUAT to Evaluate Paleontology Specimens and Exhibits at the Museo de Paleontología y Arqueología Roberto Woolfolk Saravia, Estanzuela, Zacapa “Sitio Paleontológico Nacional” Executive Summary The United State Department of the Interior, International Technical Assistance Program (DOI-ITAP) in conjunction with the United States Agency for International Development Guatemala (USAID/Guatemala) sponsored an evaluation of the paleontological specimens at the Museo de Paleontología y Arqueología Roberto Woolfolk Saravia, Estanzuela, Zacapa, Guatemala. During the period of September 10 to 24, 2006, Greg McDonald, Senior Curator of Natural History, Park Museum Management Program, United States National Park Service, visited the museum. The paleontological collection at the museum is a “static” collection and has not been enlarged since the initial work of collecting and preparation by Sr. Roberto Woolfolk Saravia. The fossil material on exhibit has been supplemented with modern skeletal material and marine invertebrates. The basement contains exhibits on archeology but they are not discussed here as they are outside of the scope of the technical assistance request. The museum is a large building that is maintained and kept clean but is much larger then the warranted by the number of specimens so is currently underutilized. The availability of non-utilized space provides an opportunity to develop and expand the current exhibits. Essentially all specimens in the museum are utilized in exhibits and while there are a small number of specimens not on display, the museum does not maintain collections. The lack of activity related to the growth of the collection simply reflects the lack of any active paleontology program in the country and the required infrastructure needed to support the collection of additional specimens, their preparation and subsequent study and exhibition. This is unfortunate as a preliminary review of the available scientific literature for Guatemala and Central America in general (see references at end of report) indicate there is great potential for many exciting scientifically important discoveries. This is particularly true for the museum in Estanzuela and its lack of any formal paleontology program in what has been clearly been demonstrated to be a particularly rich area of Pleistocene vertebrates. This means an important part of Guatemala’s natural history patrimony is not being preserved. Related to this issue, on my last day in Guatemala I had an opportunity to visit a new paleontological discovery made in the village of San Rafelito. During the excavation of a well, bones of the elephant-like gomphothere, Cuvieronius and the giant sloth, Eremotherium, were discovered, along with isolated bones and teeth of other animals. The people of the village are interested in preserving and displaying this discovery. The development of some type of paleontology program within the country would ensure that new discoveries such as this are preserved as part of the country’s shared heritage.

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Most of the specimens on display have been prepared but a significant percentage of the specimens in the museum do require cleaning and the removal of the surrounding rock matrix. The type of fossil preparation required is not technically demanding and can be accomplished with simple tools but should be done by a trained fossil preparator since the specimens are somewhat fragile and should be also consolidated and hardened. None of the specimens are housed in specimen display cases. This means they are immediately accessible to visitors. Based on my observations the majority of visitors are respectful of the specimens and do not touch, but the specimens are vulnerable, and it would not be difficult for a specimen to be either damaged or stolen. A related issue is that the only scientific data related to the specimens is preserved on the specimen labels and if these are lost or damaged this information is not preserved in any other format. The approach to the exhibition of the specimens is simple and consists of a few major labels (banners) and a card associated with specimens that provide a basic identification, locality information and the collector. The variety and types of fossils and modern specimens in the museum readily lend themselves to exhibits that are theme based and not just object based and a reorganization of the exhibits has the potential to greatly improve the opportunity the museum provides to inform the public about the natural history of Zacapa. Introduction I initially met with Licda. Alejandrina Silva, Jefe, Sección Patrimonio Cultural of the Instituto Guatemalteco de Turismo (INGUAT) to discuss the project and with Sr. José Miguel Gaitan D., Subdirector of INGUAT. Following my meeting with Sr. Gaitan I had the opportunity to visit the Museo Historia Natural, University of San Carlos and meet with Sra. Lorena Dávila, the curator of Minerales, Fosiles y Insectos. The next day I went to Estanzuela, where I spent the majority of my visit. While at the museum, I was able to evaluate the condition of individual specimens, exhibits and observe visitor interaction with the exhibits. The Museo de Paleontología y Arqueología Roberto Woolfolk Saravia in Estanzuela, Zacapa, Guatemala is the outgrowth of the efforts of local resident and engineer, Roberto Woolfolk Saravia, after whom the museum is named. The collections in the museum are the result of excavations he conducted in the vicinity of Estanzuela and elsewhere in Guatemala. Many of the fossil specimens housed in the museum were collected from around Estanzuela during a short period in 1971 in cooperation with Bryan Patterson of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University. The two centerpiece specimens of the museum are the skeleton of an extinct relative of modern elephants the gomphothere (more popularly referred to as a mastodon), Cuvieronius and the extinct giant sloth, Eremotherium (Fig. 1). The gomphothere was collected in Estanzuela and the sloth was excavated in Zone 12 of Guatemala City. The cleaning, preparation, restoration of missing bones and mounting of the skeletons was done by Sr. Woolfolk. Along with these fossil skeletons the partial skeleton of a modern baleen whale is also displayed. The fossil material is displayed on the ground floor of the

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building while the archeological exhibits are in the building’s basement. This report will only address the paleontological component of the museum and associated modern natural history specimens.

Fig. 1. General view of the interior of the Museo de Paleontología y Arqueología Roberto Woolfolk Saravia, Estanzuela, Zacapa, Guatemala. EVALUATION TEAM ACTIVITIES SUMMARY The area of Estanzuela was designated as a “Sitio Paleontologico Nacional” by President Miguel Ydígoras Fuentes. A representation of the fossil elephant has been incorporated into the city crest for Estanzuela. The museum receives very high visitation on a daily basis. This has been well documented by the guest book maintained by the museum. The interior walls of the museum were repainted in early 2006 and new labels (banners) installed. During my time at the museum I was able to observe visitors and the longest visit was about 30 minutes. There is no environmental control for the museum and the front doors are left open to provide some air circulation. Late in the afternoon the building becomes uncomfortably hot and humid thus reducing the inclination of a visitor to stay. In order to enhance the visitor experience by developing exhibits that will make a visitor want to stay longer and learn more about the region as well as other sites maintained by INGUAT, it is critical to improve the inside environment. Visitation to the museum not only includes individuals from Guatemala and other Central American counties, but also from the United States, Canada, France and Japan and Europe based on information in the guest book. Many of the ideas and suggestions presented in this report have also been mentioned in the comments by visitors in the guest book. Specimen Preparation and Conservation Conservation of specimens includes the preservation of the associated information as well as care of the physical specimen. Currently there is no catalog book which

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records the locality information, collector, date of collection and other information which makes the specimens scientifically important. All of this information exists but is only recorded on the specimen labels used in the exhibits (Fig. 2). Some specimens have catalog numbers that link them to these labels but not all. This data is very vulnerable to loss and if any of the exhibit labels are lost or destroyed there is no backup system to preserve this information and allow its recovery. It is very important that all of the associated information for each specimen be preserved in a separate catalog book. During my examination of the exhibits I often found labels that had been moved and separated from the specimen showing how easy it would be to loose this information.

Fig. 2. Individual specimens of the gomphothere, Cuvieronius, showing their associated labels. These labels provide the only locality and other data of each specimen and are vulnerable to loss or damage. Many of the sections of the carapace fragments of the glyptodont have not been numbered. At the moment we can only assume that the fragments placed together in the exhibit belong to the same specimen, but it the specimens are moved this association will be quickly lost. It is absolutely critical that as soon as possible these specimens be numbered with the appropriate catalog number to ensure that they do become scattered or mixed with other specimens. On the labels all of the locality information is tied to the individuals living in house or owning the property at the time the specimens were collected. Since property is sold and ownership changes an independent means is needed to identify exactly where each specimen was originally found. I would suggest that it is necessary to revisit each site based on the information provided on the label and record the current street address or provide some more permanent record as to the specimen’s original location. Ideally plotting each specimen record on a map of the town would also be helpful. If it is possible to obtain a GPS unit each location could be record with the longitude and latitude and this information could be included in the catalog book.

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Fig. 3. Section of carapace of a glyptodont partially covered with matrix. The matrix is a fine silt with some carbonate sediment. The lower right corner has been prepared and the rosette pattern of the individual bones can be seen. A number of specimens have not been prepared and are covered with matrix. Many of these are sections of glyptodont carapace (Fig. 3) and the matrix obscures the pattern of the bone. Most preparation and removal of matrix still on specimens can be done with a small chisel and mallet. During my time at the museum I was able to easily remove matrix with a wood chisel and hammer. Since the needed preparation is simple a variety of hand tools like small chisels, small hammers and brushes should all that need to be used for most of the work. Chisel width should range from 1/8 inch to ¾ inch. A small selection of dental tools will also help with the removal of matrix. The brushes should include both soft ones and with stiffer bristles like a toothbrush. The matrix can be softened with water which facilitates the preparation. Some matrix is well cemented with calcium carbonate cement and may require a power tool to remove. I think a Dremel hand drill with carbide bits should be sufficient to do the job. It should be noted that the bone is soft and fragile and could be easily damaged with a power tool such as a Dremel. During preparation the bone needs to be supported. Pieces of foam rubber 3 to 4 inches thick would make a good support or alternatively small sand bags. Sand bags can be easily be made by taking the legs of old pants cut to different lengths. One end can be sewn closed, after which the bag is filled about three-quarters full of fine sand and the other end sewn shut. The fossil specimen to be prepared can then be placed on the sand bag and held in place and supported during preparation. All of the fossil bone would benefit from consolidation and hardening. The standard plastics used in vertebrate paleontology are Butvar 76 or 98 or with Vinac. These should be purchased along with either acetone or alcohol to serve as the solvents. Butvar also has the advantage that it can also be used as a glue for repairing specimens. I have obtained complimentary samples of two types of Butvar which will be forwarded on to INGUAT. Butvar is sold by Solutia Inc. The nearest distributor is in Mexico and can be contacted at: Solutia MEXICO, S. de R.L. de C.V., Paseo de la Reforma No. 2654 Piso 3-A, Col. Lomas Altas, C.P. 11950 Mexico D.F. Phone 01-55-5259-6800

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Fossil Preparation The preparation of fossils requires training in order to not damage the specimen during the removal of the surrounding rock. This is a basic skill that a paleontologist working with the museum needs to develop along with field techniques to properly collect and document specimens, as well as their identication. As with any skill it takes time to develop the techniques to properly prepare the fossils. One option that is available for the training is in Mexico which has an active paleontology program. There are two individuals in Mexico who specifically study Pleistocene vertebrtles, Dr. Joaquín Arroyo-Cabrales, Laboratorio de Arqueozoología "M. en C. Ticul Álvarez Solózarno", Subdirección de Laboratorios y Apoyo Académico, Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, México and Dr. Marisol Montellano, Instituto de Geologia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. I have contacted Dr. Montellano and she has indicated a willingness to work with INGUAT to help with the training of individuals in fossil preparation, collection and identification. This could be accomplished both by formal classes that would be taken in Mexico, and also provide the individual the opportunity for a hands-on experience in both field techniques collecting fossils and preparation techniques. The United States National Park Service has paleontologists trained in fossil preparation with good laboratories at parks such as John Day or Hagerman Fossil Beds. As part of the ongoing exchange it would be possible to arrange for an individual from Guatemala to spend time at one or both parks to work with the paleontologists to learn both field techniques for collecting fossils and their preparation.

Exhibits As initially identified in this report the current building lacks any environmental control so temperature and humidity inside the building fluctuate both daily and seasonally depending on the weather. This situation is aggravated by the practice of the front door to the building being left open all day so inside conditions track outside changes in temperature and humidity. While air conditioning may not be practical given the expense there does need to be better ventilation and air movement in the building to prevent the constant changes in both temperature and humidity that not only makes it uncomfortable for visitors and museum staff but also damages the specimens. It is the fluctuations in temperature and humidity that cause the most damage to the specimens and a constant environment needs to be maintained. Improving the internal environment will not only help with preservation of specimens, but will make it more inviting for visitors to spend more time in the exhibits and will also improve the working conditions for the staff. Fans and vents to remove the buildup of hot air in the building should be a basic start but there should be discussions with an engineer on developing cost effective ways to moderate the extreme fluctuations in the internal climate of the building. The approach to displaying and interpreting the specimens on display in the museum is very basic. The approach consists of a label with some specimens (but not all) that gives its name, where it was found, collector, and sometimes other information. None of the current exhibits explore the story that can be told by the specimens or uses the specimens to illustrate broader concepts about the fossil animals themselves, their environment or any broader concepts. The museum has some very good specimens but

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they are underutilized and the visitor is not provided the opportunity to learn more about the extinct animals represented by the fossils on display. This is unfortunate as the museum has some very fine material that can be used to tell some very interesting stories. These would not only be of interest to the general visitor but telling these stories will enhance how these exhibits can be used by school children that visit the museum on a regular basis and can add to their general knowledge of the history of the area in which they live. Current Individual Exhibits The new large labels in the frames on the walls contain good information but they are not located where they can be most effective in informing the visitor about the specimens on display. There is only one banner I would suggest removing as it does not specifically address any of the specimens on display. Above an exhibit of gomphothere bones there is a large label (banner) that talks about dinosaurs. Since there are large bones of the gomphothere (elephant) immediately under the sign the visitor naturally assumes that these are dinosaur bones, which is an incorrect assumption, and is misleading. Instead this banner should provide and overview on the gomphothere and how it is related to modern elephants. On the back wall are two signs that explain what the science of paleontology is. The information provide is accurate and informative but they are not located within the museum where they are most effective. These signs should be moved towards the entrance of the exhibit hall so they can be read by the visitor immediately upon entering the main hall and therefore set the stage as to what the visitor will see in the museum. A second large label (banner) to explain “What Is Archeology” should be added to help the visitor understand the differences between the two sciences, a very important distinction since the two are often confused and this is a museum of paleontology and archeology. The two panels describing paleontology can me moved to the front left of the museum to the railing the overlooks the archeology exhibit downstairs while the “What Is Archeology” sign can be set up along the railing by the stairs doing down to the archeology exhibit hall. On the left wall is a large sign telling about Roberto Woolfolk Saravia. Since the museum is named after the gentlemen I would move this sign to the entrance hallway and place it on the right hand wall currently occupied by the map of Guatemala. I would move this map – which is used to show other areas of interest administered by INGUA to another area in the main hall. The map and its purpose to inform the visitor about other places they can see in Guatemala is a good idea but it needs to be expanded and made more visually interesting in the main exhibit hall. There is a need to construct individual exhibit cases to protect specimens. Since the current display areas are poured concrete risers there is no flexibility in moving them. Since the layout of exhibits in the main hall is controlled by the location of the concrete display stands this limits how the exhibits are positioned to tell an integrated story. The current approach of displaying specimens on the concrete blocks without any coverings

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makes the specimens and their labels very vulnerable to being touched and moved around. A display case should be designed that fits over or around each concrete block to protect the specimens. Each display case will have to be custom built depending on the shape and size of each concrete block. Rather then having lighting for exhibits provide by lights suspended from the ceiling each display case can have its own lighting to better illuminate specimens. Design of the display cases will have to include lights that generate minimal heat and ensure proper ventilation to reduce heat build up in the display case. Also the design of the case should include either a door or a removable side to facilitate easy access to the case for placement of objects and cleaning. The current exhibits contain a mix of fossil and modern specimens some of which were collected locally, some from other parts of Guatemala, and specimens from outside of Guatemala such as a fossil fish from Brazil, and fossils from Florida donated by A.G. Edmund as well as modern skeletons and shells. The specimens donated by Edmund are kept in glass jars which do protect the specimens but make it difficult for visitors to see the fossils. The construction of exhibit cases will allow this material to be better displayed. As noted there are currently 8 lights suspended from the ceiling to light the building. Since the building also has natural lighting it is not apparent that this additional lighting is effective and makes much of a contribution to the overall light levels in the building. These over head lights can be removed when the new exhibit cases are installed with their own internal lights. There are many specimens such as the sea turtle and the other turtle shells with no labels so the visitor has no information as to what they are or why they are being displayed. As a preliminary step prior to the proposed reorganization of the exhibits discussed below some type of basic label should be placed with all specimens currently on display in the museum. In some labels the identification of the animal on some labels is incorrect so we need to change some of the current labels to provide a correct identification, for example the mammoth teeth are identified as Mammut americanum, the mastodon, rather than Mammuthus columbi, the Columbian mammoth. Another example of an incorrect identification is domestic cow jaws are labeled as Taprius zacapanensis. The mounted gomphothere skeleton has some bones with broken surfaces resulting in the exposure of internal bone (Fig. 4). The exposed internal bone is breaking into smaller pieces, resulting in additional damage to the specimen. Because of the fragility of the bones, all exposed surfaces should be hardened with a plastic. Once the internal bone has been hardened the missing external surface of bone will need to be reconstructed. The entire skeleton should be cleaned and treated with a dilute plastic solution such as Butvar or Vinac. The proportion of plastic to solvent will need to be determined by experimentation in order to obtain the maximum penetration of the surface with the densest possible concentration of plastic. All bone to be treated will need to

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have its surface cleaned prior to the application of the hardener in order to maximize penetration of the hardener.

Fig. 4. Distal end of femur of mounted gomphothere skeleton showing broken surface. This exposed internal bone needs to be hardened and the missing external surface reconstructed. Given the variation of the amount of preparation and cleaning that exists in all of the fossil specimens, all should be examined to determine if they require further cleaning and hardening. A number of specimens on display are broken and the pieces need to be cleaned, hardened and glued back together. One specimen, a tusk is so badly fragmented, I do not believe it can be reassembled and it should probably be removed from display. While the required preparation of the fossils is simple and straight forward, it should not be undertaken by anyone but a trained preparatory. One option that may be considered is to bring a professional preparatory to the museum to train an individual on site, this would not only provide training but fossils in the museum would be cleaned at the same time. While the primary objective of the museum is paleontology and archeology it already includes many modern specimens so is in reality a natural history museum and is not restricted to just paleontology and archeology. I think this is good and the renovation of the exhibits can build upon this solid foundation to provide a greater variety of exhibits for the visitor. At the moment the space in the museum is much greater then the available specimens so it is underutilized and there are empty concrete display areas. In order to better use the available space for exhibits there will need to be additional acquisition and collection of more specimens to fill the current available space. The decision as to what specimens should be added should only be made after the development of a revised exhibit plan that has determined what information the museum wants to present to the visitor and should proceed in an organized way.

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Fig. 5. Gomphothere tusk on individual supports. The support structure should be modified so that the tusk is supported by a cradle along its entire length. Each of these individual points of support places stress on the specimen and can result in breakage of the tusk into sections. Proposed New Exhibits As a general observation the current arrangement of specimens in the museum is a mixture of both fossil and modern animals and there is no theme to tie related specimens together. Generally similar fossil animals, such as the gomphothere bones, are displayed together but the visitor is not provided any additional information beyond basic specimen labels. One simple way to organize the exhibits is to develop two major areas of interpretation or themes, one marine and one terrestrial. The marine area could be on the right side of the building and all specimens related to the ocean; the whale, manatee, sea shells etc. would be placed together in this area. The large baleen whale skeleton would be moved to this area along with the sea turtle shell and modern marine invertebrates currently on display. The museum also has a dolphin skeleton in storage that could be mounted and displayed as well as a crocodile skull that could be included in this exhibit. There is also a modern shark jaw that can be added. The museum has individual shark teeth from Edmund stored in a jar which are difficult to see. These can be removed from the jar and placed in a display case to make them more visible to the visitor. To set off the marine exhibit the wall on the right side of the building could be painted shades of blue to match the current theme of shades of green being used. The current painted mountains in shades of green is a nice background design and should be retained for the terrestrial area. Using another color scheme would help set off the marine area as a distinct theme. While it is beyond the scope of this report to be able to provide a detailed plan for revising current exhibits or the creation of new exhibits I would like to suggest some

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ideas and exhibit themes that INGUAT may want to consider. INGUAT has indicated that it desires to make the exhibits more interactive and this can be easily done in an inexpensive way. The development of interactive exhibits can be incorporated into a reorganized theme approach to the exhibits and will complement how the specimens are used to tell a story rather then merely being placed on display with information about the specimens limited to an identification label. Geology. A general exhibit on the geology of the area would be informative. For example, why is the mountain range to the north of the city called Sierra de Las Minas. If there are mines and important minerals these may be of interest to visitors. Were any of the minerals present in these mountains used by the Mayans? This would provide a connection to the archeology exhibits. The geology exhibit can include a simple introduction to basic geological concepts and can present a simple geologic history of Guatemala. The graphics from Chapter 1, El Origen Paleogeográfico de la biota de Guatemala by Manuel A. Iturralde-Vinet in Biodiversidad de Guatemala can be used in this exhibit (Fig. 6).

Fig. 6. Mesozoic and Cenozoic paleogeographic maps of Guatemala from El Origen Paleogeográfico de la biota de Guatemala by Manuel A. Iturralde-Vinet in Biodiversidad de Guatemala.

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Mounted Skeletons Parts of the skeleton of the giant sloth, Eremotherium, are missing. It may be desirable to fill in the missing portions of the skeleton to make it more complete. Resin copies of the missing bones of Eremotherium are available for purchase. One source is Valley Anatomical Preparations in California. Mary Odano, the owner of Valley Anatomical, has provided a price quote which has been attached to this report (See Appendix 1) for the various bones not represented in the skeleton. Ms. Odano has indicated that the prices she has quoted is the companies base price and that she is willing to negotiate with INGUAT on the cost of the pieces they are interested in acquiring. Since reconstructed bones have already been utilized in the skeleton e.g. the right front arm, the inclusion of additional casts will not detract from the existing mount and will make it more complete. The cost does not include shipping which would be determined based on the number of specimens purchased. I would suggest at a minimum the following be considered: Both femora. Both femora of the Eremotherium are reconstructed and are anatomically incorrect. It would be nice to replace these with anatomically correct casts. Both front hands. While some bones of the front hands are preserved they are incomplete. Lightweight casts of both hands could be easily attached to the skeleton. Both hind feet. While some of the bones of both hind feet are preserved (calcaneum and astragalus), both hind feet are incomplete and could be finished with a set of casts. Tail – the animal lacks a tail and it would easy to add a complete set of casts of the tail to the animal. Both scapulae The right arm is formed by plaster casts. While they are reasonably accurate reconstructions they have become rust stained resulting from contact with the rebar used to support the skeleton. While not critical I would suggest considering replacing the scapula, humerus, ulna and radius with resin casts at the same time the hand is added. Sternum and sternal ribs. This is incomplete and casts could be used to fill in the missing parts. Not critical but would add to the appearance of the animal. Skull and jaws. The mounted specimen has a skull and jaws and I would not replace them. However, a cast of the skull and jaw of an Eremotherium could be placed at a lower level that would be more visible to the visitor and could be used to talk about unique aspects of sloth skull anatomy and add to the interpretive value of the exhibit.

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Great American Biotic Interchange. The fossils in the museum are perfect to use in an exhibit on the interchange of animals between North and South America and that Guatemala is at the “cross roads” of this interchange (Fig. 5). The mounted skeletons represent a southern invader, the giant sloth, and a northern invader, the gomphothere, so works very well with telling this story. I would suggest using the back wall of the exhibit hall to tell this story. There are two concrete display areas, one of which can display the animals originating in South America: the sloth, glyptodont, capybara and toxodont while the second area can display remains of the northern forms, the gomphothere, mammoth and horse. Since the mounted skeletons cannot be moved, the southern forms should be on the left behind the sloth and the northern forms on the right behind the gomphothere. There are currently two large frames for labels (banners) on the back wall that describe the science of paleontology, which would be moved to the entrance of the hall. A third one could be added on the left. The text in the left one would talk about the origin of the southern forms, the middle label would explain what the Great American Biotic Interchange is, and the right label would discuss the northern forms.

Fig. 7. Example of illustration that could be modified for use as a graphic on the Great American Biotic Interchange (GABI) exhibit. Not all of these illustrations need to be used and fossil animals from Estanzuela would be substituted as examples.

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Types of Fossilization. A small exhibit on types of fossilization would be helpful. Specimens already in the museum such as the Cretaceous Brazilian fish could be used in this exhibit, along with some of the fossils donated by Dr. Edmund of the Royal Ontario Museum. While it would be desirable to have examples of all types of preservation, if examples cannot be obtained, they could be illustrated with graphics. Field Work in Zacapa and Collecting Fossils. There is a gomphotherium jaw (Fig. 6), humerus, and juvenile tusk still in field jackets. Rather then remove them from the jacket. These specimens could be used in an exhibit on the collecting of fossils to show what a field jacket looks like. The exhibit can include a reconstructed “excavation” and some of the fossils still in matrix could only be partially prepared and placed in the exhibit to look like they are being excavated. Excavation tools would need to be purchased. I have contacted the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, to see if there are photographs and field notes from when Bryan Patterson worked at Estanzuela. Likewise I am checking with the American Museum for any information on Barnum Brown and the Smithsonian for C.L. Gazin. If possible we should obtain two copies of photographs. One set for use in this exhibit and a second set for the museum archives/records. During my discussions I learned that members of the Woolfolk family live in Guatemala City. They should be contacted to find out if they have family photographs of the excavations and if there are any records pertaining to the specimens. Copies of both should be obtained for the museum files. Otto Paz also indicated that there was a local photographer who took pictures of the 1971 excavations. The photographer should be contacted in order to obtain copies of any pictures available.

Fig. 8. Gomphothere jaw in field jacket. Specimens in field jackets such as this can be used in an exhibit on how fossils are collected.

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It has been suggested that in order to make the exhibits more interactive for school children that a simulated paleontology dig box be constructed. Casts of fossil bones of the giant sloth could be purchased for this dig box. This interactive exhibit could be located near the above proposed new exhibit on the history of excavations at Zacapa and how paleontologists collect fossils. There should be a warning that dig boxes such as this require a lot of work because after the bones are uncovered they need to be reburied again so the museum staff will need constantly monitor the box and spend time setting it up for the next school group. Also if sand is used in the dig box it will often be knocked out of the box on to the surrounding floor which will require constant sweeping and cleaning in order to keep dirt from being tracked around the museum. Another simple interactive exhibit is a two dimensional skeleton reconstructions. This is like a giant jigsaw puzzle. Either individual bones or sections of the skeleton of an extinct animal are drawn onto pieces of board. The backs of the board have pieces of Velcro attached to them. The outline of the animal is drawn on a large piece of felt and the students try to put the skeleton back together within the outline of the animal. Depending on the animal selected it may be life size or may be scaled down. Exhibit on Fossil Plants. I was informed that near the town of San José La Arada there is a locality with fossil leaves. One specimen from this locality is in the museum. I would propose that an exhibit be constructed to display specimens from this site and increase the variety of fossils from the region on display. Dr. Herb Meyer, paleobotanist at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, has indicated that he would be willing to work with the museum on the collection of the fossil plants and aid in their identification and interpretation of the site for the new exhibit Modern Plants and Animals of the Area. Provide the visitor with a brief introduction the modern natural history of the region. What is the Bosque Espina? What makes this part of Guatemala so different from the rest of the country? To keep this simple it might only be done with panels and pictures but real specimens could be used as well. Comparisons with the fossil plants could be made. Since the museum has two very different animals with a shell, glyptodonts and armadillos and turtles, I think an exhibit showing how their shells are different could be developed. Fossil Elephants and Their Relatives. Since the museum has specimens representing two, gomphothere and mammoth, of the three main groups of elephants (Proboscidea), a small exhibit showing the relationships and differences between them could be developed. This could also include a graphic showing their family tree (Fig. 9) other graphics showing the differences in the

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teeth of gomphotheres, mastodonts, and mammoths and how the form of their teeth relates to differences in diet could also be used.

Fig. 9. A simplified family tree for the Proboscideans (Elephants). This could be modified to include a silhouette of Cuvieronius at the end of the branch for the gomphotheres and used in an exhibit illustrating the relationships of the different fossil elephants found in Zacapa. To supplement the exhibits about each of the different types of fossil animals found at Estanzuela and to give the visitor a better visual image of what the living animal looked like it might be desirable to either purchase or have fabricated small models of the different extinct animals: Eremotherium laurillardi, Cuvieronius hyodon, Neochoerus sp., Mixotoxon larensis, Glyptotherium sp. and Mammuthus columbi. If scale models cannot

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be purchased and need to be fabricated, they should done to the same scale. There are two options on how the models can used, either in each display case associated with the fossil specimens or alternatively they can be used in a diorama. Another alternative is to create new specimen labels that include reconstructions of the different species. This is currently done only for the glyptodont. Examples of current illustrations for some of the fossil animals found at Estanzuela are provided below.

Fig. 10. Cuvieronius hyodon. Illustration from Mammal Evolution: an illustrated guide by R.J.G. Savage and M.R. Long.

Fig. 11. Glyptotherium sp. Illustration from Mammal Evolution: an illustrated guide by R.J.G. Savage and M.R. Long.

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Fig. 12. Mixotoxodon larensis. Illustration from Mammal Evolution: an illustrated guide by R.J.G. Savage and M.R. Long. If the cost of a three dimensional diorama is prohibitive and alternative would be to have a large scale painting with a reconstruction of the environment showing each of the fossil animals. Since many of the fossils on display consist of individual bones many visitors may not be able to visualize where in the skeleton the bone is located. In addition to including a reconstruction of the animal on the new labels for these specimens the label could also include an outline drawing of the complete skeleton with the specific bone identified in color. This approach has been used for specimens on display at the national museum of natural history in Guatemala City and adds to the information provided about the specimen. Drawings of the skeleton for many of the animals in the collection are available in the paleontological literature. Examples are provided below.

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Fig. 13. Illustration of the skeleton of Glyptodon. Illustrations such as this can be used with the appropriate bones colored in to show where individual bones on exhibit fit in the skeleton. Some of the bones have been colored to represent the glyptodont bones on display, see Fig. 12.

Fig. 14. Right hind leg of a glyptodont on display at the museum.

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Fig. 15. Skull of Glyptodon.

Fig. 16. Illustration of the skeleton of a toxodont. This is the skeleton of Toxodon which is closely related to Mixotoxodon found at Estanzuela and elsewhere in Guatemala and Central America. No complete skeletons of Mixotoxodon have been found. Modern Skeletal Material The exhibit includes a modern pig jaw, cow jaws and a modern donkey skeleton. The donkey skeleton is displayed along with some of the fossil horse material. While I was at the museum I took the liberty of reorganizing the display of the donkey skeleton so it was laid out with the bones in their appropriate relationship to each other, much in the same way the manatee skeletons are displayed. One possible use of the modern skeletal material would be to develop and exhibit on how the different shapes of mammal teeth reflect what an animal eats and how paleontologist use this to help reconstruct the diet of extinct animals.

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The skeleton of the modern baleen whale is incomplete and lacks a number of vertebrae. Many of the ribs and bones of the front limbs are placed on the base for the skull. This detracts from the exhibit. Many visitors focused on the incompleteness of the skeleton rather then on the animal being displayed. There are two alternative ways the whale can be exhibited. First, the missing parts should be filled in so the skeleton looks complete including putting the ribs in place and attaching the front limbs. Alternatively only the skull needs to be displayed and interpreted and the other bones placed in storage. If it is decided that the museum would like to modify its exhibits to fit into two theme areas, terrestrial and marine, then the baleen whale will need to be moved from its current position and incorporated into the area set aside for displaying marine fossils and modern marine fauna. If it is desirable to have the whole skeleton displayed in the new area then the missing parts will need to be filled in. Depending on the design of the marine exhibit it may be possible to mount the skeleton next to the wall in order to save space and only attach the ribs to the side facing the visitor. Alternatively as previously mentioned only the skull may need to be used in the modified exhibit. During my time at Estanzuela I was able to obtain a skeleton of the nine banded armadillo, Dasypus novemcinctus, which is stored at the museum. This specimen needs to be cleaned but can be mounted and used in the exhibit with the glyptodont to show how they are related. If a display case is placed over one of the concrete display areas it may be possible to mount one of the manatee skeletons within the display case. Since the manatee preserve Biotopo Chocón Machacas is relatively close to Estanzuela, the manatee skeleton can be used along with maps and photographs of live animal to let visitors know about the preserve. Since the manatee preserve is managed jointly by the Centro de Estudios Conservacionistas and the Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala they may be able to provide information and graphics such as photographs and map showing were the manatees are found in Guatemala. I do not think it is necessary to have both manatee skeletons on display. New Exhibit on all Areas managed by INGUAT and Natural Areas in Guatemala. This would be a large map of Guatemala. To make it interactive each place would be identified by a light bulb. A panel in front of the map would have the name of the place, and a picture. A button by each could be pushed by the visitor and the light on the map would come on to show where it is in the country. This would replace the map with the tacks in the entrance which is not currently effective since it lacks a label as to its purpose and the tacks are not labeled to indicate what places they are identifying.

Interactive Exhibits There are many ways to make exhibits more interactive for visitors. One of the most inexpensive ways is the use of Flip labels. Flip labels are simply text and illustrations on moveable panels, either hinged or on rings, that can be moved by the

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visitor. The top panel with the question can also be designed so that it slides back and forth. The construction of flip labels can be with wood or plastic and the text and graphics can be printed directly on them. The labels can also be designed so that the question panel can be slid back and forth. In order to involve the visitor a question is placed on one side and the answer is placed on the other. The questions are designed to make the visitor think about what they are seeing in the exhibits. Flip labels can be added to any exhibit such as the sloth skeleton (Fig. 15) which already has a support stand for labels. The questions on flip labels should be related to the story you are trying to present to visitor using the specimens. Flip labels can also include graphics to illustrate ideas. An example of one type of flip label is provided in Figure 16. Examples of Questions and Answers that can be used on flip labels related to exhibits at the museum: Question: Why is there an elephant on the city crest of Estanzuela? This can include a graphic showing the crest of Estanzuela. Answer: The “elephant” is called a gomphothere. It was added to the crest to recognize the many important discoveries of this extinct animal in this area. Question: What is the difference between the shell of a turtle and the shell of an armadillo? Answer: The shell of a turtle is composed mostly of bones of the body such as the ribs while the shell of an armadillo is formed by small bones that form in the skin of the animal. Question: Why do we have capybaras here as fossils when they do not live here today? Answer: Modern capybaras need to live near water and the presence of a fossil capybara indicates there was more water here in the past. Question: How can we tell what an extinct animal ate? Answer: One way is to look at the teeth. Some teeth have high crowns. Mammals with high crowned teeth ate tough food like grass. Other mammals have low-crowned teeth and are browsers eating leaves and twigs. Can you find examples of animals in the museum with high crowned teeth? Include graphic showing a high crowned tooth and low crowned tooth. Question: What makes sloth teeth different? Answer: They have no enamel on their teeth and each tooth grows throughout the life of the animal. Question: What is the spiral band on the tusk of the gomphothere? Answer: The spiral band is enamel which is the same hard covering found on the cheek teeth. Modern elephants have lost the enamel on their tusks and have only dentine which we also call ivory. Because a gomphothere is a primitive type of elephant it still has the enamel.

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Question: What is the advantage of being so big? Answer: Larger animals are not often attacked by predators, also it is easier for large animals to travel farther in search of food. Question: Why are the ribs of the manatee so thick? Answer: Because a manatee has so much fat to keep it warm in the water, the thick ribs add to its weight so that it can swim under water. These thick ribs are called pachyostotic. Question: What is the closest living relative of a glyptodont? Answer: It is the armadillo, we can tell they are related because both have bones called dermal ossicles in their skin that forms their shell. Question: When did these fossil animals live in Guatemala? Answer: The fossil animals displayed in the museum lived during the Pleistocene, between 1.9 million and 10,000 years ago. We do not yet know the exact age of the fossils from Estanzuela and more research is needed.

Fig. 17. Label support structure associated with the skeleton of Eremotherium. This structure could be used to hold flip labels about the sloth. Since the top is recessed, the flip labels could be attached to a wooden base that could be placed in the recessed area.

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Fig. 18. Examples of a flip label. The middle leaf is hinged. A question can be placed on one side and the answer on the other or different information can be placed on each side. Or in this case different information is provided on each side of the label.

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Paleontology Program Infrastructure There is a high probability of recovering more bones from the area around Estanzuela based on the large number of specimens represented in the museum exhibits, most of which were recovered during a relatively short period of time during 1971. The collection of additional specimens is desirable to expand the diversity of animals that can be exhibited in the museum and increase our knowledge of the ancient biodiversity of the area. Also as was previously noted the available exhibit space in the museum is greater then the specimens currently available. An active paleontology program will also ensure improved recovery and preservation of Guatemala’s paleontological patrimony. INGUAT can work with the Alcalde of Estanzuela to encourage the residents of the area to report any finds of fossils to the museum. It is particularly important for the museum to establish a working relationship with construction companies since they have more opportunities during excavations for buildings or other construction to uncover fossils. One way of letting people know about the museum’s interest to collect and preserve any new finds is for the museum to print “wanted” posters. This was done successfully in Utah (Fig. 15) to let people know that the museum wanted to save the fossils they uncovered. These posters could be distributed to construction offices and displayed on their bulletin board to serve as a reminder to report any discoveries. Since each of the current specimen labels in the exhibits identifies the individual who discovered the specimen, this is a good way to acknowledge an individual who makes a donation. Another form of acknowledgement is to print certificates of appreciation. These can be presented to companies and individuals following their donation of a specimen. However, if these efforts to ensure more specimens discovered come to the museum are successful, it is very likely more specimens will be found then can be displayed at one time. While putting a specimen on display is a good way to provide positive feedback to individuals who donate specimens this cannot be done with every specimen. While all specimens will be of scientific value, not all of them may be needed for an exhibit or be of exhibit quality. One way to meet both needs is to have a changing display on new discoveries with an exhibit case dedicated to displaying recent donations. The approach to the display does not have to be elaborate and can be kept simple with a label printed out on a computer placed with the specimen crediting the individual who donated the specimen. If a digital camera is available a digital picture of the person with their discovery can be made and printed out on a color printer. What is critical to the success of the museum trying to ensure that newly discovered fossils come to the museum is to ensure that the museum has an individual on staff that can immediately go out to collect the specimen properly and ensure its has full documentation. If new discoveries are reported to the museum and no one follows up on the find immediately, people will quickly stop reporting new specimens. Collection of a fossil is only the first step and the museum will also need the capability to be able to prepare specimens. As previously mentioned not every specimen needs to go on display or may be suitable for display, although it may have important scientific value. The museum needs to consider the development of collections and the need for long-term storage of specimens not on display. At the museum the area above the offices at the

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front of the building could be used as the collection storage space, once better environmental conditions are established within the building. A full-time paleontologist at museum can also start a program of actively looking for more specimens, can go out and meet farmers and ranchers to get permission to look in arroyos and other exposures, and not just passively wait for accidental discoveries, Aerial photographs of the region would help to identify potential exposures and badlands where fossils might be found.

Fig. 19. Example of poster used by the state paleontologist of Utah to encourage gravel pit operators to save bones they uncover. However, the active collection of fossils means there has to be a dedicated space for their preparation and cleaning as well as dedicated storage space. At the front of the museum on the left is a room that can be used as a fossil preparation area (Fig. 16). This room also has the advantage that it is accessible to viewing by visitors and offers another

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Fig. 20. Room in the museum that can be used for preparation of fossils. opportunity for interaction with the visitors. During my time at the museum while I was doing simple preparation of some of the fossils, visitors would stop to observe what I was doing. Visitors like to see “behind the scenes” and many museums have developed viewable paleontological preparation areas which are very popular. The available space in the museum would lend itself to a viewable preparation space.

Listing of Recommendations • •

• • • • •

Ensure that all specimens both fossil and modern are cataloged with a catalog number and that data is recorded in a catalog book separate from museum labels Complete preparation of all fossil specimens still covered with rock matrix, this should be done by a trained fossil preparator but either may be accomplished after an individual has been trained or as part of the individual’s training under the supervision of a professional preparatory Improve environmental conditions within the building to reduce high temperatures Reorganize exhibits around central ideas or themes Construct exhibit cases to provide better protection for specimens so they are not as easily accessible to visitors Stabilize and harden exposed bone on mounted skeletons with standard soluble plastics such as Butvar or Vinac commonly used in vertebrate paleontology Investigate possibility of developing self sustaining paleontological infrastructure within the museum that will allow the proper collection, preparation, exhibition and research of the fossils of Guatemala

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Conclusion and Technical Assistance Follow up Over the course of the two week visit to Museo de Paleontología y Arqueología Roberto Woolfolk Saravia I gained a good understanding of both the opportunities and challenges facing the museum. Part of the challenge is that the current state of knowledge of the vertebrate paleontology of Guatemala is limited as indicated by the number of published scientific references, although this is true for Central America in general (See References provided). This limits the information available around which to identify specimens and plan exhibits that will introduce visitors to the paleontological history of the region or country. There is great potential for many important paleontological discoveries in Guatemala as is indicated by the variety of specimens housed in the Museo de Paleontología y Arqueología Roberto Woolfolk Saravia in Estanzuela, Zacapa. These specimens are not only of scientific importance but are an important part of Guatemala’s patrimony and provide the opportunity for Guatemalan’s citizens to learn about this aspect of the natural history of their country. The variety of fossils housed at the museum is but a small sample of what can be recovered and preserved from the country and provides the foundation for a strong and active paleontology program. While the current exhibits provide visitors with a general overview of the local paleontology they have much greater potential to tell other stories and illustrate broader concepts. Some suggestions as to potential topics have been presented but are meant to be illustrative of some themes for exhibits and other topics are also possible. These topics are meant to illustrate that the paleontology exhibits at the museum do not need to be limited to a simple display of objects with identifying labels but can be utilized to illustrate scientific principles and major events in the geological history of the region and country. The continued importance of these specimens is contingent of their continued preservation and the preservation of associated data. One of the more immediate goals of the museum should be to ensure the preservation of the associated data for each specimen by the creation of a specimen catalog. While it is already serving a vital role in the preservation of Guatemala’s paleontological patrimony and providing an opportunity to educate the public, the Museo de Paleontología y Arqueología is in a position to grow beyond its current role both in terms of preservation of paleontological resources and in their interpretation. A commitment to expanding the staff to support a paleontological program that will recover, prepare and preserve as well as interpret Guatemala’s paleontology can greatly increase its contributions to a better understanding of the country’s geological past and increase the variety of exhibits related to paleontology it can present to the public and school groups. The lack of a permanent and trained paleontology staff has limited the opportunities for the museum to grow. It appears that growth of the museum’s collections has not occurred since the initial collections made by Sr. Roberto Woolfolk Saravia. Many specimens on display have not being completely prepared and many are still in their field jackets, thus reducing their interpretive value. The preparation of the fossils in the museum is not demanding and does not require expensive equipment but does require an individual who is knowledgeable in fossil preparation techniques and in

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the preservation of prepared fossils. It is desirable to have an individual who has been trained in fossil preparation to work on the fossils in order to prevent any damage to them during the process. There are many ways in which an individual can receive the necessary training, including working with paleontologists in Mexico or another Latin American country with an active paleontology program such as Argentina and working with paleontologists in the United States, either at a museum or at one of the national parks with an active paleontology program. Having a trained paleontologist will allow the museum to add more specimens to its collections which will enhance the variety of specimens available for exhibits and for educational opportunities, as well as expand our knowledge of the paleontology of Guatemala. At a minimum this person will need a background in proper field collecting, fossil preparation and identification of fossils. As the subject matter expert this individual can facilitate the installation of new exhibits and ensure that the information presented is correct. Potential technical assistance follow up trips include the following: •

A trained professional preparator to spend time at the museum training a staff member in preparation techniques and doing preparation on fossils in the museum. This could be followed up by the staff member working in Mexico with paleontologists to learn more techniques and/or spending at one of the national parks with an active paleontology program and preparation lab to learn additional preparation techniques

•

Assist with planning and design of new exhibits for the museum either based on ideas provided here or to develop other exhibits based on concepts developed by INGUAT

Acknowledgements I would like to extend my appreciation to INGUAT for the opportunity to work at the museum, particularly Licda. Alejandrina Silva, Jefe, Sección Patrimonio Cultural of the Instituto Guatemalteco de Turismo (INGUAT). The assistance provided by Lic. Mario Del Cid, COP - Project Director, Counterpart International – Guatemala in organizing the trip is greatly appreciated. Otto Rolando Paz and Angel Maria Ramirez, staff at the museum, were exceptionally helpful and their many questions during our discussions helped me develop a better idea of how we can make the exhibits better address some of the questions posed by visitors. Guillermo Galinda who served as the interpreter was helpful in many ways above and beyond facilitating the project by providing translations.

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References on the Paleontology of Central America Pre-Pleistocene Vertebrates Ferrusquía-Villafranca, I. 1978. Distribution of Cenozoic vertebrate faunas in Middle America and problems of migration between North and South America. Instituto de Geología, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de México 101:193-329. Kirby, M.X. and B. MacFadden. 2005. Was southern Central America an archipelago or a peninsula in the middle Miocene? A test using land-mammal body size. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 228:193-202. Lucas, S.G. and G.E. Alvarado. 1995. El proboscideo Rhynchotherium blicki (Mioceno Tardío) del oriente de Guatemala. Revista Geológica de América Central 18:19-24. McGrew, P.O. 1944. An Osteoborus from Honduras. Field Museum of Natural History, Geological Series 8:75-77. MacFadden, B.J. 2006. Extinct mammalian biodiversity of the ancient New World tropics. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 21(3):157-165. MacFadden, B.J. 2006. North American Miocene land mammals from Panama. Journal of Vertebrate paleontology 26(3):720-734. MacFadden, B.J. and P. Higgins. 2004. Ancient ecology of 15-million-year-old browsing mammals within C3 plant communities from Panama. Oecologia 140:169-182. Olson, E.C. and P.O. McGrew. 1941. Mammalian fauna from the Pliocene of Honduras. Geological Society of America Bulletin 52:1219-1244. Pleistocene Vertebrates by Country Belize Czaplewski, N. J., J. Krejca, and T. E. Miller. 2003. Late Quaternary bats from Cebada Cave, Chiquibul Cave System, Belize. Caribbean Journal of Science 39:23-33. Costa Rica Acuña –Mesén R. and E. García-Diaz. 1998. Nuevo ejemplar de Cuvierionius hyodon (Proboscidea: Gomphotheriidae) del Pleistoceno de Costa Rica. Revista de Biología Tropical 46(4):1167-1172. Acuña –Mesén R. and C.A. Laurito Mora. 1996. Nueva especie de Rhinoclemmys Fitzinger, 1836, (Chelonii, Cryptodira) del Cenozoico tardío de Costa Rica. Ameghiniana 33(3):271-278.

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Alvarado, G.E. 1986. Hallazgos de megamamíferos fósiles de Costa Rica. Revista Geologíca de Ameríca Central 4:1-46. Gutierrez, F. 1963. Hallazgo de restos de un mamut. Instituto de Geografia Nacional de Costa Rica Inf. Sem. 3 (1):41-47. [mammoth in Costa Rica] Laurito Mora, C.A. 1988. Los proboscídeos fósiles de Costa Rica y su contexto en la América Central. Vínculos 14: 29 - 58. Laurito Mora, C.A. 1990. Estudio de un ejemplar de Cuvieronius hyodon hallado en el lecho del Río Nacaome, Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Revista Geológica de América Central 11: 41 - 50. Laurito Mora, C.A. 1993. Análisis topológico y sistemático del toxodonte de los Barrantes, Provincia de Alajuela, Costa Rica. Revista Geológica de América Central 16:61-68. Laurito Mora, C.A. 2003. Roedores fósiles del Pleistoceno superior de la localidad La Palmera de San carlos, Provincia de Alajuela, Costa Rica. Revista Geológica de América Central 29:43-52. Laurito Mora, C.A., and A. L. Valerio Z. 2004. Primer registro de un Platyrrhini (Alouattini) fósil del Cuaternario de Costa Rica. Revista Geológica de América Central 31:25-29. Laurito Mora, C.A., W. Valerio, and E. Vega. 1993. Nuevos hallazgos paleovertebradológicos en la Península de Nicoya: implicaciones paleoambientales y culturales de la fauna de Nacaome. Revista Geológica de América Central 16: 113 - 115. Lucas, S.G. and G.E. Alvardo. 1991a. Comentario sobre la clasificación del mastodonte de Barra Honda (Río Nacaome), Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Revista Geológica de América Central 13:97-98. Lucas, S.G. and G.E. Alvarado. 1994. The role of Central America in land vertebrate dispersal during the late Cretaceous and Cenozoic. Profil 7: 401 - 412. Lucas, S.G., G.E. Alvarado, and E. Vega. 1997. The Pleistocene Mammals of Costa Rica. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 17(2): 413 - 427. Mead, J.I., R. Cubero, A.L. Valerio Zamora, S.L. Swift, C. Laurito, and L.D. Gómez. 2006. Plio-Pleistocene Crocodylus (Crocodylia) from southwestern Costa Rica. Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment 41(1):1-7. Snarkis, M.J., H. Gamboa, and O. Fonseca. 1977. El mastodonte de Tibás, Costa Rica. Vínculos 3:1-3.

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Tristán J.F. 1920. Notas sobre los restos de un vertebrado fósil en Aguacaliente de Cartago. Revista de Costa Rica 2:337-340. Valerio Zamora, A. L., and C. A. Laurito Mora. 2004. Revisión del primer hallazgo de Eremotherium laurillardii (Xenarthra: Megatheriidae) en Costa Rica. Brenesia 62:83-87. Valerio Zamora, A. L., and C. A. Laurito Mora. 2004. Paleofauna de Aguacaliente de Cartago, Costa Rica Parte I: Equus cf. E. conversidens Owen, 1869. Revista Geológica de América Central 31:87-92. Valerio Zamora, A. L., C. A. Laurito Mora, and L.D. Gómez P. 2005. Un gliptodonte (Xenarthra, Cingulata) de la localidad de Chachagua, Provincia de Alajuela, Costa Rica. Revista Geológica de América Central 32:87-92. El Salvador Cisneros, J.C. 2005. New Pleistocene vertebrate fauna from El Salvador. Revista Brasileira de Paleontología 8(3):239-255. Larde y Larin, J. 1950. Paleontologia Salvadorena. Museo Nacional de El Salvador, Anales 1(1):69-74. Stirton, R.A. and W.K. Gealey. 1943. Fossil vertebrates from El Salvador. Journal of Paleontology 17:309. Stirton, R.A. and W.K. Gealey. 1949. Reconnaissance geology and vertebrate paleontology of El Salvador, Central America. Geological Society of America Bulletin 60:1731-1754. Tamsitt, J. and S. Perrigo (Ms.) A fossil bat (Chiroptera: Moormoopidae) from the Pleistocene of El Salvador. Webb, S.D. and S.C. Perrigo. 1984. Late Cenozoic vertebrates from Honduras and El Salvador. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 4(2):237-254. Webb, S.D. and S.C. Perrigo. 1985. New Megalonychid sloths from El Salvador. Pp. 113-120 in G.G. Montgomery (ed.). The Evolution and Ecology of Armadillos, Sloths and Vermilinguas. Smithsonian Institution Press:451 pp. Guatemala Ericastilla Godoy, S. 1992. Proyecto Paleontologico Chivicabe. Instituto De Antropología E Historia de Guatemala. Departamento de Monumentos Prehispánicos y Coloniales.

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Ericastilla Godoy, S. 1996. Proyecto Paleontologico Chivicabe. Revista Utz’ib 2(1):1525. Ericastilla Godoy, S. and M. García. 1994. Descubrimentos paleontológicos en El Rosario-Ipala, Oriente de Guatemala. Revista Utz’ib 1(7):1-18. Mook, C.C. 1959. A new Pleistocene crocodilian from Guatemala. American Museum Novitates 1975: 1-6. Woodburne, M.O. 1969. A late Pleistocene occurrence of the collared peccary, Dicotyles tajacu, in Guatemala. Journal of Mammalogy 50:121-125. Honduras Leidy, J. 1859. On a mastodon tooth from Honduras. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 2:91. Lucas, S.G. and G.E. Alvardo. 1991. El hallazgo más austral de un Mammut americanum: el caso del mastodonte de San Pedro Sula, Honduras. Revista Geológica de América Central 13:85-89. McGrew, P.O. 1942. Field Museum paleontological expedition to Honduras. Science 96:85. Nicaragua Howell, T.R. 1969. A Pleistocene vertebrate fauna from Nicaragua. Special Papers of the Geological Society of America 121:143-144. Leidy, J. 1886. Toxodon and other remains from Nicaragua. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia: 275-277. Lucas, S.G. 2004. New information on the Pleistocene mammals of Nicaragua. Current Research in the Pleistocene 21:97-98 Panama Gazin, C.L. 1957. Exploration for the remains of giant ground sloths in Panama. Smithsonian Institution Annual Report 4772:344-354. MacFadden, B.J. 2006. North American Miocene land mammals from Panama. Journal of Vertebrate paleontology 26(3):720-734. Pearson, G. A. 2005. Late Pleistocene megafaunal deposits on the Isthmus of Panama and their paleoenvironmental implications. Caribbean Journal of Science 41(1):1-13.

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Wetmore, A. 1956. The Muscovy duck in the Pleistocene of Panama. Wilson Bulletin (?) 68(4):327. Appendix 1. Price Quotes for casts of Eremotherium Bones from Valley Anatomical.

Quotation PH 818/700-8020 FX 818/998-6218

Ship To:

Quantity Item Description Unit Price Extension EREMOTHERIUM Mirabile. Giant Ground Sloth. SKELETON. CAST 13-ft/4m edentate of the Late Pleistocene Gulf of Mexico littor . 1.00MISC left and right femur 400.00 400.00 1.00MISC left and right hind foot 400.00 400.00 1.00MISC left and right hands 400.00 400.00 1.00MISC caudal vertebrae 700.00 700.00 1.00MISC right humerus, ulna and radius 450.00 450.00 1.00MISC sternum and sternal ribs 800.00 800.00 1.00MISC Thoragic ribs 150.00 150.00 1.00S034 EREMOTHERIUM MIRABILE SKULL. Giant Ground Sloth. 660.00 660.00

VALLEY ANATOMICAL PREPARATIONS 9520 OWENSMOUTH AVE UNIT 5 CHATSWORTH, CA 91311 Quote Number: 6070 Quote Date: Sep 29, 2006 Sales Rep Quoted to: GREG MCDONALD 1201 OAKRIDGE DRIVE SUITE 150 FORT COLLINS, CO 80525

Good Thru 10/29/06

Customer ID Payment Terms Page: MCDONALD G Net 30 Days

1

Total 3,960.00 Sales Tax Subtotal 3,960.00

Appendix 2. General Outline for book on Introduction to Paleontology to be prepared by INGUAT for school children.

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Proposed sections. What is paleontology? Subdisciplines of paleontology: vertebrate, invertebrate, micropaleontology, paleobotanty, ichnology. How does paleontology differ from archeology? What is a fossil? How are fossils formed? Different types of fossil preservation. Types of rocks in which fossils are found. How old is the fossil? Introduction to geological time. A Brief Introduction to the Fossil Animals of Zacapa Who was here? Each section would include a picture of the skeleton when possible and a reconstruction of the animal. Cuvieronius hyodon Mammuthus columbi Eremotherium laurillardi Glyptotherium sp. Mixotoxodon larensis Neochoerus sp. Equus sp. When did they live? What was the environment like when they lived here?

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