View source for Como Bluff

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox NRHP
| name            = Como Bluff
| nrhp_type       =
| image           = Como Bluff.jpg
| caption         = Multicolored (variegated) beds of the Morrison Formation at Como Bluff, Wyoming. Many historical dinosaur sites are located along the flanks of the bluff. The Sundance Formation is visible as the reddish beds at the base of the bluff.
| location        = taken near Aurora Lake (a.k.a. Como Lake).
| nearest_city    = Rock River-Medicine Bow
| coordinates     = {{coord|41|54|58|N|106|03|51|W|name=Como Bluff|region:US_type:landmark|display=title}}
| locmapin        = Wyoming#USA
| area            =
| built           =
| architect       =
| architecture    =
| added           = January 18, 1973
| visitation_num  =
| visitation_year =
| refnum          = 73001925
| mpsub           = 
}}

'''Como Bluff''' is a long ridge extending east–west, located between the towns of [[Rock River, Wyoming|Rock River]] and [[Medicine Bow, Wyoming|Medicine Bow]], [[Wyoming]]. The ridge is an [[anticline]], formed as a result of compressional geological folding. Three geological formations, the [[Sundance Formation|Sundance]], the [[Morrison Formation|Morrison]], and the [[Cloverly Formation|Cloverly]] Formations, containing [[fossil]] remains from the Late Jurassic of the [[Mesozoic Era]], are exposed.

Nineteenth-century [[paleontologists]] discovered many well-preserved specimens of dinosaurs, as well as mammals, turtles, crocodilians, and fish from the Morrison Formation. Because of this, Como Bluff is considered to be one of the major sites for the early discovery of [[dinosaur]] remains. Among the species discovered is the only known specimen of ''[[Coelurus]]''.  Significant discoveries were made in 22 different areas scattered along the entire length of the ridge. It is included on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] as well as the [[National Natural Landmark]] list.

== History of discovery ==
[[File:The bone cabin at Como Bluff.jpg|thumb|The [[Fossil Cabin]] at Como Bluff, built in 1932 from broken dinosaur bones.]]

The discovery of dinosaurs at Como Bluff has been recounted numerous times, most notably by Schuchert and LeVene,<ref>Schuchert, C., and LeVene, C.M. 1940. O.C.Marsh, Pioneer in Paleontology. Yale University Press, New Haven.</ref> Shur,<ref>Shur, E. 1974. The Fossil Feud. Exposition Press, NY. 340p.</ref> [[John Ostrom|Ostrom]] and McIntosh,<ref>Ostrom, J. H., and McIntosh, J.S. 1966. Marsh's Dinosaurs: The Collections from Como Bluff. Yale University Press, New Haven.</ref> and Jaffe.<ref>Jaffe, M. 2000. The Gilded Dinosaur. Crown Publ., New York.</ref> Most of the specimens were collected by men working for [[O.C. Marsh]] between 1877 and 1889, although some were collected by the Hubbel brothers for [[Edward Drinker Cope|E.D. Cope]] between 1879 and 1880.<ref>McCarren, Mark J.  ''The Scientific Contributions of Othniel Charles Marsh,'' pp 1, 8, 19-20, Peabody Museum of Natural History, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. {{ISBN|0-912532-32-7}}.</ref> The [[American Museum of Natural History]] (AMNH) excavated in 1897 [http://paleo.amnh.org/reports/1897.html]-1898 [http://paleo.amnh.org/reports/1898.html], finding two partial skeletons of sauropods. A summary of the quarries and their contents is given below.

In later years, the American Museum of Natural History and [[Yale University]] jointly reopened Quarry 9, the Mammal Quarry, 1968–1970, finding only a few specimens.<ref>Prothero, D.R. 1981. New Jurassic mammals from Como Bluff, Wyoming, and the interrelationships of non-tribosphenic Theria. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 167: 281:325</ref> More recently, [[Robert Bakker]] has done some collecting there with a variety of groups.

In addition to the major significance of dinosaur discoveries at Como Bluff, the site has also been the source of significant early mammal fossils.  In early 1878, [[Othniel Charles Marsh|Marsh]] was ecstatic to find that one of his men had uncovered a fossil from a Jurassic mammal.  Within a year, the historic Quarry 9 at Como was discovered, producing an astounding 250 specimens, which increased the knowledge of Jurassic mammals exponentially.<ref>McCarren, Mark J.  ''The Scientific Contributions of Othniel Charles Marsh,'' pp 1, 7-8, 19-20, Peabody Museum of Natural History, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. {{ISBN|0-912532-32-7}}.</ref>

== Como Bluff historical quarries (pre-1900) ==
Data source:.<ref>Ostrom and McIntosh</ref>
<ref>Carrano, M.T., and Velez-Juarbe, J. 2006. Paleoecology of the Quarry 9 vertebrate assemblage from Como Bluff, Wyoming (Morrison Formation, Late Jurassic). Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 237:147-159.</ref> 
.<ref>Foster, J.R. 2003. Paleoecological analysis of the vertebrate fauna of the Morrison Formation (Upper Jurassic), Rocky Mountain region, USA. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science 23:1-95.</ref>
.<ref>[http://paleo.amnh.org/fossil/seek.html Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History|] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070224071935/http://paleo.amnh.org/fossil/seek.html |date=2007-02-24 }}</ref> 
(h)= [[holotype]]

===AMNH Quarries===
Excavated by the [[American Museum of Natural History]]

====AMNH Quarry 1====
;[[Dinosaur]]ia
:[[Saurischia]]
::[[Sauropoda]]
:::''[[Diplodocus]]'' sp

====AMNH Quarry 2====
;Dinosauria
:Saurischia
::Sauropoda
:::''[[Brontosaurus|Brontosaurus excelsus]]''
:::''[[Camarasaurus]]'' sp,

====AMNH localities unknown==== 
(some could be from Quarry 1 or 2)
;Reptilia
:[[Testudines]]
::Amphichelydia
:::''[[Glyptops|Glyptops plicatus]]''
:[[Squamata]]
::?[[Sauria]] indeterminant
::[[Lacertilia]]
:::''[[Paramacellodus]]'' sp.
:[[Choristodera]]
:::''[[Cteniogenys|Cteniogenys antiquus]]''
:[[Crocodilia]]
::[[Mesosuchia]]
:::''[[Goniopholis]]'' sp.

===Frederick Brown's Quarries===

====Brown's Quarry A====
;Dinosauria
:[[Ornithischia]]
::[[Stegosauria]]
:::''[[Stegosaurus]]'' sp.

====Brown's Quarry B====
;Dinosauria
:Ornithischia
::Stegosauria
:::''Stegosaurus'' sp.

====Brown's Quarry C====
;Dinosauria
:Saurischia
::[[Theropoda]]
:::''[[Allosaurus|Allosaurus fragilis]]''

====Brown's Quarry D====
;Dinosauria
:Saurischia
::Theropoda
:::''Allosaurus fragilis''

====Brown's Quarry G====
;Dinosauria
:Saurischia
::Sauropoda
:::''Camarasaurus'' sp.

===Arthur Lakes Quarry 1A. (Big Canyon Quarry)===
Excavated by [[Arthur Lakes]].
;Dinosauria
:Saurischia
::Theropoda
:::''Allosaurus'' sp.
::Sauropoda
:::''Camarasaurus'' sp.
:Ornithischia
::[[Ornithopoda]]
:::''Camptosaurus amplus'' (h) (now ''[[Allosaurus]]'' sp.)

===E.D. Cope's Quarries===
Excavated by [[Edward Drinker Cope]]

====Cope's Quarry 3====
;Dinosauria
:Saurischia
::Theropoda
:::''Allosaurus'' sp.

====Cope's Quarry 4====
;Dinosauria
:Saurischia
::Theropoda
:::''Allosaurus'' sp.
:Ornithischia
::Stegosauria
:::''Stegosaurus'' sp.

====Cope's Quarry 5====
;Reptilia
:[[Pterosauria]]
:::''[[Dermodactylus|Dermodactylus montanus]]''
;Dinosauria
:Saurischia
::Sauropoda
:::''[[Apatosaurus]]'' sp.

====Cope's localities unknown==== 
(could be from Quarry 1, 2)
;Reptilia
:Testudines
::Amphichelydia
:::''[[Dinochelys]]'' sp.
:::''Glyptops plicatus''
:Crocodilia
::Mesosuchia
:::''Goniopholis'' sp.
;Dinosauria
:Ornithischia
::Ornithopoda
:::?''[[Camptosaurus]]'' sp.
::Stegosauria
:::''Stegosaurus'' sp.
;[[Mammalia]]
:genus and species indeterminant

===William Harlow Reed's Quarries===
Excavated by [[William Harlow Reed]].

==== Reed's Quarry 1====
;Dinosauria
:Saurischia
::Theropoda
:::''Allosaurus atrox'' (h) (now ''Allosaurus fragilis'')
::Sauropoda
:::''[[Camarasaurus|Camarasaurus grandis]]'' (h)
:::''Camarasaurus impar'' (h) (now ''Camarasaurus grandis'')
:::''Camarasaurus robustus'' (h) (now ''Camarasaurus grandis'')
:::''Pleurocoelus montanus'' (h) (now ''Camarasaurus grandis'')
:::''Diplodocus'' sp.
;Mammalia
:::genus and species indeterminant

====Reed's Quarry 1 ½====
;Dinosauria
:Saurischia
::Theropoda
:::''Allosaurus fragilis''
::Sauropoda
:::genus and species indeterminant

====Reed's Quarry 2====
;Dinosauria
:Saurischia
::Sauropoda
:::''Apatosaurus'' sp.

====Reed's Quarry 3====
;Dinosauria
:Saurischia
::Theropoda
:::''Allosaurus lucaris'' (h) (now ''Allosaurus'' sp.)
::Sauropoda
:::''Camarasaurus grandis''
:Ornithischia
::Ornithopoda
:::''[[Dryosaurus]]'' sp.
::Stegosauria
:::''Stegosaurus'' sp.

====Reed's Quarry 4====
;Dinosauria
:Saurischia
::Theropoda
:::''Allosaurus fragilis''
::Sauropoda
:::''Apatosaurus'' sp.
:::''Barosaurus'' sp.
:::''Camarasaurus'' sp.
:Ornithischia
::Stegosauria
:::''Stegosaurus'' sp.

====Reed's Quarry 5====
;Reptilia
:Pterosauria
:::''Dermodactylus montanus'' (h) (now ''[[nomen dubium]]'')
;Dinosauria
:Saurischia
::Sauropoda
:::''Diplodocus'' sp.
:Ornithischia
::Ornithopoda
:::''Dryosaurus altus'' (h)

====Reed's Quarry 6====
;Reptilia
:Crocodylia
::Mesosuchia
:::''Goniopholis'' sp.

====Reed's Quarry 7 (Three Trees Quarry)====
;Dinosauria 
:Ornithischia
::Ornithopoda
:::''[[Laosaurus|Laosaurus consors]]'' (h) (now ''[[Othnielosaurus|Othnielosaurus consors]]'')

====Reed's Quarry 8====
;Reptilia
:Testudines
::genus and species indeterminant
:Crocodilia
::Mesosuchia
:::''Goniopholis'' sp.
;Dinosauria
:Saurischia
::Theropoda
:::''Allosaurus'' sp.
:::''[[Coelurus|Coelurus fragilis]]''
::Sauropoda
:::''Camarasaurus'' sp.
:::''Diplodocus'' sp.
:Ornithischia
::Stegosauria
:::''Stegosaurus'' sp.

====Reed's Quarry 9 (Mammal Quarry)====
;[[Osteichthyes]]
:[[Actinopterygii]]
::genus and species indeterminant
:[[Amiiformes]]
::''[[Ophiopsis]]'' sp.
:[[Sarcopterygii]]
::[[Dipnoi]]
:::''[[Ceratodus (genus)|Ceratodus guentheri]]''
;[[Amphibia]]
:[[Frog|Anura]]
:::''[[Comobatrachus|Comobatrachus aenigmatis]]''
::Discoglossoidea
:::''[[Enneabatrachus|Enneabatrachus hechti]]''
::[[Pelobatidae]] indeterminant
::[[Pipoidea]]?
:::''[[Eobatrachus|Eobatrachus agilis]]'' (h)
:[[Caudata]]
::genus and species indeterminant
::''[[Comonecturoides|Comonecturoides marshi]]'' (h)
;Reptilia
:Testudines
::Amphichelydia
:::''[[Dinochelys|Dinochelys whitei]]''
:::''Glyptops ornatus''
:Squamata
::?Sauria indeterminant
::Lacertilia
:::''[[Dorsetisaurus]]'' sp.
:::''[[Paramacellodus]]'' sp.
:[[Rhynchocephalia]]
:::''[[Opisthias|Opisthias rarus]]'' (h)
:::''[[Theretairus|Theretairus antiquus]]'' (h)
:Choristodera
:::''Cteniogenys antiquus'' (h)
:Crocodylia
::[[Sphenosuchia]]
:::''[[Macelognathus|Macelognathus vagans]]'' (h)
::Mesosuchia
:::''Goniopholis'' sp.
;Dinosauria
:Saurischia
::Theropoda
:::''Allosaurus fragilis''
:::''[[Ceratosaurus|Ceratosaurus nasicornis]]''
:::''Coelurus fragilis''
:::''[[Ornitholestes|Ornitholestes hermanni]]''?
::[[Tyrannosauroidea]]
:::''[[Stokesosaurus|Stokesosaurus clevelandi]]''?
::Sauropoda
:::[[Macronaria]] indeterminant
:::[[Diplodocidae]] indeterminant
:Ornithischia
::Ornithopoda
:::''Othnielosaurus consors''
:::''Dryosaurus'' sp.
:::''Camptosaurus'' sp.
:Stegosauria
:::''Stegosaurus'' sp.
:Pterosauria
::[[Rhamphorhynchoidea]]
:::''[[Laopteryx|Laopteryx priscus]]'' (h) (now ''nomen dubium'')
;Mammalia
:[[Docodonta]]
::[[Docodontidae]]
:::''[[Docodon|Docodon affinis]]'' (h)
:::''Docodon crassus'' (h)
:::''Docodon striatus'' (h)
:::''Docodon superus'' (h)
:::''Docodon victor'' (h)
:[[Multituberculata]]
::[[Allodontidae]]
:::''[[Ctenacodon|Ctenacodon laticeps]]'' (h)
:::''Ctenacodon scindens'' (h)
:::''Ctenacodon serratus'' (h)
:::''[[Psalodon|Psalodon fortis]]'' (h)
:::''Psalodon potens'' (h)
:::?''Psalodon marshi'' (h)
:[[Triconodonta]]
::[[Amphilestidae]]
:::''[[Aploconodon|Aploconodon comoensis]]'' (h)
:::''[[Comodon|Comodon gidleyi]]'' (h)
::[[Triconodontidae]]
:::''[[Priacodon|Priacodon ferox]]'' (h)
:::''Priacodon grandaevus'' (h)
:::''Priacodon lulli'' (h)
:::''Priacodon robustus'' (h)
:::''[[Trioracodon|Trioracodon bisulcus]]'' (h)
:[[Symmetrodonta]]
::[[Amphidontidae]]
:::''[[Amphidon|Amphidon superstes]]'' (h)
::[[Tinodontidae]]
:::''[[Tinodon|Tinodon bellus]]'' (h)
:::''[[Eurylambda|Eurylambda aequicrurius]]''
:[[Dryolestida]]
::[[Dryolestidae]]
:::''[[Amblotherium|Amblotherium gracilis]]'' (h)
:::''[[Dryolestes|Dryolestes priscus]]''
:::''Dryolestes obtusus'' (h)
:::''Dryolestes vorax'' (h)
:::''[[Laolestes|Laolestes eminens]]'' (h)
:::''Laolestes'' (''Melanodon'') ''goodrichi'' (h)
:::''Laolestes'' (''Melanodon'') ''oweni'' (h)
:::''[[Miccylotrans|Miccylotyrans minimus]]'' (h)
::[[Paurodontidae]]
:::''[[Araeodon|Araeodon intermissus]]'' (h)
:::''[[Archaeotrigon|Archaeotrigon brevimaxillus]]'' (h)
:::''Archaeotrigon distagmus'' (h)
:::''[[Comotherium|Comotherium richi]]'' (h)
:::''[[Euthlastus|Euthlastus cordiformis]]'' (h)
:::''[[Paurodon|Paurodon valens]]'' (h)
:::''[[Tathiodon|Tathiodon agilis]]'' (h)

====Reed's Quarry 10====
;Dinosauria
:Saurischia
::Sauropoda
:::''Brontosaurus excelsus'' (h)

====Reed's Quarry 11====
;Dinosauria
:Saurischia
::Sauropoda
:::''Apatosaurus amplus'' (h) (now ''Brontosaurus excelsus'')
:Ornithischia
::Stegosauria
:::''Stegosaurus duplex'' (h) (now ''Stegosaurus ungulatus'')
;Mammalia
:genus and species indeterminant

====Reed's Quarry 12 (Robbers' Roost Quarry)====
;Reptilia
:Testudines
::genus and species indeterminant
:Crocodylia
::Mesosuchia
:::''Goniopholis'' sp.
;Dinosauria
:Saurischia
::Theropoda
:::''Allosaurus'' sp.
:::''Torvosaurus tanneri''
:::''Coelurus'' sp.
:::''[[Fosterovenator|Fosterovenator churei]]''
::Sauropoda
:::''Camarasaurus'' sp.
:::''Diplodocus'' sp.
:Ornithischia
:ornithopoda
::genus and species indeterminant
:Stegosauria
:::''Stegosaurus ungulatus'' (h)

====Reed's Quarry 13====
;Reptilia
:Testudines
::Amphichelydia
:::''Glyptops plicatulus''
:Crocodylia
::Mesosuchia
:::''Goniopholis'' sp.
;Dinosauria
:Saurischia
::Theropoda
:::''Coelurus agilis'' (h) (part of ''Coelurus fragilis'' holotype)
:::''Coelurus fragilis'' (h)
:Saurischia
::Sauropoda
:::?''[[Brachiosaurus]]'' sp.
:::''Camarasaurus lentus'' (h)
:::''Diplodocus'' sp.
:Ornithischia
::Ornithopoda
:::''Camptonotus dispar'' (h) (now ''Camptosaurus dispar'')
:::''Camptosaurus medius'' (h)
:::''Camptosaurus nanus'' (h)
:::''Camptosaurus browni'' (h)
:::''Dryosaurus'' sp.
::Stegosauria
:::''Diracodon laticeps'' (h) (now ''Stegosaurus'' sp.)
:::''Stegosaurus sulcatus'' (h)
:::''Stegosaurus stenops''
:::''Stegosaurus ungulatus''

====Reed Quarry 14====
;Dinosauria
:Saurischia
::Theropoda
:::''Allosaurus ferox'' (h) (now ''Allosaurus fragilis'')

== See also ==
* [[List of fossil sites]] ''(with link directory)''

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category-inline}}
*[http://wiki.wyomingplaces.org/w/page/12714826/Como%20Bluffs Como Bluffs fossil quarries]
*[https://wyoshpo.wyo.gov/index.php/programs/national-register/wyoming-listings/view-full-list/426-como-bluff-2
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20130921171650/http://www.medicinebow.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=113-fossil-cabin-museum Dinosaur Fossil Cabin Museum]

{{NRHP in Albany County, Wyoming}}
{{NRHP in Carbon County, Wyoming}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Ridges of Wyoming]]
[[Category:Landforms of Albany County, Wyoming]]
[[Category:Landforms of Carbon County, Wyoming]]
[[Category:Jurassic geology of Wyoming]]
[[Category:Morrison Formation]]
[[Category:Paleontology in Wyoming]]
[[Category:National Natural Landmarks in Wyoming]]
[[Category:Natural features on the National Register of Historic Places in Wyoming]]
[[Category:1970s in paleontology]]
[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Albany County, Wyoming]]