Synchrotron phase-contrast microtomography of coprolites generates novel palaeobiological data

Abstract Coprolites (fossil faeces) reveal clues to ancient trophic relations, and contain inclusions representing organisms that are rarely preserved elsewhere. However, much information is lost by classical techniques of investigation, which cannot find and image the inclusions in an adequate mann...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Martin Qvarnström, Grzegorz Niedźwiedzki, Paul Tafforeau, Živil Žigaitė, Per E. Ahlberg
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Publishing Group 2017-06-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-02893-9
Description
Summary:Abstract Coprolites (fossil faeces) reveal clues to ancient trophic relations, and contain inclusions representing organisms that are rarely preserved elsewhere. However, much information is lost by classical techniques of investigation, which cannot find and image the inclusions in an adequate manner. We demonstrate that propagation phase-contrast synchrotron microtomography (PPC-SRμCT) permits high-quality virtual 3D-reconstruction of coprolite inclusions, exemplified by two coprolites from the Upper Triassic locality Krasiejów, Poland; one of the coprolites contains delicate beetle remains, and the other one a partly articulated fish and fragments of bivalves.
ISSN:2045-2322