Skip to Main Content
 

Global Search Box

 
 
 
 

Files

File List


ohiou1337781667.pdf (10.62 MB)

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

Heads and Skulls as Sediment Sorters: An Actualistic, CT-Based Study in Taphonomy

Daniel, Joseph C.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1337781667

Abstract Details

2012, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, Biological Sciences (Arts and Sciences).
Reconstruction of extinct animals is hampered by lack of soft-tissue preservation. To test the hypothesis that sediment interacts with soft tissue during burial in predictable ways that may be of use in reconstructions, 29 ostrich heads in fresh, desiccated, rotten, or cleaned conditions were buried in two flumes; a short, deep-water flume with slow-moving water and a shallow-water flume with fast-moving water, designed to emulate common burial conditions in alluvial systems. After an initial CT scan, two heads from each setup (16 total) were reburied for seven months and then rescanned. Sediment was examined to confirm patterns detected by CT. Primary void space was retained in all conditions, especially within the tympanic recesses, increasing after prolonged burial, allowing crude estimates of burial conditions to be predicted. Sediment drapes overlay fresh and rotten heads in the shallow flume and to a lesser extent desiccated heads, but only rotten heads developed any drapes in the deep flume. Decompositional outgassing only partially disrupted external patterns in long-term-burial scans. Most internal soft-tissue patterns were obliterated by decomposition, although rostral conchae and auditory canals were still visible. Fat readily became adipocere, which is highly resistant to decay and can potentially be preserved as sediment traces. The best patterns were preserved in rotten or desiccated heads. These data indicate sediment patterns may be preserved in fossils that may reflect soft tissue and that may help to refine interpretations of fossils, although not enough for detailed information for reconstructions. Void space origins and taphonomic implications for fossil preservation may be determined. Reassessments of published fossils include the preserved intestinal track of Scipionyx as a potential impacted bowel, preservation of a dinosaur “heart” is contraindicated, and possible conchae within Panoplosaurus. The presence of feathers on Sinornithosaurus and Sinosauropteryx is supported, but not strongly, and the chance of preserved internal organs in dinosaur mummies is low, although epidermal tissues and peripheral structures are high. Questions remain why some fossils show exceptional preservation while others in similar situations do not.
Lawrence Witmer, PhD (Advisor)
Patrick O'Connor, PhD (Committee Member)
Susan Williams, PhD (Committee Member)
Gregory Nadon, PhD (Committee Member)
350 p.
Biology; Geobiology; Geological; Geology; Paleontology
soft-tissue preservation; fossilization; integument; paleontology; biostratinomy; void space

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Daniel, J. C. (2012). Heads and Skulls as Sediment Sorters: An Actualistic, CT-Based Study in Taphonomy [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1337781667

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Daniel, Joseph. Heads and Skulls as Sediment Sorters: An Actualistic, CT-Based Study in Taphonomy. 2012. Ohio University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1337781667.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Daniel, Joseph. "Heads and Skulls as Sediment Sorters: An Actualistic, CT-Based Study in Taphonomy." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio University, 2012. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1337781667

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ohiou1337781667
995
© 2012, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Ohio University and OhioLINK.