Modes of fossil preservation

Schopf, James M.

doi:10.1016/0034-6667(75)90005-6

Cited by 272 publications

(122 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…Permineralization results from the early infiltration and permeation of tissues by mineralizing aqueous solutions [18]. In contrast, authigenic mineralization is often a product of biological tissues decay by bacterial activity; therefore, the types of minerals depend on the chemical composition of the sediment and the environmental conditions when bacterial decay occurred [19].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

New Insights in the Ontogeny and Taphonomy of the Devonian Acanthodian Triazeugacanthus affinis From the Miguasha Fossil-Lagerstätte, Eastern Canada

2015

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Progressive biomineralization of a skeleton occurs during ontogeny in most animals. In fishes, larvae are poorly mineralized, whereas juveniles and adults display a progressively more biomineralized skeleton. Fossil remains primarily consist of adult specimens because the fossilization of poorly-mineralized larvae and juveniles necessitates exceptional conditions. The Miguasha Fossil-Lagerstätte is renowned for its Late Devonian vertebrate fauna, revealing the exceptional preservation of fossilized ontogenies for 14 of the 20 fish species from this locality. The mineralization of anatomical structures of the acanthodian Triazeugacanthus affinis from Miguasha are compared among larval, juvenile and adult specimens using Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry. Chemical composition of anatomical structures of Triazeugacanthus reveals differences between cartilage and bone. Although the histology and anatomy is well-preserved, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry shows that the original chemical composition of bone is altered by diagenesis; the mineral phase of the bone (i.e., hydroxyapatite) is modified chemically to form more stable carbonate-fluorapatite. Fluorination occurring in mineralized skeletal structures of adult Triazeugacanthus is indicative of exchanges between groundwater and skeleton at burial, whereas the preservation of larval soft tissues is likely owing to a rapid burial under anoxic conditions. The exceptional state of preservation of a fossilized ontogeny allowed us to characterize chemically the progressive mineralization of the skeleton in a Devonian early vertebrate.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

New Insights in the Ontogeny and Taphonomy of the Devonian Acanthodian Triazeugacanthus affinis From the Miguasha Fossil-Lagerstätte, Eastern Canada

2015

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“…Scott (1989Scott ( , 2000 determined that a range of temperatures in wildfires, above and below ground, would result in a complete range of charred to uncharred material with different reflectance values, and that there is "no need to invoke 'oxidative processes' other than fire" (Scott, 1989, p. 469) in the formation of fusinite. However, Schopf (1975) noted that a charcoal origin can occasionally be proven for fusain, but this does not prove that all fusain formed due to conflagration or isolated peat fires. Sen (1999) proposed that the precursor of fusinite originates from the residual lignin-rich cell walls of plant debris, and semifusinite from the partial removal of the cellulosic layer.…”

Section: Inertinitementioning

confidence: 98%

On the fundamental difference between coal rank and coal type

O’Keefe

Bechtel

Christanis

et al. 2013

International Journal of Coal Geology

274

104

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“…Permineralisation arises from "permeation of tissue by mineral charged water" (Schopf, 1975) with subsequent mineral precipitation that initially fills in the pore space, but gradually also replaces the tissue in the cell walls. Most examples of permineralisation involve silica and permineralised fossils are known as petrification (Fig.…”

Section: Biological Tissue Replacementmentioning

confidence: 99%