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Composite diagrammatic sections showing key features of bract/scale complex. (A) longitudinal section through bract/scale complex; (B) cross-section through mid-point of bract/scale complex (see 'A' for line of section); (C) cross-section at point of ovule attachment within bract/scale complex (see 'A' for line of section). 'Dashed line' , interpreted original outline. All Scale Bars = 1 mm. Legend: br, bract; brt, bract trace; iPE, internal surface of pocket forming tissue; os, ovuliferous scale; ost, ovuliferous scale trace; pft, pocket-forming tissue; po, pollen opening; ov, ovule; sc, sclerids/sclerenchyma; tt, transfusion tissue; vb, vascular bundles; vp, vascular attachment pad.
Source publication
We document a new species of ovulate cone (Pararaucaria collinsonae) on the basis of silicified fossils from the Late Jurassic Purbeck Limestone Group of southern England (Tithonian Stage: ca. 145 million years). Our description principally relies on the anatomy of the ovuliferous scales, revealed through X-ray synchrotron microtomography (SRXMT) p...
Context in source publication
Context 1
... of the ovules being ca. 40 • offset from the centre line of the seed/scale complex. The micropylar region, an elongate depression (Figs. 7G-7I), faces towards the cone axis with an offset the same as the ovule and with the chalaza distal from the cone axis (Fig. 7G). The ovules are attached at the chalaza to the inner surface of the scale tissue (Fig. 8A). The two basal most ovules are poorly preserved, preventing an analysis of their ...
Citations
... The trees are rooted in a carbonate rich clay, which overlies a hummocky thrombolitic limestone surface; thrombolites lack the fine laminations typical of stromatolitic limestone and instead have a clotted fabric (Aitken 1967;Moore and Burne 1994). Details of the geology and a geological section were given in Steart et al. (2014), updated here to clarify the inclusion of the Lulworth Formation within the Purbeck Group (Hopson et al. 2007(Hopson et al. , 2008. We tentatively equate the fossil forest at Chicksgrove Quarry with the Great Dirt Bed or the Lower Dirt Bed within the Tithonian part of the Lulworth Formation found elsewhere in southern England (e.g. ...
... However, Falaschi et al. (2011) used association evidence to link wood of Agathoxylon to cones of Pararaucaria patagonica, which were later shown to belong to Cheirolepidiaceae (Escapa et al. 2012(Escapa et al. , 2013. Ovulate cones of Cheirolepidiaceae have also been documented at Chicksgrove (Steart et al. 2014). Furthermore, the recurrent association of Agathoxylon, Frenelopsis, and Classopollis in several Albian−Cenomanian amber deposits in France and Spain is indicative of a link between Agathoxylon and Cheirolepidiaceae (Nohra et al. 2015). ...
... In formulating our whole-tree concept, we have taken account of the very close proximity of the trunk, branches, stump, and roots, and the similarities in their wood anatomy. We also considered two fossilized cones found at the same site (Steart et al. 2014) as well as the general nature of conifer foliage common in palaeosols in the Purbeck Forest of southern England (Francis 1983). Because we cannot prove physical connection among some of the parts, our whole-tree concept should be regarded as hypothetical, but we think that it is reasonably well justified. ...
We document the habit and affinity of the most complete Mesozoic Era tree to be excavated in the UK. The fossil was found in situ in a palaeosol of the Upper Jurassic Purbeck Group of southern England (Tithonian: ca. 150–145 million years). It comprises over 100 permineralized (silicified) pieces that represent a rooted stump and fallen trunk, together weighing more than two tonnes. This exceptional specimen was excavated in a manner that retained the original associations among its parts, providing a unique insight into the overall habit and mode of growth. A laser scanning approach was used to facilitate the investigation, producing the largest 3D reconstruction of a plant fossil. Anatomical details reveal that the wood belongs to the fossil-genus Agathoxylon. Despite an estimated growth age of more than 200 years, the tree was of modest size, not greatly exceeding 12 m in height. The main trunk bifurcated, developing into a decurrent, spreading crown. Its habit differed significantly from most modern arborescent conifers, which have pole-like central trunks and narrow, conical crowns, and from known growth forms in the Cheirolepidiaceae, an important extinct group of Mesozoic conifers. These findings extend our knowledge of the growth architecture of Jurassic conifers, which were prominent and diverse elements of seasonally arid, low to mid-latitude coastal communities during the Late Mesozoic.
... One of the most complete Mesozoic tree was excavated in the UK (Steart et al. in press). The fossil was found in situ in a palaeosol of the Late Jurassic Purbeck Limestone Group of southern England, associated to Hirmeriellaceae female cones Pararaucaria collinsonae Steart, Spencer, Kenrick, Needham & Hilton (Steart et al. 2014). Root, trunk and branch wood is of the Agathoxylon type (Steart et al. in press), although it was noticed that radial intertracheary pitting includes a small percentage of spaced pits and a few opposite pit pairs. ...
The Hirmeriellaceae are an extinct family of Mesozoic conifers. Their foliage has been described in the genera Brachyphyllum , Frenelopsis , Pseudofrenelopsis , etc., while their pollen corresponds to the genus Classopollis , the male cones to e.g. Classostrobus or Tomaxellia and the female scales were named Hirmeriella and Paraucaria , for example. Reproductive structures are necessary for a definite identification of the family. Such fossils are rarely found in connection with mature secondary xylem. As a result, very little is known about the wood anatomy of the Hirmeriellaceae. This work reviews available evidences, either from connections between wood and reproductive structures typical for the Hirmeriellaceae or from associations of such fossils within Mesozoic rocks. Connection cases are rare and are reported only for the Cretaceous and for genera Frenelopsis and Pseudofrenelopsis . Association cases are more numerous; however, they are also poorly distributed in time, being reported mostly from two intervals only, the latest Triassic–earliest Jurassic and the Early Cretaceous. Wood data are also poorly distributed taxonomically with most of them being from the frenelopsids. The fossil genera Agathoxylon , Brachyoxylon , Protocupressinoxylon and Protopodocarpoxylon were used for wood fossils which are more or less safely related to the Hirmeriellaceae. However, only the first two seem to have been rightly used, the first usually for juvenile or small diameter wood, the second for more mature wood. Even if there seems to be a privileged link between Brachyoxylon and the Hirmeriellaceae, it cannot be said to be exclusive.
... The order CHEIROLEPIDIALES Anderson et Anderson (Krassilov, 2009) consists of one family of Mesozoic conifers, the CHEIROLEPIDIACEAE Takhtajan. The species were large trees, woody shrubs, and possibly herbs (Steart et al., 2014). Evidence from sediments and cuticle morphology, most notably the sunken papillate stomata, indicate that the plants were adapted to xeric habitats and grew in brackish coastal mires as well as on the margin of freshwater rivers and lakes (Alvin, 1982;Steart et al., 2014). ...
... The species were large trees, woody shrubs, and possibly herbs (Steart et al., 2014). Evidence from sediments and cuticle morphology, most notably the sunken papillate stomata, indicate that the plants were adapted to xeric habitats and grew in brackish coastal mires as well as on the margin of freshwater rivers and lakes (Alvin, 1982;Steart et al., 2014). Generally, they are drought resistant, thermophilous shrubs and trees with a preference for subtropical to tropical climates, and were never dominant in cool regions (Francis, 1983;Vakhrameev, 1991). ...
... The Cheirolepidiaceae are a large family of Mesozoic conifers, plants of which were large trees, woody shrubs, and possibly herbs (Steart et al., 2014). Evidence from sediments and cuticle morphology, most notably the sunken papillate stomata, indicate that the plants were adapted to xeric habitats and grew in brackish coastal mires as well as on the margins of freshwater rivers and lakes (Alvin, 1982;Steart et al., 2014). ...
The eco-group classification based on the growth-form of plants (Eco-Plant model) is widely used for extant, Cenozoic, Mesozoic, and Paleozoic palaeoenvironmental reconstructions. However, for most Mesozoic dispersed sporomorphs, the application of the Eco-Plant model is limited, because either their assignment to a specific eco-group remains uncertain or the botanical affinities to plant taxa are unclear. A new database Sporopollen (http://www.sporopollen.com) focused mainly on Mesozoic sporomorphs is created. Currently, it has collected 100,610 sporomorph pictures, 59, 498 plant pictures, 31, 922 sporomorph descriptions. At the same time, from 63, 035 references, it has collected 2, 215, 162 occurrences for both sporomorph and non-sporomorph fossils. The collected plant data include 32, 972 genera from 946 families. The collected sporomorph pictures include 5, 857 genera.
With the help of the database, 861 dispersed Mesozoic sporomorph genera of Bryophytes, Pteridophytes, and Gymnosperms are reviewed by comparing the unique outline and structure/sculpture of the sporomorph wall with that of modern plants and in situ fossil plants. The results show that 474 of them can be linked to their closest parent plants and Eco-Plant model at family or order level, but 387 of them can not because of the lack of detailed ultrastructure descriptions. The use of a light microscope (LM) for determination is one of the main reasons that some dispersed sporomorphs cannot be linked precisely to their parent plants. The presented eco-groups for disperse Mesozoic sporomorphs provide the possibility to identify detailed vegetation and palaeoenvironmental change in the Mesozoic, especially in the context of climate change.
A new interface (http://www.sporopollen.com/sporemesozoicsegs.php?opencode=paper1) was created based on the reviewed result to quickly link the dispersed sporomorphs to past vegetation patterns and climatic changes. Users can upload their data to the database and in return get quick results. It can automatically link all of the Mesozoic and Cenozoic sporomorphs to their possible parent plants at phylum, order, or family level. It can also automatically link all of the Triassic and Jurassic sporomorphs to the Eco-Plant model to assess the effect of humidity (EPH) and the effect of temperature (EPT).
By using 30 sporomorph samples from a 10 m thick lignite bed from the Upper Triassic Haojiagou Formation (Rhaetian) as an example, the palaeovegetation and palaeoenvironment of a peat-forming wetland near the Triassic-Jurassic boundary are discussed with the help of the Eco-Plant model. The results show that the palynoflora contains both Eurasian and Gondwanan elements, and is dominated by the spores and pollen of Bennettitales, Corystospermales, Ginkgoales, and Gleicheniales. At the Triassic/Jurassic boundary (Hettangian), the palynoflora significantly changes as Cyatheales spores become the dominant elements. We analyse assemblages in terms of an Eco-Plant model, which assigns the parent plants of the palynomorphs into five groups based on humidity and four groups based on temperature, and uses multivariate statistical analyses to infer palaeoclimate and palaeoenvironmental conditions. Results suggest that the palaeoclimate of the Rhaetian was generally wet and subtropical with short seasonal drought periods. Our analysis shows that an Eco-Plant model may be a useful tool to reveal past vegetation patterns and climate changes, applicable to other Mesozoic assemblages.
... In palaeobotany, neutron tomography has proven particularly effective for differentiating the components of organically preserved fossils (Dawson et al., 2014;Mays et al., 2017aMays et al., , 2017bMays et al., , 2018Herrera et al., 2020;McLoughlin et al., 2021), while Xray tomography has yielded excellent results for silicified remains (Pika-Biolzi et al., 2000;De Beer et al., 2006;Smith et al., 2009;Gee, 2013;Rozefelds et al., 2015Rozefelds et al., , 2017. Owing to its excellent sample penetration, high energy synchrotron X-ray radiation (>10 keV) facilitates the 'virtual dissection' of plant remains within medium to large (>10 mm diameter) silicified specimens (Steart et al., 2014;Moreau et al., 2014Moreau et al., , 2015Moreau et al., , 2021McLoughlin et al., 2019). ...
Longitudinally aligned borings attributed to the ichnotaxon Dekosichnus meniscatus in the inner secondary wood of a silicified Middle–Late Jurassic conifer from Argentina contain finely granular frass particles arranged in meniscoid laminae. Synchrotron X-ray computed tomographic reconstruction of the borings reveals new characters of this ichnotaxon, such as opposing orientations of menisci in some adjacent borings, regular spacing of minor and major meniscoid laminae, a scarcity of tunnel branching, and rare occurrences of cylindrical–spherical terminal chambers on excavations. Architectural and distributional features of the galleries suggest excavation by cerambycid beetle larvae, thus representing one of the earliest potential fossil records of this group. The borings are confined to the inner wood of a young tree that experienced a moderately seasonal climate in a volcanically influenced landscape. By detecting subtle heterogeneities in composition, this study demonstrates that high-energy synchrotron X-ray tomography can characterize anatomical features and complex ecological interactions within even densely permineralized (silicified) plant fossils.
... The order CHEIROLEPIDIALES Anderson et Anderson (Krassilov, 2009) consists of one family of Mesozoic conifers, the CHEIROLEPIDIACEAE Takhtajan. The species were large trees, woody shrubs, and possibly herbs (Steart et al., 2014). Evidence from sediments and cuticle morphology, most notably the sunken papillate stomata, indicate that the plants were adapted to xeric habitats and grew in brackish coastal mires as well as on the margin of freshwater rivers and lakes (Alvin, 1982;Steart et al., 2014). ...
... The species were large trees, woody shrubs, and possibly herbs (Steart et al., 2014). Evidence from sediments and cuticle morphology, most notably the sunken papillate stomata, indicate that the plants were adapted to xeric habitats and grew in brackish coastal mires as well as on the margin of freshwater rivers and lakes (Alvin, 1982;Steart et al., 2014). Generally, they are drought resistant, thermophilous shrubs and trees with a preference for subtropical to tropical climates, and were never dominant in cool regions (Francis, 1983;Vakhrameev, 1991). ...
The ecogroup classification based on the growth-form of plants (Eco-Plant model) is widely used for extant, Cenozoic, Mesozoic, and Paleozoic paleoenvironmental reconstructions. However, for most Mesozoic dispersed sporomorphs, the application of the Eco-Plant model is limited because either their assignment to a specific ecogroup remains uncertain or the botanical affinities to plant taxa are unclear. By comparing the unique outline and structure/sculpture of the wall of dispersed sporomorph to the sporomorph wall of modern plants and fossil plants, 861 dispersed Mesozoic sporomorph genera of Bryophytes, Pteridophytes, and Gymnosperms are reviewed. Finally, 474 of them can be linked to their closest parent plants and Eco-Plant model at family or order level. Based on the demands of the parent plants to different humidity conditions, the Eco-Plant model separates between hydrophytes, hygrophytes, mesophytes, xerophytes, and euryphytes. Additionally, due to different temperature demands a separation in megathermic, mesothermic, microthermic, and eurythermic plants is possible. In the Mesozoic, both spore-producing and pollen-producing plants are adapted to different kinds of humidity. The concept to use the spore/pollen ratio to reflect the hygrophytes/xerophytes ratio is therefore questionable. The presented ecogroups for dispersed Mesozoic sporomorphs now allow identifying at least relative plant, paleoenvironmental and paleoclimate changes in Mesozoic sedimentary records.
... Cheirolepidiaceae were widespread in coastal environments at low to mid-palaeolatitudes especially during the Cretaceous (Lupia et al. 1999). They were particular constituents of low diversity floras growing under semi-arid Mediterranean-type-like palaeoclimates (Steart et al. 2014). A similar palaeoclimate preference is also assumed for some ephedroids in comparable Cretaceous assemblages. ...
Optical examination employing transmitted light and UV-fluorescence microscopy of palynological preparations of eighteen cutting samples representing the Alam El Bueib Member (Hautervian-Barremian), Kharita/lower Bahariya (Cenomanian), and Abu Roash (Turonian-Santonian) formations collected from the Faghur Hj5-1 well, north Western Desert, Egypt, allows the identification of three different palynological assemblages from the studied rock units. These assemblages are mainly non-marine but apparently marine at the base of the Alam El Bueib Member, as evidenced by dinocyst occurrence. In addition, the presence of the Pediastrum and chlorophycean algae ecozone, recognised in previous works, is a good datum for the Abu Roash Formation in the north Western Desert of Egypt. Three associations of palynofacies linked to lithofacies changes are recognised and employed in identification of depositional environments. The Alam El Bueib samples yielded mixed kerogen assemblages of non-marine and marine organic facies. The Kharita/lower Bahariya interval is mostly barren, possibly due to prevailing sandstone lithofacies, except for one sample at its upper part which contains a diverse palynological assemblage. The overlying Abu Roash Formation has a homogeneous kerogen composition comprising mainly granular fluorescent AOM and algae as well as rare palynomorphs. Qualitative as well as quantitative variations of palynofacies allow the reconstruction of the depositional environment. The obtained data have the potential for discriminating spatial and redox status differences and providing also information about terrestrial/freshwater influxes. Results support the model that the Alam El Bueib Member was deposited in a marginal dysoxic-anoxic to distal suboxic-anoxic basin. The Kharita/lower Bahariya unit in the studied well was deposited under marginal dysoxic-anoxic conditions whereas the overlying Abu Roash Formation in a distal suboxic-anoxic basin. Palynofacies results also show that the studied material comprises two distinct facies of kerogen. First, Type II > I kerogen (AOM-rich) is overwhelmingly dominant in the Abu Roash Formation and a few samples from the Alam El Bueib Member which are presumed highly oil-prone, whereas Type III kerogen (phytoclast-rich) is particularly common in the Alam El Bueib Member and Kharita/lower Bahariya unit which are considered gas-prone. Thermal maturity determinations obtained from colour changes of smooth-walled palynomorphs reveal that Alam El Bueib samples belong to immature to mature stages; however, Kharita/lower Bahariya and Abu Roash samples are within the immature phase.
... The Cheirolepidiaceae are a large family of Mesozoic conifers, plants of which were large trees, woody shrubs, and possibly herbs (Steart et al., 2014). Evidence from sediments and cuticle morphology, most notably the sunken papillate stomata, indicate that the plants were adapted to xeric habitats and grew in brackish coastal mires as well as on the margins of freshwater rivers and lakes (Alvin, 1982;Steart et al., 2014). ...
... The Cheirolepidiaceae are a large family of Mesozoic conifers, plants of which were large trees, woody shrubs, and possibly herbs (Steart et al., 2014). Evidence from sediments and cuticle morphology, most notably the sunken papillate stomata, indicate that the plants were adapted to xeric habitats and grew in brackish coastal mires as well as on the margins of freshwater rivers and lakes (Alvin, 1982;Steart et al., 2014). Generally, they are drought resistant, thermophilous shrubs and trees with a preference for subtropical to tropical climates, and were never dominant in cool regions (Francis, 1983;Vakhrameev, 1991). ...
Terrestrial deposits of the Triassic-Jurassic transition are well developed in the Junggar Basin, located in the Haojiagou Valley of Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of Northwest China. This paper describes the palynology of a 10 m thick lignite bed from the Upper Triassic Haojiagou Formation (Rhaetian) with the aim of reconstructing the palaeovegetation and palaeoenvironment of a peat-forming wetland near the Triassic-Jurassic boundary. The palynoflora contains both Eurasian and Gondwanan elements, and is dominated by the spores and pollen of Bennettitales, Corystospermales, Ginkgoales, and Gleicheniales. At the Triassic/Jurassic boundary (Hettangian), the palynoflora significantly changes as Cyatheales spores become the dominant elements. We analyse assemblages in terms of an Eco-Plant model, which assigns the parent plants of the palynomorphs into five groups based on humidity and four groups based on temperature, and uses multivariate statistical analyses to infer palaeoclimate and palaeoenvironmental conditions. Results suggest that the palaeoclimate of the Rhaetian was generally wet and subtropical with short seasonal drought periods. Our analysis shows that an Eco-Plant model may be a useful tool to reveal past vegetation patterns and climate changes, applicable to other Mesozoic assemblages.
... Most Pararaucaria species are known from permineralized cones (e.g. Escapa et al. 2013;Steart et al. 2014), including P. patagonica (e.g. Wieland, 1935;Calder, 1953;Stockey, 1977;Escapa et al., 2012). ...
A Middle-Late Jurassic fossil plant assemblage is described from the Bahía Laura Complex at the Laguna Flecha Negra locality, Santa Cruz Province. The fossil assemblage is autochthonous, preserved in volcaniclastic sediments in the fringes of a geothermal landscape. Taxonomic study of the palaeoflora revealed 17 taxa. The recognized species have been previously described in Jurassic localities of Gondwana and illustrate the diversity of plant communities that lived in a volcanic setting. The dominant elements of this flora are microphyllous conifers of the families Araucariaceae and Cheirolepidiaceae. Fossil leaves of Cycadeoidales co-dominate the community. There is a low diversity and abundance of ferns. Composition of the plant community is compared to coetaneous floras of the Bahía Laura Complex to analyse geographical variations in the diversity of Middle-Late Jurassic assemblages of Santa Cruz Province, and a relative uniformity is recognized. Forest landscapes were dominated by conifer trees, with cycadeoids as small trees or shrubs. The herbaceous understory was dominated by fern communities with low species diversity; Equisetales and Isoetales appeared as subordinated elements. Microphyllous conifers and cycadophytes, as well as a low diversity of ferns, are indicative of relatively dry weather.
... England (Steart et al. 2014). For all of these studies of permineralized fossil plants, especially for those from specimens encased in flint nodules, using synchrotron methodologies offers great potential to provide cellular level information not previously attainable through non-destructive methods. ...
La paléoflore du Jurassique moyen et supérieur du bassin parisien est documentée par un ensemble de gisements assez importants et relativement peu connus, contenant des fossiles de tous types, généralement sous forme d’empreintes avec ou sans cuticule, ou encore sous forme de silicification dans des chailles. Huit gisements historiques ou nouveaux ont été étudiés, plus quatre fossiles isolés, tous datant de l’intervalle Bathonien-Oxfordien, et répartis sur l’ensemble du bassin parisien et de ses marges. Trois gisements ont étés étudiés dans la partie Est du bassin, Il s’agit d’Arc-en-Barrois (Bathonien supérieur), d’Étrochey (Callovien inférieur et moyen) et de Laignes (Callovien moyen). Ils appartiennent tous à l’archipel de la plate-forme bourguignonne, dont les îles étaient alors couvertes d’une forêt mixte xérophytes à Brachyphyllum. Le gisement d’Auxey, situé plus au sud, près de Beaune, daté de l’Oxfordien supérieur, montre au contraire une flore de milieu humide, riche en fougères. Deux autres gisements ont été étudiés au niveau du seuil du Poitou, les flores du Callovien moyen de Sauzé-Vaussais et des environs de Poitiers, riches en bennettitales, correspondant probablement à des milieux xéromorphes assez ouverts. Enfin, deux derniers gisements ont étés étudiés dans l’ouest du bassin, sur la marge orientale du massif armoricain alors émergé, les flores du Bathonien supérieur de Mamers et de Nonant-le-Pin. Ces deux gisements correspondent à des forêts mixtes côtières à Brachyphyllum, dans un milieu également xéromorphe. Ainsi, le bassin parisien présente au Bathonien et au Callovien exclusivement des flores côtières xérophytes, correspondant à des paléoenvironnements plutôt fermés, comme sur la plate-forme bourguignonne, jusqu’à des milieux au contraire assez ouverts, comme dans le Poitou. Les flores de milieu interne, loin des côtes, ne sont pas connues pour cette période. À l’Oxfordien supérieur en revanche, la flore d’Auxey indiquerait plutôt une certaine humidification du climat, bien que de plus amples données soient nécessaires pour confirmer cette interprétation
... comm.). Synchrotron CT has yielded excellent results with palaeobotanical samples, particularly those which have been preserved via silicification (e.g., Steart et al., 2014), or with pyrite/ calcium carbonate (e.g., Spencer et al., 2017). However, even if it can be demonstrated that CT can produce comparable or better sample penetra-tion, NT appears to provide superior attenuation contrast for organically preserved specimens within common, inorganic (carbonate or silicate) sedimentary matrices. ...
Computed tomography is an increasingly popular technique for the non-destructive
study of fossils. Whilst the science of X-ray computed tomography (CT) has greatly
matured since its first fossil applications in the early 1980s, the applications and limitations
of neutron tomography (NT) remain relatively unexplored in palaeontology. These
highest resolution neutron tomographic scans in palaeontology to date were conducted
on a specimen of Austrosequoia novae-zeelandiae (Ettingshausen) Mays and Cantrill
recovered from mid-Cretaceous (Cenomanian; ~100–94 Ma) strata of the Chatham
Islands, eastern Zealandia. Previously, the species has been identified with in situ fossil
resin (amber); the new neutron tomographic analyses demonstrated an anomalously
high neutron attenuation signal for fossil resin. The resulting data provided a
strong contrast between, and distinct three-dimensional representations of the: 1) fossil
resin; 2) coalified plant matter; and 3) sedimentary matrix. These data facilitated an
anatomical model of endogenous resin bodies within the cone axis and bract-scale
complexes. The types and distributions of resin bodies support a close alliance with
Sequoia Endlicher (Cupressaceae), a group of conifers whose extant members are
only found in the Northern Hemisphere. This study demonstrates the feasibility of NT
as a means to differentiate chemically distinct organic compounds within fossils.
Herein, we make specific recommendations regarding: 1) the suitability of fossil preservation
styles for NT; 2) the conservation of organic specimens with hydrogenous consolidants
and adhesives; and 3) the application of emerging methods (e.g., neutron
phase contrast) for further improvements when imaging fine-detailed anatomical structures.
These findings demonstrate that we are still far from reaching the conceptual
limits of NT as a means of virtually extracting fossils, or imaging their internal anatomy
even when embedded within a rock matrix.
