Molecular preservation in Late Cretaceous sauropod dinosaur eggshells

Exceptionally preserved sauropod eggshells discovered in Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) deposits in Patagonia, Argentina, contain skeletal remains and soft tissues of embryonic Titanosaurid dinosaurs. To preserve these labile embryonic remains, the rate of mineral precipitation must have superseded po...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Proceedings of the Royal Society. B, Biological sciences Biological sciences, 2005-04, Vol.272 (1565), p.775-784
Main Authors: Schweitzer, M.H, Chiappe, L, Garrido, A.C, Lowenstein, J.M, Pincus, S.H
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Antibodies
Antigens
Antigens - chemistry
Antiserum
Argentina
Bones
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs
Dinosaurs - embryology
Dinosaurs - genetics
Dinosaurs - immunology
Egg Shell - chemistry
Egg Shell - diagnostic imaging
Egg Shell - ultrastructure
Eggs
Eggshell
Eggshells
Elements
Embryo
Embryo, Nonmammalian - chemistry
Embryo, Nonmammalian - ultrastructure
Fossils
Histology
Immunohistochemistry
Materials
Microscopy, Electron
Palaeoimmunology
Paleontology - methods
Radiography
Reactivity
Skin - ultrastructure
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Exceptionally preserved sauropod eggshells discovered in Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) deposits in Patagonia, Argentina, contain skeletal remains and soft tissues of embryonic Titanosaurid dinosaurs. To preserve these labile embryonic remains, the rate of mineral precipitation must have superseded post-mortem degradative processes, resulting in virtually instantaneous mineralization of soft tissues. If so, mineralization may also have been rapid enough to retain fragments of original biomolecules in these specimens. To investigate preservation of biomolecular compounds in these well-preserved sauropod dinosaur eggshells, we applied multiple analytical techniques. Results demonstrate organic compounds and antigenic structures similar to those found in extant eggshells.
ISSN:0962-8452
1471-2954
DOI:10.1098/rspb.2004.2876