Taphonomy and palaeohistology of ornithischian dinosaur remains from the Lower Cretaceous bonebed of La Cantalera (Teruel, Spain)

Perales-Gogenola, L. ; Elorza, J. ; Canudo, J.I. (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Pereda-Suberbiola, X.

Resumen: The fossiliferous site of La Cantalera-1 (Teruel, Spain) has to date provided remains of more than 30 vertebrate taxa, including dinosaurs, crocodyliforms, pterosaurs, mammals, lizards, turtles, lissamphibians and teleosteans. Located in the lower part of the Blesa Formation (lower Barremian), it is one of the richest vertebrate-bearing deposits from the Lower Cretaceous of the Iberian Peninsula. In this work, taphonomic and palaeohistological studies are carried out on the basis of ornithischian (Ornithopoda and Ankylosauria) dinosaur samples in order to assess the diagenetic processes, to characterize the histological microstructures and, if possible, to make palaeobiological inferences about the state of maturation of the individuals. A variety of techniques are used in the taphonomic study, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), cathodoluminescence (CL), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and ultraviolet fluorescence (UVF). The bone of the dinosaur samples has been converted into francolite (fluorapatite carbonate); the trabecular cavities are filled with semi-spherical forms of goethite and two different phases of calcite. In addition, the SEM and UVF techniques suggest the activity of coccoid-form bacteria and filaments of bacterial origin (biofilms?) in the bones, which possibly favoured fossilization. The dinosaur remains were subjected to fossil-diagenetic processes in a phreatic environment after a rapid burial, without appreciable seasonality effects. On the other hand, the palaeohistological study of both skeletal and dermal bones found in La Cantalera-1 shows a community of herbivorous dinosaurs composed mostly of immature ornithopods and at least one Polacanthus-like ankylosaur, as suggested by the organizational pattern of structural collagen fibres seen in some samples. The palaeobiological inferences drawn from this study support previous interpretations of a relative abundance of immature ornithischians in La Cantalera-1.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.1016/j.cretres.2019.01.024

Año: 2019

Publicado en: Cretaceous Research 98 (2019), 316-334
ISSN: 0195-6671

Factor impacto JCR: 1.854 (2019)

Categ. JCR: PALEONTOLOGY rank: 18 / 55 = 0.327 (2019) - Q2 - T1
Categ. JCR: GEOLOGY rank: 13 / 47 = 0.277 (2019) - Q2 - T1

Factor impacto SCIMAGO: 0.967 - Paleontology (Q1)

Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/DGA/Grupos de Referencia
Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MINECO-FEDER/CGL2017-85038-P

Tipo y forma: Article (PostPrint)

Área (Departamento): Área Paleontología (Dpto. Ciencias de la Tierra)