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The value of X-ray approaches in the study of the Messel fruit and seed flora

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Abstract

X-ray tomographic methods have been evaluated for their suitability to visualise morphology and anatomy of fossil fruits and seeds preserved in the oil shale of the Middle Eocene Messel Formation (former Lake Messel, near Darmstadt, Germany). Micro-computed tomography (microCT) is suitable for evaluation of gross morphology and tissue preservation. Synchrotron radiation X-ray tomographic microscopy (SRXTM) enables visualisation of gross morphology, tissues, and their detailed cellular structure. Of 30 taxa studied, only 4 exhibit good cellular detail. The reason for lack of detail in other taxa is unclear but may be related to subtle variations in chemical composition or physical structure of their tissues. X-ray tomographic data also permit structures, such as locule casts, to be visualised, giving additional features for comparison with other extinct and extant taxa. X-ray tomography has revealed important features of Messel specimens, which have (1) provided key taxonomic characters and supported recognition of new taxa, some of which are the earliest fossil representatives of modern genera (Pleiogynium, Anacardiaceae; Berchemia, Rhamnaceae), (2) demonstrated the absence of modifications for epizoochory in this flora, and (3) revealed aspects of exceptional preservation relevant to mammal and bird diet (e.g. soft tissue in fruits of Vitaceae).

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Karin Schmidt and Martin Müller at the Senckenberg Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseum in Frankfurt am Main (SFN) for their technical help and enthusiastic support for all aspects of our work on Messel material. Sarah Joomun and Nathan Sheldon are thanked for their assistance with work at the TOMCAT beamline. Funding was provided from the Integrated Infrastructure Initiative (I3) on Synchrotrons and FELs through SLS to M.E.C. and S.Y.S. Richie Abel helped with the early stages of CT work at the Natural History Museum. Avizo work by D.S.F.F. and B.E.R. was undertaken in partial fulfillment of the requirements for degrees (BSc and MSci, respectively) of Royal Holloway University of London. This work was undertaken by S.Y.S during the tenure of a fellowship from the Michigan Society of Fellows, which is gratefully acknowledged. We much appreciated helpful comments on the manuscript from Rolf Mathewes and one anonymous referee.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey, TW20 0EX, UK

    Margaret E. Collinson, Brittany E. Robson & David S. F. Ford

  2. Honorary Research Fellow, Department of Palaeontology, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, UK

    Margaret E. Collinson

  3. Corresponding member Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Senckenberganlage 25, Frankfurt am Main, 60325, Germany

    Margaret E. Collinson

  4. Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences and Museum of Paleontology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA

    Selena Y. Smith

  5. Florida Museum of Natural History, Dickinson Hall, University of Florida, Museum Rd & Newell Dr, Gainesville, FL, 32611-7800, USA

    Steven R. Manchester

  6. Sektion Paläobotanik, Senckenberg Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseum, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

    Volker Wilde

  7. Department of Mineralogy, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, UK

    Lauren E. Howard

  8. Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232, Villigen, Switzerland

    Federica Marone, Julie L. Fife & Marco Stampanoni

  9. Computational Materials Laboratory, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Lausanne, 1015, Switzerland

    Julie L. Fife

  10. Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University and Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich, Zürich, 8092, Switzerland

    Marco Stampanoni

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  1. Margaret E. Collinson
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  2. Selena Y. Smith
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  3. Steven R. Manchester
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  4. Volker Wilde
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  6. Brittany E. Robson
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  7. David S. F. Ford
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  8. Federica Marone
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  9. Julie L. Fife
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  10. Marco Stampanoni
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Correspondence to Margaret E. Collinson.

Additional information

This article is a contribution to the special issue "Messel and the terrestrial Eocene - Proceedings of the 22nd Senckenberg Conference"

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Collinson, M.E., Smith, S.Y., Manchester, S.R. et al. The value of X-ray approaches in the study of the Messel fruit and seed flora. Palaeobio Palaeoenv 92, 403–416 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12549-012-0091-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12549-012-0091-7

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