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A non-destructive technique for chemical mapping of insect inclusions in amber

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Abstract

Synchrotron-based techniques offer a wealth of elemental, molecular, and structural insights in biological samples, but the application of these techniques to fossils is a relatively new development. Here we examine how synchrotron radiation micro X-ray fluorescence (SR µXRF) may be used to investigate the chemical composition of insects trapped in amber, while leaving the inclusions unaltered. Elemental distribution data could provide important information on tissue preservation in insect inclusions, as well as information on the processes involved in fossilization. By analyzing a series of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) that range from modern material, to Eocene Baltic amber, and Late Cretaceous North Carolina amber, we investigate how variable preservation influences the results obtained through SR µXRF analyses, as well as the various merits and pitfalls associated with the application of this technique to amber inclusions. This work serves as an introduction to the underlying principles, strengths, and limitations associated with applying SR µXRF in a palaeontological context.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank David Cooper, Isaac Pratt, and Kim Harrison (University of Saskatchewan) for their assistance in benchtop X-ray µCT scanning of amber inclusions in preparation for this project; thanks also go to Michael Engel (University of Kansas) and Victor Krynicki, for the access to the North Carolina ant specimens. We are also grateful for the valuable comments by Jörn Peckmann and one anonymous reviewer, with additions from editor-in-chief Mike Reich. The research described in this paper was performed at the CLS Anezka P. Kolaceke acknowledges the receipt of support from the CLS Graduate Student Travel Support Program and from the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research at the University of Regina.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Physics Department, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK, S4S 0A2, Canada

    Anezka Kolaceke & Mauricio Barbi

  2. Palaeontology Department, Royal Saskatchewan Museum, 2340 Albert Street, Regina, SK, S4P 2V7, Canada

    Ryan C. McKellar

  3. Biology Department, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK, S4S 0A2, Canada

    Ryan C. McKellar

  4. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, 66045, USA

    Ryan C. McKellar

Authors
  1. Anezka Kolaceke
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  2. Ryan C. McKellar
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  3. Mauricio Barbi
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Correspondence to Ryan C. McKellar.

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Handling editor: Mike Reich.

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Kolaceke, A., McKellar, R.C. & Barbi, M. A non-destructive technique for chemical mapping of insect inclusions in amber. PalZ 92, 733–741 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12542-018-0412-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12542-018-0412-x

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