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From tree to shining sea: taphonomy of the arboreal lizard Geiseltaliellus maarius from Messel, Germany

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Abstract

Much has been written about the palaeoenvironment of the middle Eocene fossil Lagerstätte of Messel, Germany, and of the taphonomy of the vertebrates found in it, but taphonomic phenomena among the reptiles in this locality are virtually unstudied. The iguanid Geiseltaliellus maarius is the most common lizard species in Messel. We present taphonomic data for this species and analyse it. Specimens of G. maarius can be divided into three preservation classes, one of which is distinguished purely by decompositional phenomena. Most specimens sank quickly to the bottom of Lake Messel after entering it, but one floated for some time prior to emplacement. In theory, overlying pressure should not preclude the accumulation of gases of decay in submerged carcasses. In one specimen, such gases appear to have built up intracoelomically for many weeks, but did not cause the carcass to rise because of overlying water pressure. Eruption of the gases through the oral and cloacal openings, possibly initiated by a coincident turbidity current, scattered the bones of the skull, the pelvic region, and the proximal part of the tail. G. maarius had evolved a form of intervertebral urotomy (pseudoautotomy), which is indicative of arboreal habits. The waxy substance adipocere, formed after breakdown of fat, has been neglected in discussions of taphonomy, but may constitute an important factor in stabilising carcasses and enabling three-dimensional preservation before diagensis.

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Notes

  1. The Henry coefficient, k H , is 29.41 for CO2 in H2O at standard temperature (298.15 K). It is temperature-dependent, and approximate means (van ’t Hoff equations) are available for correcting it. We could assume some large quasi-arbitrary temperature difference between the standard and bottom water (say, 15 K = 15°C, based on some temperature profiles of Rabenstein et al. 2004 and seasonality of Grein et al. 2011b) and calculate accordingly, but this correction would increase solubility by only 50%.

  2. Liquids and solids have very similar densities, so there is little reason to think that liquids produced intracoelomically by autolysis or putrefaction would distend the body.

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Acknowledgments

For discussions, we are grateful to Torsten Rossmann (Wiesbaden), Achim Reisdorf (Basel) and Jörg Habersetzer (Frankfurt). Kurt Goth (Dresden) kindly supplied the photomicrograph of Tetraedron. A. Reisdorf pointed out to us many very interesting, obscure papers. Anika Vogel (Frankfurt) assembled the figures and took all the photographs of G. maarius except that of the holotype, which was photographed by Wolfgang Fuhrmannek (Darmstadt). Preparation of the lizards was conducted by various people, most recently the difficult preparation of SMF ME 11304 and 11380 by Bruno Behr (Messel). Finally, we thank the reviewers (James Gardner, Rainer Schoch) as well as Achim Reisdorf for their careful readings and suggestions for improvement.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Paleoanthropology and Messel Research, Senckenberg Research Institute, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

    Krister T. Smith

  2. Referat Erdgeschichte, Generaldirektion Kulturelles Erbe Rheinland-Pfalz, Große Langgasse 29, 55116, Mainz, Germany

    Michael Wuttke

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  1. Krister T. Smith
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  2. Michael Wuttke
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Correspondence to Krister T. Smith.

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This article is a contribution to the special issue "Taphonomic processes in terrestrial and marine environments"

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Smith, K.T., Wuttke, M. From tree to shining sea: taphonomy of the arboreal lizard Geiseltaliellus maarius from Messel, Germany. Palaeobio Palaeoenv 92, 45–65 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12549-011-0064-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12549-011-0064-2

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