Exceptional X-Ray contrast: Radiography imaging of a Middle Triassic mixosaurid from Svalbard.
The black shales of the Middle Triassic Botneheia Formation in Svalbard are known for their fossil richness with abundant ichthyosaur remains and beds of the bivalve Daonella. Vertebrate remains from the Muen Mountain on Edgeøya are shown to have exceptional X-ray contrast due to a combination of su...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:9c75414ad5594366a5ab2eb43a401650 2023-07-02T03:32:07+02:00 Exceptional X-Ray contrast: Radiography imaging of a Middle Triassic mixosaurid from Svalbard. Victoria S Engelschiøn Aubrey J Roberts Ruben With Øyvind Hammer 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0285939 https://doaj.org/article/9c75414ad5594366a5ab2eb43a401650 EN eng Public Library of Science (PLoS) https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0285939 https://doaj.org/toc/1932-6203 1932-6203 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0285939 https://doaj.org/article/9c75414ad5594366a5ab2eb43a401650 PLoS ONE, Vol 18, Iss 5, p e0285939 (2023) Medicine R Science Q article 2023 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0285939 2023-06-11T00:37:10Z The black shales of the Middle Triassic Botneheia Formation in Svalbard are known for their fossil richness with abundant ichthyosaur remains and beds of the bivalve Daonella. Vertebrate remains from the Muen Mountain on Edgeøya are shown to have exceptional X-ray contrast due to a combination of sulphide and sulphate permineralisation and pseudomorphing. Radiography imaging of a previously described specimen, PMO 219.250, revealed new and spectacular details such as more carpals, teeth, and skull sutures. Teeth and skull characters are taxonomically significant. supporting the referral of PMO 219.250 to Phalarodon and further suggesting an affinity to P. atavus. Three sulphur phases were identified, with the sulphide sphalerite (ZnS) being the highest temperature phase, followed by the sulphate baryte (BaSO4), and the sulphide pyrite (FeS2). Sulphate permineralisation is also seen in specimens from the Upper Jurassic on Svalbard. We suggest that sulphur-rich fluids have flowed and dissolved barium from the shales and deposited the sphalerite and baryte, and that this could be linked to the Cretaceous HALIP. The Jurassic specimens are only permineralised by baryte, while the Triassic specimens have also been permineralised, but mainly pseudomorphed by baryte with crystals of sphalerite. Lithology differences appear to have controlled the compaction of the Triassic specimens, while the Jurassic specimens have retained their three-dimensional shape due to the baryte emplacement relatively earlier in their depositional history. Although soft tissues are not preserved, the excellent X-ray contrast in the Middle Triassic specimens is reminiscent of pyritised fossil sites such as the Hunsrück Slate (Devonian), Beecher's Trilobite Bed (Ordovician), and the La Voulte-sur-Rhône marls (Jurassic). Article in Journal/Newspaper Edgeøya Svalbard Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Svalbard Edgeøya ENVELOPE(22.500,22.500,77.750,77.750) Botneheia ENVELOPE(16.500,16.500,78.300,78.300) Muen ENVELOPE(21.479,21.479,77.810,77.810) PLOS ONE 18 5 e0285939 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Medicine R Science Q |
spellingShingle |
Medicine R Science Q Victoria S Engelschiøn Aubrey J Roberts Ruben With Øyvind Hammer Exceptional X-Ray contrast: Radiography imaging of a Middle Triassic mixosaurid from Svalbard. |
topic_facet |
Medicine R Science Q |
description |
The black shales of the Middle Triassic Botneheia Formation in Svalbard are known for their fossil richness with abundant ichthyosaur remains and beds of the bivalve Daonella. Vertebrate remains from the Muen Mountain on Edgeøya are shown to have exceptional X-ray contrast due to a combination of sulphide and sulphate permineralisation and pseudomorphing. Radiography imaging of a previously described specimen, PMO 219.250, revealed new and spectacular details such as more carpals, teeth, and skull sutures. Teeth and skull characters are taxonomically significant. supporting the referral of PMO 219.250 to Phalarodon and further suggesting an affinity to P. atavus. Three sulphur phases were identified, with the sulphide sphalerite (ZnS) being the highest temperature phase, followed by the sulphate baryte (BaSO4), and the sulphide pyrite (FeS2). Sulphate permineralisation is also seen in specimens from the Upper Jurassic on Svalbard. We suggest that sulphur-rich fluids have flowed and dissolved barium from the shales and deposited the sphalerite and baryte, and that this could be linked to the Cretaceous HALIP. The Jurassic specimens are only permineralised by baryte, while the Triassic specimens have also been permineralised, but mainly pseudomorphed by baryte with crystals of sphalerite. Lithology differences appear to have controlled the compaction of the Triassic specimens, while the Jurassic specimens have retained their three-dimensional shape due to the baryte emplacement relatively earlier in their depositional history. Although soft tissues are not preserved, the excellent X-ray contrast in the Middle Triassic specimens is reminiscent of pyritised fossil sites such as the Hunsrück Slate (Devonian), Beecher's Trilobite Bed (Ordovician), and the La Voulte-sur-Rhône marls (Jurassic). |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Victoria S Engelschiøn Aubrey J Roberts Ruben With Øyvind Hammer |
author_facet |
Victoria S Engelschiøn Aubrey J Roberts Ruben With Øyvind Hammer |
author_sort |
Victoria S Engelschiøn |
title |
Exceptional X-Ray contrast: Radiography imaging of a Middle Triassic mixosaurid from Svalbard. |
title_short |
Exceptional X-Ray contrast: Radiography imaging of a Middle Triassic mixosaurid from Svalbard. |
title_full |
Exceptional X-Ray contrast: Radiography imaging of a Middle Triassic mixosaurid from Svalbard. |
title_fullStr |
Exceptional X-Ray contrast: Radiography imaging of a Middle Triassic mixosaurid from Svalbard. |
title_full_unstemmed |
Exceptional X-Ray contrast: Radiography imaging of a Middle Triassic mixosaurid from Svalbard. |
title_sort |
exceptional x-ray contrast: radiography imaging of a middle triassic mixosaurid from svalbard. |
publisher |
Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
publishDate |
2023 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0285939 https://doaj.org/article/9c75414ad5594366a5ab2eb43a401650 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(22.500,22.500,77.750,77.750) ENVELOPE(16.500,16.500,78.300,78.300) ENVELOPE(21.479,21.479,77.810,77.810) |
geographic |
Svalbard Edgeøya Botneheia Muen |
geographic_facet |
Svalbard Edgeøya Botneheia Muen |
genre |
Edgeøya Svalbard |
genre_facet |
Edgeøya Svalbard |
op_source |
PLoS ONE, Vol 18, Iss 5, p e0285939 (2023) |
op_relation |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0285939 https://doaj.org/toc/1932-6203 1932-6203 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0285939 https://doaj.org/article/9c75414ad5594366a5ab2eb43a401650 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0285939 |
container_title |
PLOS ONE |
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18 |
container_issue |
5 |
container_start_page |
e0285939 |
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