T180 Linking Biological Questions to Paleontological Data: Statistical Models, Technological Advancements and Conceptual Improvements I

Thursday, 29 October 2020
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Meeting Rooms

FINDING FOSSIL MELANIN: A METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK

Paper number: T180-2
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 10:15 AM – 10:30 AM

Authors

  • Maria McNamara Presenting Author
    University College Cork Biological, Earth & Environmental Scie, Cork

Abstract

The nascent field of fossil colour is one of the fastest growing fields in palaeobiology today. Its emergence has been driven, in part, by discoveries of evidence of melanin in diverse fossils that range in age from the Carboniferous to the Pliocene. Despite rapid advances in our understanding of the fossil record of melanin, recent studies have highlighted how progression of the field is stymied by several key barriers. These barriers include an incomplete understanding of certain fundamental aspects of the biology of melanin in extant vertebrates, in particular its anatomical and taxonomic distribution; other important knowledge gaps relate to the inorganic and organic chemistry of melanin, and appropriate methods for melanin detection in fossils. In this presentation I will critically appraise current approaches and methodologies used in fossil melanin research. Synthesis of best practise yields a robust methodological and analytical framework that will form an important guide for future studies.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 52, No. 6

doi: 10.1130/abs/2020AM-358697

© Copyright 2020 The Geological Society of America (GSA), all rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to the author(s) of this abstract to reproduce and distribute it freely, for noncommercial purposes. Permission is hereby granted to any individual scientist to download a single copy of this electronic file and reproduce up to 20 paper copies for noncommercial purposes advancing science and education, including classroom use, providing all reproductions include the complete content shown here, including the author information. All other forms of reproduction and/or transmittal are prohibited without written permission from GSA Copyright Permissions.