34 Paleontology

Wednesday, 11 March 2026
8:30 AM - 10:00 AM
RCC, 103

Characterizing Taphonomy of Reptilian Gut Contents

Paper number: 34-2
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 9:00 AM – 9:15 AM

Authors

Abstract

Gut contents represent direct evidence of trophic interactions, but postmortem decomposition, disarticulation, and transport can make differentiating partially digested material from incidental associations challenging. An ongoing study on reptilian decomposition has provided the unique opportunity to compare the taphonomy of gut contents with associated invertebrate remains. Sixty specimens of Salvator merianae, four specimens of Alligator mississippiensis, and two dismembered specimens of Osteolaemus tetraspis have been exposed to decay naturally in a partially wooded clearing in eastern Tennessee, USA. Gut contents were identified during the early stages of decomposition. Among the crocodylian specimens, hair and gastroliths have been imaged, but not collected so as to not interrupt this experiment. Gut contents of S. merianae specimens were collected after three years with minimal disturbance to the ongoing decomposition experiment, along with superficially associated gastropods that underwent similarly timed decomposition and weathering within the study area. The collected material included snail shell and bird eggshell fragments. All specimens were then photographed using a digital camera before and after a weak hydrogen peroxide acid bath ranging between 3 hours to 32 hours. A selection of specimens were then imaged using a scanning electron microscope, to better visualize the surface modifications. Many of the snail shell fragments recovered from a single S. merianae specimen showed surface modification consisting of acid etching, appearing as small perforations and rounded edges. In contrast, specimens that underwent only weathering exhibit sharp fractures along the edges. Eggshell fragments found in specimen S. merianae #30 were characterized by rounded edges. These results document an under-studied taphonomic process and show that alteration from the digestive system is distinguishable from weathering morphology. This research contributes to a broader understanding of digestive taphonomy and improves paleobiological interpretations of trophic interactions and digestive processes of extinct vertebrates. 

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 58, No. 1

doi: 10.1130/abs/2026SE-411815

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