Lichen bioerosion on fossil vertebrates from the Cenozoic of Patagonia and Antarctica
- Author:
- Acosta Hospitaleche C., Márquez G., Pérez L.M., Rosato V. & Cione A.L.
- Year:
- 2011
- Journal:
- Ichnos
- Pages:
- 18: 1-8
- Url:
Different traces occur on fossil bones and teeth coming from
the Early Miocene Gaiman Formation (Patagonia, Argentina).
Most traces were attributed to the action of terrestrial and marine
predators and scavengers. However, other traces on bones and
teeth from this unit and one tooth from the Eocene La Meseta
Formation (Antarctica) are attributed to chemical corrosion by
lichens in recent times, that is, in a very late diagenetic time. The
living lichens and calcium oxalate deposits occurring on the traces
and their particular pattern indicates that they were not produced
by vegetal roots. The lichens include reproductive structures which
allowed a proper determination. A kind of corrosion pattern
(Type 1) on bones and teeth from Patagonia is associated to
Sarcogyne orbicularis K¨orber, Verrucaria sp. Schrad, and Buellia
aff. punctiformis (Hoff.) Massal. The lichen Aspicilia aff. aquatica
produced rounded holes on an Antarctic tooth (Type 2). On the
same tooth, the epilithic lichen Caloplaca sp. Th. Fries did not
leave any kind of mark on the enameloid.
Keywords Bioerosion, Lichen, Taphonomy, Patagonia, Antarctica.
- Id:
- 22462
- Submitter:
- zdenek
- Post_time:
- Friday, 07 December 2012 09:26