Using taphonomy to infer differences in soft tissues between taxa: an example using basal and derived forms of...

Area of Science:

• Paleontology
• Functional Morphology
• Vertebrate Anatomy

Background:

• Soft tissue preservation in fossils is rare but crucial for understanding anatomy and function.
• Pterosaurs, ancient flying reptiles, had extensive wing membranes, but soft tissue preservation is limited.
• Skeletal articulation provides indirect evidence for soft tissue structure and decay patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare soft-tissue structure and attachment differences between Pterodactylus and Rhamphorhynchus using skeletal articulation.
• To infer decay rates and patterns based on the completeness and articulation of fossil skeletons.
• To investigate variations in soft-tissue preservation across different body parts in these pterosaurs.

Main Methods:

• Semi-quantitative analysis of skeletal articulation and completeness.
• Comparison of fossil specimens of Pterodactylus (pterodactyloid) and Rhamphorhynchus (non-pterodactyloid) from Solnhofen-type deposits.
• Assessment of disarticulation patterns and preservation of specific body parts (wings, tail).

Main Results:

• Pterodactylus skeletons generally disarticulate more than Rhamphorhynchus skeletons, suggesting more advanced decay.
• Differences in decay patterns are not uniform across all body parts.
• Rhamphorhynchus often retains articulated wings as units and complete tails more frequently than Pterodactylus.

Conclusions:

• Skeletal articulation patterns reveal significant differences in soft-tissue structure and decay between Pterodactylus and Rhamphorhynchus.
• These findings highlight the importance of indirect evidence in reconstructing pterosaur soft anatomy.
• Variations in preservation suggest distinct decompositional pathways influenced by soft-tissue arrangement and attachment in different pterosaur groups.