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Webinar | Benchtop μXRF: An exciting tool for anatomical studies of fossil bony fishes - Dr. Ane Elise Schrøder

Mercoledì 27 aprile 2022 ore 16:00
Pubblicato: Martedì 19 aprile 2022 da Giuseppe Marramà
Immagine

Micro-X-ray fluorescence (μXRF) is becoming a popular tool in different fields of Earth sciences, although the full potential of this technology within palaeontology remains to be explored. In paleoichthyology, anatomical descriptions necessary for taxonomic identification of fossil fishes requires specialist knowledge and often still relies solely on traditional studies using a conventional stereomicroscope.

The earliest Eocene (Ypresian) Fur Formation of northwestern Jutland, Denmark, contains a wealth of exquisitely preserved, often complete articulated fish fossils. Bony fishes are one of the most well-represented groups of macrofossils of the Fur Formation in terms of both abundance and diversity. Nevertheless, it is also the fossil group with the least publications from the formation. Only a few taxonomic studies have been realized to date and none of these covers the most abundant fish species from the Fur Formation. Until now, the Fur Formation has been appreciated primarily within Denmark when, indeed, the palaeontological and geobiological value is of global interest.

The quality of preservation, sedimentary matrix, and type of fossil preparation (if any) are all factors affecting the presence and accessibility of meristic, morphometric and anatomical features useful for systematic purposes. This is the first comprehensive study, which uses non-destructive benchtop μXRF-element mapping as a novel scientific tool to expose fossil fish anatomical features, which are commonly not accessible by means of traditional studies.



Ane Elise Schrøder 
(Industrial PhD student) Natural History Museum of Denmark and Museum Mors

Ane Elise Schrøder is a biologist and palaentologist. During her bachelor- and master
studies, she aimed to couple biology and geology in a broader context with the main
foci being on palaeontology, taxonomy and palaeoecology of brachiopod faunas from
Late Cretaceous (Campanian and Maastrichtian) and Paleogene (Danian) of
Denmark and Sweden. After graduating with her master’s degree in 2013 from Copenhagen
University, she has been employed at a number of research institutions in
Denmark. Currently, she is employed as an industrial PhD student (Natural History
Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen University and Museum Mors), studying the
exquisitely preserved fish fossil fauna from the Fur Formation of northern Denmark.

Contacts: geoseminar.dst@unito.it

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Ultimo aggiornamento: 19/04/2022 17:51
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