Pterosaur bone mineralization and biomarker preservation (free pdf)
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Ben Creisler
Jun 18, 2026, 2:08:17 PM (11 hours ago) Jun 18
to DinosaurMa...@googlegroups.com
Ben Creisler
A new paper:
Free pdf:
Kliti Grice, Stephen F. Poropat, Lorenz Schwark, Maria A. Diaz Mateus, Paul F. Greenwood, Luke M. Brosnan, Madison Tripp, Amy L. Elson, Andrew J.Y. Jian, Antônio A.F. Saraiva, Renan A.M. Bantim, Julien Demore, Alex I. Holman, Michael E. Böttcher, Adele H. Pentland, Robert H.C. Madden, Peter Hopper, Xiao Sun, Aaron Dodd, Arthur V. de Oliveira, Pieter T. Visscher, William D.A. Rickard, Juliana M. Sayão, Hossein Rahimpour-Bonab, Iris Schmiedinger, Victor O. Leshyk & Alexander W.A. Kellner (2026)
Multi-staged mineralization and biomarker preservation in a 113-million-year-old pterosaur bone via redox shifts in diagenesis
iScience 116199
doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2026.116199
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004226015749
Highlights
Rare fossil preserves soft tissue, minerals, and biomarkers in pterosaur bone
Acidic, oxidative decay drove early mineralization and tissue stabilization
Multi-stage mineralization protected organic molecules over deep time
First steroid evidence reveals pterosaur diet of fish and cephalopods
Summary
The combined preservation of soft tissues, biomineralized structures, and molecular biomarkers is rare; yet, such finds offer key insights into ancient physiology, ecology, and taphonomy. We integrate organic geochemical analyses with high-resolution micro-mineral imaging of a three-dimensionally preserved Cretaceous pterosaur wing phalanx from Brazil to reveal steroid biomarkers and multi-stage mineralization pathways underlying its preservation. A localized redox shift toward acidic, oxidative conditions around the carcass played a central role. Microbial decay generated acidity that promoted early phosphate mineralization (fluorapatite), stabilizing tissues. This fluorapatite is associated with barite and celestite indicating a microenvironment with enhanced microbial sulfate production. Following phosphatization, three phases of carbonate mineralization encapsulated organic compounds, protecting them from diagenetic alteration. Molecular analyses report steroids in pterosaurs, with δ13C values indicating a fish- and cephalopod-based diet, highlighting early mineralization as key to long-term biomolecule preservation.
Kliti Grice, Stephen F. Poropat, Lorenz Schwark, Maria A. Diaz Mateus, Paul F. Greenwood, Luke M. Brosnan, Madison Tripp, Amy L. Elson, Andrew J.Y. Jian, Antônio A.F. Saraiva, Renan A.M. Bantim, Julien Demore, Alex I. Holman, Michael E. Böttcher, Adele H. Pentland, Robert H.C. Madden, Peter Hopper, Xiao Sun, Aaron Dodd, Arthur V. de Oliveira, Pieter T. Visscher, William D.A. Rickard, Juliana M. Sayão, Hossein Rahimpour-Bonab, Iris Schmiedinger, Victor O. Leshyk & Alexander W.A. Kellner (2026)
Multi-staged mineralization and biomarker preservation in a 113-million-year-old pterosaur bone via redox shifts in diagenesis
iScience 116199
doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2026.116199
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004226015749
Highlights
Rare fossil preserves soft tissue, minerals, and biomarkers in pterosaur bone
Acidic, oxidative decay drove early mineralization and tissue stabilization
Multi-stage mineralization protected organic molecules over deep time
First steroid evidence reveals pterosaur diet of fish and cephalopods
Summary
The combined preservation of soft tissues, biomineralized structures, and molecular biomarkers is rare; yet, such finds offer key insights into ancient physiology, ecology, and taphonomy. We integrate organic geochemical analyses with high-resolution micro-mineral imaging of a three-dimensionally preserved Cretaceous pterosaur wing phalanx from Brazil to reveal steroid biomarkers and multi-stage mineralization pathways underlying its preservation. A localized redox shift toward acidic, oxidative conditions around the carcass played a central role. Microbial decay generated acidity that promoted early phosphate mineralization (fluorapatite), stabilizing tissues. This fluorapatite is associated with barite and celestite indicating a microenvironment with enhanced microbial sulfate production. Following phosphatization, three phases of carbonate mineralization encapsulated organic compounds, protecting them from diagenetic alteration. Molecular analyses report steroids in pterosaurs, with δ13C values indicating a fish- and cephalopod-based diet, highlighting early mineralization as key to long-term biomolecule preservation.
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