Topology-Based Three-Dimensional Reconstruction of Delicate Skeletal Fossil Remains and the Quantification of Their Taphonomic Deformation
Authors
Demuth, OE
Benito, J
Tschopp, E
Lautenschlager, S
Mallison, H
Heeb, N
Field, DJ
Publication Date
2022Journal Title
Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
ISSN
2296-701X
Publisher
Frontiers Media SA
Volume
10
Language
en
Type
Article
This Version
VoR
Metadata
Show full item recordCitation
Demuth, O., Benito, J., Tschopp, E., Lautenschlager, S., Mallison, H., Heeb, N., & Field, D. (2022). Topology-Based Three-Dimensional Reconstruction of Delicate Skeletal Fossil Remains and the Quantification of Their Taphonomic Deformation. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 10 https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2022.828006
Abstract
<jats:p>Taphonomic and diagenetic processes inevitably distort the original skeletal morphology of fossil vertebrate remains. Key aspects of palaeobiological datasets may be directly impacted by such morphological deformation, such as taxonomic diagnoses and phylogenetic hypotheses, interpretations of the shape and orientation of anatomical structures, and assessments of interspecific and intraspecific variation. In order to overcome these ubiquitous challenges we present a novel reconstruction workflow combining retopology and retrodeformation, allowing the original morphology of both symmetrically and asymmetrically damaged areas of fossils to be reconstructed. As case studies, we present idealised three-dimensional reconstructions of the sternum of the crownward stem-bird <jats:italic>Ichthyornis dispar</jats:italic>, and cervical vertebrae of the diplodocid sauropod <jats:italic>Galeamopus pabsti</jats:italic>. Multiple <jats:italic>Ichthyornis</jats:italic> sterna were combined into a single, idealised composite representation through superimposition and alignment of retopologised models, and this composite was subsequently retrodeformed. The <jats:italic>Galeamopus</jats:italic> vertebrae were individually retrodeformed and symmetrised. Our workflow enabled us to quantify deformation of individual specimens with respect to our reconstructions, and to characterise global and local taphonomic deformation. Our workflow can be integrated with geometric morphometric approaches to enable quantitative morphological comparisons among multiple specimens, as well as quantitative interpolation of “mediotypes” of serially homologous elements such as missing vertebrae, haemal arches, or ribs.</jats:p>
Keywords
Ecology and Evolution, retrodeformation, 3D modelling, taphonomy, reconstruction, dinosaurs, Ichthyornis, Galeamopus, skeletal deformation
Sponsorship
MRC (MR/S032177)
Identifiers
External DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2022.828006
This record's URL: https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/335876
Rights
Licence:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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