Soft Tissue Preservation

[Mike Taylor <mike@tecc.co.uk>]

> Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2001 16:50:40 +0000
> From: bh480@scn.org
> 
> Because of at least one personal request, here's a quick 
> (and less than perfect) translation of the German text of 
> the article (somebody else may do better!):
> [...]
> The preparation of the fossil was done entirely under 
> ultraviolet light.  Besides the excellently preserved skin 
> impressions of the wing and flight surfaces, previously 
> unknown soft-tissue structures in the head region and on 
> the feet were brought to light. Thus the researchers not 
> only exposed the remains of  the bizarre dermal comb on 
> top of the head --similar to that known from other 
> pterosaurs-- but could detect for the first time a horny 
> beak-sheath on the tips of the jaws.

I've been wondering for a while whether it's possible that soft-tissue
preservation is much more common than we realise, and the problem is
mainly one of knowing what to look for.  Then I came across this
oldish DML message (I'm catching up on some stuff that I missed) which
seems to indicate that there may be something in this.  Anyone care to
comment?

If preparing under UV light is one way to help identify soft tissue,
then might there be others?

BTW., speaking of soft tissue (er, or probably quite hard tissue,
under the circumstances :-) I'm surprised no-one's commented yet on
the alleged copulating oviraptors.  It seems too good to be true.  Is
it?  Is the whole thing just a hoax so obvious that everyone except me
is just discarding it?

... and just as the _Thescelosaurus_ with the alleged heart got its
own website, www.dinoheart.org, someone should start thinking about a
site for the oviraptors.  I've checked and www.dinowilly.org is still
free -- better snap it up before it gets squatted :-)

... and once this specimen is properly prepared, it can go on display
alongside the famous _Velociraptor_-and-_Protoceratops_ fossil, in the
"F****ing Dinosaurs" exhibition.  (I mean "Fornicating", of course :-)

[OK, enough with the jokes already.  I'll stop now before Mickey or
Mary comes down on me!]

 _/|_    _______________________________________________________________
/o ) \/  Mike Taylor   <mike@miketaylor.org.uk>   www.miketaylor.org.uk
)_v__/\  "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" --
         Romans 12:21