临夏盆地晚中新世鸵鸟化石的特异保存

李志恒, 艾莉达, Thomas A. STIDHAM, 王敏, 邓涛

Exceptional preservation of an extinct ostrich from the Late Miocene Linxia Basin of China

LI Zhi-Heng, Alida M. BAILLEUL, Thomas A. STIDHAM, WANG Min, DENG Tao

Fig. 4 Photographs of the fragment of fossil ostrich trachea (IVPP V 25336) A. photograph of the fragment (outlined in blue) prior to extraction; B. first histological cross section of the fragment seen under transmitted light; C. same image seen under polarized light, some brown material, potentially original soft-tissues with remnants of organic molecules is on top of the trachea; D. close-up of unaffected bone with no evidence of bacterial invasion; E. close-up of unaffected bone with dendritic structures (yellow arrows); F. partially demineralized bone with dendritic structures (yellow arrows) They emanate from the osteocyte lacunae, but are also present directly on the bone matrix so they may represent some type of diagenetic recrystallization Abbreviations: BOM. potential brown organic matter; OL. osteocyte lacuna; Trach. tracheal ring; ub. unaltered bone matrix