RT Journal Article
T1 The mineralization of dinosaur soft tissue in the Lower Cretaceous of Las Hoyas, Spain
A1 Briggs, D. E. G.
A1 Wilby, P. R.
A1 Pérez-Moreno, B. P.
A1 Sanz, J. L.
A1 Fregenal Martínez, María Antonia
AB The mineralized soft tissue of a dinosaur, only the second discovery of its kind, is reported from the Lower Cretaceous of Las Hoyas, Spain. Cellular details of mineralized skin and muscle of Pelecanimimus are replicated in an iron carbonate. The outline of this ornithomimosaur is preserved by a phosphatized microbial mat that enshrouded the carcass. It confirms the existence of either a throat pouch or dewlap, and soft occipital crest. This study confirms the importance of microbial mats in the fossilization of soft tissues and emphasises the need for careful monitoring of vertebrate remains for mineralized soft tissues prior to acid preparation.
PB The Geological Society
SN 0016-7649
YR 1997
FD 1997
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/122905
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/122905
LA eng
NO Briggs, D. E. G., Wilby, P. R., Pérez-Moreno, B. P., Sanz, J. L., & Fregenal-Martínez, M. (1997). The mineralization of dinosaur soft tissue in the Lower Cretaceous of Las Hoyas, Spain. Journal of the Geological Society, 154(4), 587-588. https://doi.org/10.1144/gsjgs.154.4.0587
NO Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha
NO Dirección General de Investigación Científica y Técnica (España)
NO European Community
DS Docta Complutense
RD 23 mar 2026