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  1. Abstract

    The rare earth element (REE) composition of a fossil bone reflects its chemical alteration during diagenesis. Consequently, fossils presenting low REE concentrations and/or REE profiles indicative of simple diffusion, signifying minimal alteration, have been proposed as ideal candidates for paleomolecular investigation. We directly tested this prediction by conducting multiple biomolecular assays on a well-preserved fibula of the dinosaurEdmontosaurusfrom the Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation previously found to exhibit low REE concentrations and steeply-declining REE profiles. Gel electrophoresis identified the presence of organic material in this specimen, and subsequent immunofluorescence and enzyme-linked immunosorbant assays identified preservation of epitopes of the structural protein collagen I. Our results thereby support the utility of REE profiles as proxies for soft tissue and biomolecular preservation in fossil bones. Based on considerations of trace element taphonomy, we also draw predictions as to the biomolecular recovery potential of additional REE profile types exhibited by fossil bones.

     
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  2. Abstract

    Osteological correlates preserve more readily than their soft tissue counterparts in the fossil record; therefore, they can more often provide insight into the soft tissue anatomy of the organism. These insights can in turn elucidate the biology of these extinct organisms. In this study, we reconstruct the pelvic girdle and hind limb musculature of the giant titanosaurian sauropodDreadnoughtus schranibased on observations of osteological correlates and Extant Phylogenetic Bracket comparisons. Recovered fossils ofDreadnoughtusexhibit remarkably well‐preserved, well‐developed, and extensive muscle scars. Furthermore, this taxon is significantly larger bodied than any titanosaurian for which a myological reconstruction has previously been performed, rendering this contribution highly informative for the group. All 20 of the muscles investigated in this study are sufficiently well supported to enable reconstruction of at least one division, including reconstruction of the M. ischiocaudalis for the first time in a sauropod dinosaur. In total, 34 osteological correlates were identified on the pelvic girdle and hind limb remains ofDreadnoughtus, allowing the reconstruction of 14 muscles on the basis of Level I or Level II inferences (i.e., not Level I' or Level II' inferences). Comparisons among titanosaurians suggest widespread myological variation, yet potential phylogenetic and other paleobiologic patterns are often obscured by fragmentary preservation, infrequent myological studies, and lack of consensus on the phylogenetic placement of many taxa. However, a ventrolateral accessory process is present on the preacetabular lobe of the ilium in all of the largest titanosauriforms that preserve this skeletal element, suggesting that the presence of this process (representing the origin of the M. puboischiofemoralis internus part II) may be associated with extreme body size. By identifying such myological patterns among titanosauriforms, we can begin to address specific evolutionary and biomechanical questions related to their skeletal anatomy, how they were capable of leaving wide‐gauge trackways, and resulting locomotor attributes unique to this clade.

     
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