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Remarkable preservation of brain tissues in an Early Cretaceous iguanodontian dinosaur

Martin D. Brasier, David B. Norman, Alexander G. Liu, Laura J. Cotton, Jamie E. H. Hiscocks, Russell J. Garwood, Jonathan B. Antcliffe and David Wacey
Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 448, 383-398, 27 October 2016, https://doi.org/10.1144/SP448.3
Martin D. Brasier
1Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3AN, UK
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David B. Norman
2Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EQ, UK
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  • For correspondence: agscl2@cam.ac.uk dn102@cam.ac.uk
Alexander G. Liu
2Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EQ, UK
3School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
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  • For correspondence: agscl2@cam.ac.uk dn102@cam.ac.uk
Laura J. Cotton
4School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Kadoorie Biological Sciences Building, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China
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Jamie E. H. Hiscocks
5Cantelupe Road, Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex TN40 1PP, UK
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Russell J. Garwood
6School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
7Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK
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Jonathan B. Antcliffe
8Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
9Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, The Tinbergen Building, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
10Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PW, UK
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David Wacey
3School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
11Centre for Microscopy Characterisation and Analysis, and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Core to Crust Fluid Systems, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
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Abstract

It has become accepted in recent years that the fossil record can preserve labile tissues. We report here the highly detailed mineralization of soft tissues associated with a naturally occurring brain endocast of an iguanodontian dinosaur found in c. 133 Ma fluvial sediments of the Wealden at Bexhill, Sussex, UK. Moulding of the braincase wall and the mineral replacement of the adjacent brain tissues by phosphates and carbonates allowed the direct examination of petrified brain tissues. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging and computed tomography (CT) scanning revealed preservation of the tough membranes (meninges) that enveloped and supported the brain proper. Collagen strands of the meningeal layers were preserved in collophane. The blood vessels, also preserved in collophane, were either lined by, or infilled with, microcrystalline siderite. The meninges were preserved in the hindbrain region and exhibit structural similarities with those of living archosaurs. Greater definition of the forebrain (cerebrum) than the hindbrain (cerebellar and medullary regions) is consistent with the anatomical and implied behavioural complexity previously described in iguanodontian-grade ornithopods. However, we caution that the observed proximity of probable cortical layers to the braincase walls probably resulted from the settling of brain tissues against the roof of the braincase after inversion of the skull during decay and burial.

Supplementary material: Information regarding associated fossil material, and additional images, can be found at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.3519984

  • © 2017 The Author(s). Published by The Geological Society of London
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Gold Open Access: This article is published under the terms of the CC-BY 3.0 license.

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Geological Society, London, Special Publications: 448 (1)
Geological Society, London, Special Publications
Volume 448
2017
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Remarkable preservation of brain tissues in an Early Cretaceous iguanodontian dinosaur

Martin D. Brasier, David B. Norman, Alexander G. Liu, Laura J. Cotton, Jamie E. H. Hiscocks, Russell J. Garwood, Jonathan B. Antcliffe and David Wacey
Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 448, 383-398, 27 October 2016, https://doi.org/10.1144/SP448.3
Martin D. Brasier
1Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3AN, UK
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
David B. Norman
2Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EQ, UK
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: agscl2@cam.ac.uk dn102@cam.ac.uk
Alexander G. Liu
2Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EQ, UK
3School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: agscl2@cam.ac.uk dn102@cam.ac.uk
Laura J. Cotton
4School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Kadoorie Biological Sciences Building, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
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Jamie E. H. Hiscocks
5Cantelupe Road, Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex TN40 1PP, UK
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Russell J. Garwood
6School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
7Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK
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Jonathan B. Antcliffe
8Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
9Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, The Tinbergen Building, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
10Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PW, UK
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  • Search for this author on this site
David Wacey
3School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
11Centre for Microscopy Characterisation and Analysis, and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Core to Crust Fluid Systems, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site

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Remarkable preservation of brain tissues in an Early Cretaceous iguanodontian dinosaur

Martin D. Brasier, David B. Norman, Alexander G. Liu, Laura J. Cotton, Jamie E. H. Hiscocks, Russell J. Garwood, Jonathan B. Antcliffe and David Wacey
Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 448, 383-398, 27 October 2016, https://doi.org/10.1144/SP448.3
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    • Abstract
    • Methods
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    • Large-scale endocast morphology and preservation
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    • How intelligent was the Bexhill iguanodontian?
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