Problematic species: color patterns revealed by UV light as a character for systematics in mollusc fossils - an example from the Hellenic region. Koskeridou E., Thivaiou D.
This document summarizes a study examining the use of ultraviolet (UV) light to reveal color patterns in mollusc fossils from Rhodes, Greece as a tool for systematics. The study focused on fossils from the Glycymeris genus found at the Faliraki section of Rhodes. Under UV light, the fossils displayed distinct color patterns that could differentiate similar Glycymeris species. This non-destructive method provides a new systematic character for identifying fossil mollusc species based on their residual UV-revealed color patterns.
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Problematic species: color patterns revealed by UV light as a character for systematics in mollusc fossils - an example from the Hellenic region. Koskeridou E., Thivaiou D.
1. NATIONAL AND KAPODISTRIAN UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS
FACULTY OF GEOLOGY & GEO-ENVIRONMENT
DEPARTMENT OF HISTORICAL GEOLOGY & PALEONTOLOGY
PROBLEMATIC SPECIES:
COLOR PATTERNS REVEALED
BY UV LIGHT AS A
CHARACTER FOR
SYSTEMATICS IN MOLLUSC
FOSSILS
– AN EXAMPLE FROM THE HELLENIC REGION –
4. The Glycymeris genus
• Paralic environment
• Symmetrical valves
• Isomyarian
• Straight umbo
• Taxodont teeth
Problems with identification and
characterization of species
5. Biometry
• Typological
descriptions
• Shape descriptions
length = f (width) for Glycymeris
violascens (grey), regression
coefficient: R2=0.876;
length = f (width) for two fossil
species of the Middle Lutetian,
Glycymeris pulvinata (orange) and
Glycymeris dispar (blue) (regression
coefficients: R2(G. pulvinata)=0.949;
R2(G.dispar)=0.969)
8. UV light : the method
• Color patterns have
been used for 200 years
• UV light method was
first described in 1967
• It has been
successfully used by
Caze (2010) on fossils
from the Paris Basin
Photo by Caze, 2010
9. UV light : the method
• First ever application to Greek fossils from Rhodes
(good preservation of the specimens)
• The specimens have important morphological
similarities
• Preliminary step: sodium hypochlorite (bleach)
bath for the re-oxidation of the residual pigments
10. UV Light : Results
• Color patterns can differentiate and define similar
species
Photo of G. dispar under UV light Photo of G. violascens under UV light
11. UV Light
Photo of G. violascens under UV light Schematic shape of the color pattern
of G. violascens
12. CONCLUSIONS
• Fast retrieval of results
• Non-destructive method
• Characterization of the color pattern of the
studied species
• Residual coloration can be used as a
systematic character on fossil species
Common fossil taxon Forms large fossil beds We found it in Rhodes We wanted to see if there was one or more species in the bed because the morphospace of G. violascens is not very well known, for that we used UV light. We also wanted to compare the results to another Glycymeris species in order to have a better idea as far as the validity of the method is concerned.
The range of sizes for the three species is different, and in order to read the data more easily we present it in two different figures. The descriptor R 2 (varience) shows the differences between the global shapes of the shells, it is very similar for the two lutetian species, but different from g. violascens : illustration of the global difference of the shape of the shells. Τυπολογικές περιγραφές διαστάσεις της θυρίδας. Η παράμετρος R 2 περιγράφει το κάθε είδος, και δείχνει τη διαφορά μεγέθους σε σχέση με το μέσο όρο μεγέθους στη διάρκεια της οντογένεσης. Είναι η διαφορά της κλίσης του άξονα y που μπορεί να δείξει κάποια διαφορά στα σχήματα ειδών του γένους αυτού. Σε αυτή τη περίπτωση όμως δεν βλέπουμε κάτι τέτοιο μιας και τα είδη έχουν πολλές ομοιότητες. Επομένως η βιομετρία δεν είναι μια μέθοδος που μπορεί να βγάλει σαφή και σημαντικά αποτελέσματα.
Σημερινά είδη glycymeris από τη μεσόγειο, να φαίνονται οι χρωματικές διαφορές τους έντονα θα δείξουμε πως ισχύει το ίδιο πράγμα και στα σημερινά
Πως χρησιμοποιείται η μέθοδος
Proposition of a model for characterazing the color patterns of this bivalve genus.
The fact that this method is non-destructive allows not only to work on collected material but also on collections. Residual coloration on fossils used as it is used on recent species + it is useful to work on species that also have known fossils in order to make sure that the method works.