1. GUIDELINES FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF FOSSIL
REMAINS OF PALAEONTOLOGICAL INTEREST IN MEXICO:
OBJECTIVE AND APPLICATION STATUS
*Felisa J. Aguilar Arellano
Rosalía Guerrero-Arenas
Eduardo Jiménez-Hidalgo
Leticia Alvarado-Mendoza
*Corresponding autor: felisa_aguilar@inah.gob.mx
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2. The National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) is the
Mexican federal agency in charge of the preservation and
protection of palaeontological assets, based on Article 28BIS of the
Federal Law on Archaeological, Artistic and Historic Monuments
and Zones.
The Palaeontological Council (ConPal) is a consultative-
chartered organ of the general direction of INAH.
The ConPal is made up of researchers and professors in
palaeontology, who represent the institutions invited by the
general direction of INAH; its mission is to generate guidelines to
regulate research, teaching, and the use of fossils of
palaeontological interest.
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3. First actions
It is necessary to reduce the loss of paleontological heritage, as well as the application
of the Federal Law on Archaeological, Artistic and Historic Monuments and Zones; the
ConPal began with the regulation of research activities
In this way, the “Guidelines for the investigation of fossil remains of palaeontological
interest in Mexico” were created. For this, the stages of prospecting, excavation,
restoration-conservation, study, and protection were considered. This is intended to
establish precautionary protection measures for movable and immovable assets of
paleontological interest.
This document was elaborated by the ConPal and submitted for approval to the INAH
Regulatory Improvement Commission (COMERI-INAH, by its acronym in Spanish) on
December 15, 2020, and published in the Normateca INAH in February 2021
(https://www.normateca.inah.gob.mx/pag/index.php).
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4. • CHAPTER I – Research
• CHAPTER II - Projects for the
investigation of vestiges or fossil
remains of palaeontological interest,
format and characteristics for their
development.
• CHAPTER III - On the development of
research on fossil remains or remains
of palaeontological interest in Mexico
• CHAPTER V (sic) -Criteria of
Palaeontological Interest
• CHAPTER VI (sic) - Safeguarding of
Palaeontological Assets in Collections
• CHAPTER VII (sic) - Registration of
palaeontological localities or
palaeontological immovable
properties.
• CHAPTER VIII (sic) – Publications
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Guidelines for the investigation of fossil remains of
palaeontological interest in Mexico
It is made up of generalprovisions and seven chapters with their associated
formats.
5. The document addresses a
typology to characterize
the palaeontological
assets in Mexico. That is
the capacity of a fossil or
set of fossils to provide
scientific information,
educational importance,
its aesthetic, social, and/or
cultural value. These
criteria justify their study,
protection, and
conservation.
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Criteria of palaeontological interest
Features
Type A Specimens representing biological types, with a remarkable
scientific importance (figure 1).
Type B Unique, rare or exceptionally complete specimens, with
potential for future studies (figure 2).
Type C Specimens whose study can complement research from other
disciplines. Precious specimens in museography or for their
educational use. Copies of site museum collections (figure 3).
Type D Abundant specimens of recognized and studied species, well
represented in collections. Its removal does not imply an
irreparable loss of the paleontological heritage (figure 4).
6. Examples of criteria of palaeontological interest
Figure 1. Type A. Two specimens of the mouse
Gregorymys mixtecorum . The one above is the specimen
UMPE-260, Holotype (Ortiz-Caballero et al. 2020). The
one below is the specimen UMPE-716, Syntype of
Gregorymys mixtecorum. (Photo by E. Jiménez-Hidalgo,
Universidad del Mar).
Figure 2. Type B. Semi-articulated
hadrosaur tail recovered in General Cepeda,
Coahuila, Mexico. (Photo by Paleontology
Section, Centro INAH Coahuila).
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7. Figure 3. Type C. This represents
Plastotype of the pterosaur
Muzquizopterix coahuilensis sheltered by
the Museum of Paleontology of Muzquiz.
(from the archive of Paleontology
section, Centro INAH Coahuila).
Figure 4. Type D. Fragment of
horse palate of the state of
Chihuahua. (from the archive of
Paleontology section, Centro INAH
Coahuila).
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Examples of criteria of palaeontological interest
8. Sites of paleontological interest, what remains to be done
Figure 5. Several examples of rock deposits
exploited for commercial use, as part of their
formation were favorable environments to present
the fossilization process.
(from the archive of Paleontology section, Centro
INAH Coahuila).
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The ConPal recommend carrying out studies in the case of rocks and substrates
exploited commercially that contain fossil remains, by appointing a specialist
who will determine the conducting processes (figure 5).
9. The safekeeping collections
For the collections, parameters are established to identify the type of organization and the guarantee
of safeguarding the recovered and studied fossils. These collections can be different (didactic,
scientific, exhibition, or private), and depending on their characteristics, they are cataloged in six
categories, ranging from 1 to 6.
Category 1 is the one that has the ideal elements for the
functioning and adequate protection of the specimens (figure 7).
Category 6 is the one that only has a physical space without
curatorship (figure 8).
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Figure 7. Colección Nacional de Paleontología,
Instituto de Geología, UNAM
(Cristín & Perrilliat, 2011).
Figure 8. Museo de Paleontología de Rincón Colorado
Museo comunitario
(Photo by Sección de Paleontología, Centro INAH Coahuila).
10. Starting to have data to analyze
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(Aguilar-Arellano & Alvarado Mendoza, 2020)
Since the reinstatement of the
ConPal, it began to receive research
projects and reports on fossils
and/or palaeontological localities.
Some researchers have registered
their collections and localities
(Chapter VII). However, if we
consider the territorial extension,
the percentage of compliance of
the academy in palaeontology with
the normative framework is low
(figures 9 & 10).
11. 0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Academic institutions that carry out paleontological research in Mexico
Figure 9. Representation of the institutions that carry out paleontological research and that
have presented projects in the ConPal Plenary. 11
12. 1
5
1
6
2
30
1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Palaeontological research projects presented to the ConPal
2017-2021
Figure 10. Representing the different institutions and the number of paleontological research
projects that have been presented to the Paleontology Council in the period 2017-2021. 12
13. An invitation
We will know the situation of paleontology research, as well as the
problems that exist in the paleontological collections and localities,
with the application of the guidelines. In addition, it will allow
establishing the measures to preserve and conserve paleontological
assets that are so required, thereby ensuring their investigation,
protection, and conservation, as well as their educational and/or
tourist use.
The document is available online in the website of INAH:
https://www.consejopaleontologia.inah.gob.mx/consejo/bases-y-
lineamientos-del-conpal.html
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14. References
• Aguilar Arellano, F. J. y L. Alvarado Mendoza. 2020. The Council of Paleontology of INAH: Background and
perspectives, Paleontología Mexicana, 9(2)91-101.
• Cristín, A. & M. C. Perrilliat. (2011). Las colecciones científicas y la protección del patrimonio paleontológico.
Boletín de la Sociedad Geológica Mexicana, 63(3):421-427.
• Guerrero-Arenas, R., F. J. Aguilar Arellano, L. Alvarado Mendoza y E. Jiménez-Hidalgo. 2020. How is the
paleontological heritage of Mexico and other Latin American countries protected? Paleontología Mexicana,
9(2)83-90.
• Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia. 2020. Lineamientos para la investigación de vestigios o restos
fósiles de interés paleontológico en México. The document is available online in
https://www.normateca.inah.gob.mx/pdf/01612485398.PDF.
• Jiménez-Hidalgo, E., Guerrero-Arenas, R., & Smith K.T. (2017). Gregorymys veloxikua, the oldest pocket gopher
(Rodentia: Geomyidae), and the early diversification of Geomyoidea. Journal of Mammalian Evolution. DOI
10.1007/s10914-017-9383-z
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