THE SKELETAL TAPHONOMY OF ARCHAEOPTERYX - A QUANTITATIVE APPROACH

A new technique is described for taphonomic investigation of fossil ve rtebrates with a high degree of skeletal articulation and completeness , and applied to analysis of the taphonomy of Archaeopteryx. The known skeletal remains of Archaeopteryx can be assigned to two preservation al types: (A) well-articulated and almost complete skeletons, and (B) less complete and more disarticulated skeletons, but with some well-ar ticulated sub-units. Differences between these categories are most lik ely a function of time elapsed between death and burial, and these gro ups are interpreted as samples of a larger possible range of taphonomi c variation. The specimens represent parts of a decay spectrum rather than a decay sequence, and there is no evidence for a regional drift p attern. Digital crossover in the hands of Archaeopteryx, previously co nsidered an anatomical condition, is interpreted as a post-mortem arte fact.