[Rockhounds] Exceptional fossilization of a Pleistocene vulture by pyroclastic flow deposits

[Paul]

Hi,

Below is an interesting paper that I came across.

Iurino, D.A., Bellucci, L., Schreve, D. and Sardella, R., 2014.

Exceptional soft tissue fossilization of a Pleistocene vulture

(Gyps fulvus): new evidence for emplacement temperatures

of pyroclastic flow deposits. Quaternary Science Reviews,

96, pp. 180-187.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277379114001553

The abstract states:

“Here we report an exceptional case of soft tissue fossilization

of a Late Pleistocene Eurasian griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) in

the pyroclastic sequence of the Alban Hills volcanic region

(SE Rome, Italy).”

CT scans of the natural cast revealed extraordinary detail in

the natural cast of the head, including everted tongue, beak,

feather insertions and the nictitating membrane of the eye.

The PDF file of this paper can be found at:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262431624_Exceptional_soft_tissue_fossilization_of_a_Pleistocene_vulture_Gyps_fulvus_New_evidence_for_emplacement_temperatures_of_pyroclastic_flow_deposits

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Dawid_Iurino

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luca_Bellucci3

Abstract:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/266734626_EXCEPTIONAL_SOFT_TISSUE_FOSSILIZATION_OF_A_LATE_PLEISTOCENE_VULTURE_GYPS_FULVUS_FROM_ALBAN_HILLS_VOLCANIC_REGION_ITALY

Yours,

Paul H.