I'd suggest processing different pieces in different
ways. For larger microfossils, wash gently over a 64 micron screen
(200 mesh) with coarser screens stacked above. You might look
for diatoms, charophytes, grass, etc. Save part of it for
palynological preparation (this you can't do in your kitchen, so find a
palynologist to do the job and publish the results).
If they are carnivore poop, you should be on the lookout for little
bones, teeth, shells, insect carapaces, etc. If herbivore,
bits and pieces of plants. Both could contain pollen and
spores. Of all the things you might find, I'd expect the pollen
would give you the best dates and paleoenvironmental data. I'd
definitely do it, if I was looking at it.
If these are dehydrated dung, then you might hydrate it and examine it
under a high powered microscope for cysts and bodies of various
parasites. These would be of widely differing sizes. You
might need special tools and microslides to do this properly. Like
paly, it requires expertise. Maybe some parasitologist would find
them interesting, if you have some idea of what kind of animal made
them.
If you have a lot of them, experiment around a bit with the various
techniques.
Please send me the pdf--seems like something students would
like!
Jere
At 08:39 PM 4/4/2006, you wrote:
Hi everybody,
We are trying to extract as many fossil remains from a coprolite by
washing with water. Our main aim is to find some remains like nanofossils
to date it, as it contains unfortunately litle carbon.
Please, I would appreciate here some help!
Respectfully,
Xavier Panades I Blas
55, Marksbury Road
Bedminster
Bristol BS3 5JY
England (EC)
http://www.acs.bolton.ac.uk/~xp1pls/
From: Carl Mehling <cosm@amnh.org>
Reply-To: paleonet@nhm.ac.uk
To: paleonet@nhm.ac.uk,SKOLITHOS@LISTSERV.REDIRIS.ES
Subject: paleonet Watch Your Step!
Date: Tue, 04 Apr 2006 11:22:42 -0400
It doesn't get any better than this:
M. T. Antunes, A. C. Balbino, and L. Ginsburg, 2006. Miocene Mammalian
Footprints in Coprolites from Lisbon, Portugal. Annales de Paleontologie
V. 92, 13-30.
Enjoy,
Carl
Carl Mehling
Fossil Amphibian, Reptile, and Bird Collections
Division of Paleontology
American Museum of Natural History
Central Park West @79th Street
New York, NY 10024
(212) 769-5849
Fax: (212) 769-5842
cosm@amnh.org