Chemical Diversity of Teeth and Bone Fragments from a Newly Discovered Upper Muschelkalk Bone Bed from Silesia, Poland

The new exposure of the Upper Muschelkalk clays and dolomites located south Kalety (Tarnogórski District, Silesia, Poland) provided numerous remains vertebrates represented by teeth, scales, long bones, coprolites. Despite influence hydrothermal processes leading to dolomitization Zn-Pb deposit formation, preservation fossil is good. taxonomic diversity accumulation vertebrate debris in dolomite are similar other “bone beds” from Lower Keuper units. SEM-EDS, EMP-WDS, XRD analyses confirm that examined consist hydroxylapatite containing carbonate ions. Most teeth as well some bone fragments show zoning BSE imaging. In tooth cross-sections, three or two zones preserved: (I) outermost zone, associated with diagenetic mineralization enameloid apatite, (II) a intermediate zone (orthodentine), (III) most porous internal (osteodentine). Decreasing P, Ca, Sr composition apatite which forms successive zones, visible external central part. Selective substitution adsorption elements crystals can allow recognition genetic origin highly damaged transported scattered sedimentary layers. chemical behavior bioapatite, deposition digenesis, shows its useful role for identification formation process potential, younger changes (e.g., overprint). X-ray diffraction data, particularly cell parameters “a” “c”, determine degree crystallinity and/or diagenesis. Moreover, correlation between elements/ions Sr, Ba, Mg, F, OH) be helpful type, especially if bones small incomplete.