HOPE report

Number:20-010

Taphonomy of the vertebrate fossils from the Neogene deposits in northern Thailand

Report:Fukuchi Akira

Date:2008/07/10 - 2008/08/04

The geological and paleontological investigation was conducted in the Chiang Muan Mine and Sop Mae Tham in northern Thailand. 113 specimens were collected from the former locality. 13 of 14 in situ materials were disarticulated and their long axes of the bones were parallel to the bedding. These occurrences indicate that the sedimentation would play the main role of the final burial. However, one of these in situ materials indicates the another burial process. The long axis of the metatarsal in the partly articulated bones of the artiodactyl is nearly perpendicular to the bedding plain. It suggests that this material might not be transported before final burial. At least two burial processes are recognized in the Chiang Muan.
18 specimens were collected from the latter locality, as surface finds. This fossil collection contains aquatic and semiaquatic animals such as fish, soft-shelled turtle, and crocodile.

Occurrence of the suid fossil. The white line indicates the fossils. 
The fibula, astragalus and bone fragments were disarticulated and scattered. 
The long axes of these bones are parallel to the bedding plane. 
It suggests that these fossils were transported before the final burial.


This photo is a part of the occurrence of the partly articulated artiodactyl fossil. 
The white line indicates the bone and the dashed white line represents the bedding plane. 
The long axis of the metatarsal is nearly perpendicular to the bedding. 
This occurrence suggests that the transportation would not play the main role of the final burial in this case.

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