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aliphatic component via in situ polymerization. Organic fossils younger than the
Tertiary tend to reveal preservation of intact biomolecules (e.g. Gupta et al. 2006b ).
However, older fossils reveal a dominant aliphatic composition with poor molecular
preservation, irrespective of depositional environment and enclosing lithology
(for discussion see Briggs et al. 2000 ). Evidence for a similar process of lipid
incorporation has been reported in fossil leaves (Gupta et al. 2007a , b ), dinoclasts
(Versteegh et al. 2004 ), and arthropods (Briggs 1999 ; Gupta et al. 2006b , 2007a )
suggesting that preservation by lipid incorporation is important in preservation of
organic fossils.
References
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