Preliminary investigations using UV photography showed that the entirety of the specimen was treated with some sort of coating material.
The team were initially hopeful that the coating was a type of varnish or lacquer applied to preserve the fossil, and that beneath that layer, the soft tissue would still be in good condition.
However, when they looked further down, they discovered that the body outline of Tridentinosaurus antiquus was artificially created, and painted on top.
There is some evidence of real hindlimbs and scales. However, they are not well preserved enough to reveal what Tridentinosaurus actually was, or to place it in the paleontological record.
Dr Valentina Rossi, of University College Cork, Ireland, who carried out a detailed study of the remains said: “Fossil soft tissues are rare, but when found in a fossil they can reveal important biological information, for instance, the external colouration, internal anatomy and physiology.
“The specimen was considered important because it was thought to be the most complete fossil found of this region of Italy where only fossil trackways and plants are usually found as fossils.
“Our new study however demonstrated that the most striking attribute of the specimens – the presence of carbonised skin – is (unfortunately) black paint.
“So, we can’t use this specimen to understand reptile evolution because it is not complete, only a few bones and tiny scales are preserved.”
Dr Marc Jones, the Natural History Museum’s Curator of Fossil Reptiles, added: “This study highlights the importance of modern imaging techniques for carefully verifying apparent soft tissue remains in historical specimens.’
The research was published in the Paleontology journal.
Dr. Thomas Hughes is a UK-based scientist and science communicator who makes complex topics accessible to readers. His articles explore breakthroughs in various scientific disciplines, from space exploration to cutting-edge research.
