Table 4 Predictions of authentic signals for fossil melanins in eumelanin- and phaeomelanin-dominated systems

From: Taphonomic experiments reveal authentic molecular signals for fossil melanins and verify preservation of phaeomelanin in fossils

 

No HCl treatment

HCl treatment

Feather type

Type of markers

Moderate maturation

Strong maturation

Strong maturation

Eumelanin-dominated

Eumelanin

PTCA ≫ PTeCA > PDCA

PTCA > PDCA ≥ PTeCA

PTeCA ≈ PTCA ≫ PDCA

Phaeomelanin

TDCA > TTCA

TDCA > TTCA

TDCA ≫ TTCA

Phaeomelanin-dominated

Eumelanin

PTCA > PDCA > PTeCA

PDCA > PTCA > PTeCA

PTCA > PTeCA > PDCA

Phaeomelanin

TTCA ≫ TDCA

TTCA ≥ TDCA

TDCA > TTCA

Non-melanin

Eumelanin

PTCA ≈ PTeCA > PDCA

PDCA > PTCA > PTeCA

PTCA > PTeCA ≫ PDCA

Phaeomelanin

TTCA > TDCA

TDCA ≈ TTCA

TTCA ≈ TDCA

  1. Predictions are based on AHPO-HPLC and HCl-AHPO-HPLC data from untreated and experimentally matured black and rufous (Gallus gallus) and white (Egretta garzetta) feathers. These feathers represent eumelanin-dominated and phaeomelanin-dominated systems, respectively. Data for non-melanin systems indicate signals for diagenetic artefacts produced by thermal maturation of melanin-poor, protein-rich systems. Predictions for moderate maturation are derived from the data from the 200 °C experiment; predictions for strong maturation are derived from trends extrapolated from the 250 °C experiment.
Back to article page