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Scanning electron microscope inverse imaging technique for positive image photomicrographs of microfossil molds

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 May 2016

D. Jeffrey Over ,
Mark Grimson  and
James E. Barrick
D. Jeffrey Over
Affiliation:
Department of Geological Sciences, SUNY Geneseo, Geneseo, New York 14454
Mark Grimson
Affiliation:
Electron Microscope Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock 79409
James E. Barrick
Affiliation:
Department of Geosciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock 79409
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Extract

Macro- and microfossils are commonly preserved as external molds as a result of decay or dissolution of soft and mineralized body parts after compaction and cementation of the surrounding matrix. The molds, which often preserve external features of the organism in great detail, are difficult to compare to other specimens. To enhance study, positive casts are typically made. Numerous compounds can serve as a casting medium (Rigby and Clark, 1965; Rixon, 1976). In microfossil studies latex rubber (Klapper in Winder, 1966; Ellison, 1987; Tull et al., 1988) and silicone rubber (G. Miller, personal commun.) are the most commonly used materials. An alternative technique is to photograph the mold directly using a scanning electron microscope (SEM).

Type
Paleontological Notes
Information
Journal of Paleontology , Volume 65 , Issue 6 , November 1991 , pp. 1013 - 1014
Copyright
Copyright © The Paleontological Society 

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References

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