Discuss the taphonomy of the Messel site in Germany. Name a primate fossil found there. Why was it so well preserved? DDDE, of course.
The Messel pit is a quarry that is not in use at present. It is located near Frankfurt in Germany. It is about 60 meters deep and was discovered as a world herirage site by UNESCO in 1995. It contains many fossil deposits which was estimated to be about 47 million years old belonging to the eocene era.
The primate fossil found there was of kopidodon. Others include leptictidium, a hopping mammal, horses, turtles, pangolins and rodents. The site at the bottom was very anoxic. So, it was less subjected to bioturbation. Less oxygen content near the surface lead to death of many flora and fauna. Further, the rate of deposition is very low in this site. All these processes lead to preservation of fossils in this site.
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