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Exploring the interior of cuticles and compressions of fossil plants by FIB‐SEM milling and image microscopy
Author(s) -
SENDER L.M.,
ESCAPA I.,
BENEDETTI A.,
CÚNEO R.,
DIEZ J.B.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of microscopy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.569
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2818
pISSN - 0022-2720
DOI - 10.1111/jmi.12607
Subject(s) - focused ion beam , scanning electron microscope , extant taxon , microscopy , materials science , fossil record , paleontology , geology , chemistry , biology , ion , composite material , evolutionary biology , optics , physics , organic chemistry
Summary We present the first study of cuticles and compressions of fossil leaves by Focused Ion Beam Scanning Electron Microscopy (FIB‐SEM). Cavities preserved inside fossil leaf compressions corresponding to substomatal chambers have been observed for the first time and several new features were identified in the cross‐section cuts. These results open a new way in the investigation of the three‐dimensional structures of both micro‐ and nanostructural features of fossil plants. Moreover, the application of the FIB‐SEM technique to both fossils and extant plant remains represent a new source of taxonomical, palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic information.