FINDING FOSSIL MELANIN: A METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK (Invited Presentation)

The nascent field of fossil colour is one of the fastest growing fields in palaeobiology today. Its emergence has been driven, in part, by discoveries of evidence of melanin in diverse fossils that range in age from the Carboniferous to the Pliocene. Despite rapid advances in our understanding of the fossil record of melanin, recent studies have highlighted how progression of the field is stymied by several key barriers. These barriers include an incomplete understanding of certain fundamental aspects of the biology of melanin in extant vertebrates, in particular its anatomical and taxonomic distribution; other important knowledge gaps relate to the inorganic and organic chemistry of melanin, and appropriate methods for melanin detection in fossils. In this presentation I will critically appraise current approaches and methodologies used in fossil melanin research. Synthesis of best practise yields a robust methodological and analytical framework that will form an important guide for future studies.