My thesis focuses on the study of exceptional fossils: “mummified” bat skulls, marking the first known case of 3D fossilization of mammalian soft tissues. These specimens, found in the Quercy phosphorites in Occitania, come from unique paleontological sites dating back to the Eocene-Oligocene period (from about 50 to 25 million years ago). These fossils represent both a new source of paleontological data and a taphonomic mystery.
The aim of my research is, through a multidisciplinary approach in paleontology and geochemistry, to describe these “mummified” specimens and to study the rapid phosphatization processes of organisms, particularly through experimental taphonomy.
Thus, I study the internal and external structures of bats after segmentation and virtual extraction, to discuss different modes of echolocation within a phylogenetic framework. Additionally, I perform soft tissue sampling for analysis using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and RAMAN spectroscopy.