Exploring the interior of cuticles and compressions of fossil plants by FIB-SEM milling and image microscopy

SENDER, L. M.; ESCAPA, I.; BENEDETTI, A.; CÚNEO, R.; DIEZ, J. B.

JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY-OXFORD

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Año: 2017

0022-2720

We present the first study of cuticles and compressions of fossilleaves by Focused Ion Beam Scanning Electron Microscopy(FIB-SEM). Cavities preserved inside fossil leaf compressionscorresponding to substomatal chambers have been observedfor the first time and several new features were identified in thecross-section cuts. These results open a new way in the investigationof the three-dimensional structures of both micro- andnanostructural features of fossil plants. Moreover, the applicationof the FIB-SEM technique to both fossils and extant plantremains represent a new source of taxonomical, palaeoenvironmentaland palaeoclimatic information.