The Use of Cyclododecane to Protect Delicate Fossils During Transportation

Physical examination and study of fossil vertebrates often re quires partial or complete removal of delicate elements from a protective substrate. Although necessary for research, such ex tensive exposure creates challenges for the transport of these specimens. Although some elements can be stabilized using liq uid consolidants (Brown, 2004), storage cradles (Jabo et al., 2006), and thoroughly padded custom shipping containers (Hunt, 2006), damage can still occur due to incidental vibration, shock, and mishandling during packing and unpacking. Very small spec imens, or poorly preserved specimens of any size, are often ex ceedingly difficult or impossible to repair after breaks or other damage, a risk throughout collection, preparation, and handling, but especially during transport. An ideal protection during specimen transport provides tem porary, completely removable stabilization with a minimum of handling. Here, cyclododecane (CDD) was used to temporarily stabilize two delicate, articulated fossil lizards for transportation from Chicago to New York. Institutional Abbreviations?MAE, Mongolian Academy of Sciences-American Museum of Natural History Expe ditions, field numbers; TUGRIK, Mongolian Academy of Sciences-American Museum of Natural History Expeditions, field numbers.