Rare earth element geochemistry of bone beds from the Lower Cretaceous Zhonggou Formation of Gansu Province, China

Auroraceratops rugosus from the Lower Cretaceous Zhonggou Formation, Gansu Province, China is characterized by exquisite external preservation of articulated, often ventrolaterally curled remains found in discrete locations several to hundreds of meters apart. This has prompted a hypothesis that the remains are the result of recurring die-offs and rapid burial in burrows. To test this, rare earth element (REE) concentrations were measured from...