Estimating and interpreting the shapes and masses of damaged assemblages o plesiosaur gastroliths

Author Interview with Dr. Donald M Henderson (Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology).
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Gastroliths are stones of uncertain purpose that are commonly found inside the rib cages of plesiosaur fossils worldwide. Gastroliths from four Alberta (Canada) plesiosaurs were studied to determine both their shapes and masses, and their mass fractions relative to body mass. One animal’s set of gastroliths was 100% complete and fully visible, but the others showed varying degrees of loss, damage or obscuration, so estimations of their original states were needed.