Microtomography of an Exceptional Stegodon Fossil: Anatomy and Implications
WEBINAR
17th September 2026 19:00 BST
by Ru Smith (University of Liverpool/Universiti Malaya)
Abstract
‘In the forest, sometimes you have to make do with footprints’ - Ru Smith, 1995, Le Perroquet, Gabon.
‘In the fossil record, sometimes you have to make do with teeth’, - this talk.
The talk will illustrate the power of microtomography in revealing the detailed anatomy of a unique fossil Stegodon tooth from peninsular Malaysia (work carried out by the author in 2024). The results place the find in the context of the evolution and dispersal of the genus across Southeast Asia.
The extinct elephants of Yorkshire will also get a mention since we have recently visited Victoria Cave (see the Stainforth Scar report) where Palaeoloxodon antiquus fossils have been found.
Biography
Ru Smith is a sedimentologist by background, specialising in deep-water depositional systems
and 3D computer modelling of stratigraphic architecture across a large range of scales and
resolutions. An international career in industry spanning more than three decades was
followed by a return to academia as adjunct professor of geology at Universiti Malaya.
Current research interests include applications of microtomography in palaeontology and
mineralogy, together with a growing interest in the history of geology.