Characterization of organics consistent with ß-chitin preserved in the Late Eocene cuttlefish Mississaepia mississippiensis.
PLoS One
; 6(11): e28195, 2011.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-22132239
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Preservation of original organic components in fossils across geological time is controversial, but the potential such molecules have for elucidating evolutionary processes and phylogenetic relationships is invaluable. Chitin is one such molecule. Ancient chitin has been recovered from both terrestrial and marine arthropods, but prior to this study had not been recovered from fossil marine mollusks. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPALFINDINGS:
Organics consistent with ß-chitin are recovered in cuttlebones of Mississaepia mississippiensis from the Late Eocene (34.36 million years ago) marine clays of Hinds County, Mississippi, USA. These organics were determined and characterized through comparisons with extant taxa using Scanning Electron Microscopy/Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (SEM/EDS), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (Hyperprobe), Fourier Transmission Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Immunohistochemistry (IHC). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE:
Our study presents the first evidence for organics consistent with chitin from an ancient marine mollusk and discusses how these organics have been degraded over time. As mechanisms for their preservation, we propose that the inorganic/organic lamination of the cuttlebone, combined with a suboxic depositional environment with available free Fe(2+) ions, inhibited microbial or enzymatic degradation.
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Compuestos Orgánicos
/
Preservación Biológica
/
Decapodiformes
/
Quitina
Límite:
Animals
País/Región como asunto:
America do norte
Idioma:
En
Revista:
PLoS One
Asunto de la revista:
CIENCIA
/
MEDICINA
Año:
2011
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Estados Unidos