Hierarchical biota-level and taxonomic controls on the chemistry of fossil melanosomes revealed using synchrotron X-ray fluorescence
Abstract
Fossil melanosomes, micron-sized granules rich in melanin in vivo, provide key information for investigations of the original coloration, taxonomy and internal anatomy of fossil vertebrates. Such studies rely, in part, on analysis of the inorganic chemistry of preserved melanosomes and an understanding of melanosome chemical taphonomy. The extent to which the preserved chemistry of fossil melanosomes is biased by biotic and abiotic factors is, however, unknown. Here we report the discovery of hierarchical controls on the inorganic chemistry of melanosomes from fossil vertebrates from nine biotas. The chemical data are dominated by a strong biota-level signal, indicating that the primary taphonomic control is the diagenetic history of the host sediment. This extrinsic control is superimposed by a biological, tissue-level control; tissue-specific chemical variation is most likely to survive in fossils where the inorganic chemistry of preserved melanosomes is distinct from that of the host sediment. Comparative analysis of our data for fossil and modern amphibians reveals that most fossil specimens show tissue-specific melanosome chemistries that differ from those of extant analogues, strongly suggesting alteration of original melanosome chemistry. Collectively, these findings form a predictive tool for the identification of fossil deposits with well-preserved melanosomes amenable to studies of fossil colour andmore »
- Authors:
-
- Univ. College Cork (Ireland). School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences
- SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States). Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Scientific User Facilities Division; European Research Council (ERC)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1817156
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC02-76SF00515; ERC-2014-StG-637691
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Scientific Reports
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 10; Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 2045-2322
- Publisher:
- Nature Publishing Group
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES; Biogeochemistry; Evolution
Citation Formats
Rossi, Valentina, Webb, Samuel M., and McNamara, Maria E. Hierarchical biota-level and taxonomic controls on the chemistry of fossil melanosomes revealed using synchrotron X-ray fluorescence. United States: N. p., 2020.
Web. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-65868-3.
Rossi, Valentina, Webb, Samuel M., & McNamara, Maria E. Hierarchical biota-level and taxonomic controls on the chemistry of fossil melanosomes revealed using synchrotron X-ray fluorescence. United States. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-65868-3
Rossi, Valentina, Webb, Samuel M., and McNamara, Maria E. Tue .
"Hierarchical biota-level and taxonomic controls on the chemistry of fossil melanosomes revealed using synchrotron X-ray fluorescence". United States. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-65868-3. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1817156.
@article{osti_1817156,
title = {Hierarchical biota-level and taxonomic controls on the chemistry of fossil melanosomes revealed using synchrotron X-ray fluorescence},
author = {Rossi, Valentina and Webb, Samuel M. and McNamara, Maria E.},
abstractNote = {Fossil melanosomes, micron-sized granules rich in melanin in vivo, provide key information for investigations of the original coloration, taxonomy and internal anatomy of fossil vertebrates. Such studies rely, in part, on analysis of the inorganic chemistry of preserved melanosomes and an understanding of melanosome chemical taphonomy. The extent to which the preserved chemistry of fossil melanosomes is biased by biotic and abiotic factors is, however, unknown. Here we report the discovery of hierarchical controls on the inorganic chemistry of melanosomes from fossil vertebrates from nine biotas. The chemical data are dominated by a strong biota-level signal, indicating that the primary taphonomic control is the diagenetic history of the host sediment. This extrinsic control is superimposed by a biological, tissue-level control; tissue-specific chemical variation is most likely to survive in fossils where the inorganic chemistry of preserved melanosomes is distinct from that of the host sediment. Comparative analysis of our data for fossil and modern amphibians reveals that most fossil specimens show tissue-specific melanosome chemistries that differ from those of extant analogues, strongly suggesting alteration of original melanosome chemistry. Collectively, these findings form a predictive tool for the identification of fossil deposits with well-preserved melanosomes amenable to studies of fossil colour and anatomy.},
doi = {10.1038/s41598-020-65868-3},
journal = {Scientific Reports},
number = 1,
volume = 10,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jun 02 00:00:00 EDT 2020},
month = {Tue Jun 02 00:00:00 EDT 2020}
}
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