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Metazoo modular biomineralizado proterozoico del grupo Nama, Namibia
Rachel A Wood1, John P Grotzinger, J A D Dickson
1Schlumberger Cambridge Research, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB2 OEL, UK. rwood2@cambridge.scr.slb.com
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|June 29, 2002
Resumen
Un metazoario grande y completamente biomineralizado, Namapoikia rietoogensis, fue descubierto en Namibia y data de hace 549 millones de años. Este hallazgo retrasa la línea de tiempo para la vida animal compleja y mineralizada en la era Proterozoica.
Área de la Ciencia:
- Paleontología Paleontología.
- La biomineralización es la biomineralización.
- El Eón Proterozoico fue el Eón Proterozoico.
Sus antecedentes:
- El Grupo Nama en Namibia conserva importantes fósiles del Proterozoico.
- Comprender la evolución de la vida animal temprana y la biomineralización es crucial.
Objetivo del estudio:
- Para describir un metazoario recién descubierto, grande y completamente biomineralizado del Proterozoico.
- Determinar las implicaciones de este descubrimiento para la línea de tiempo de la evolución animal temprana.
Principales métodos:
- Trabajo de campo geológico y recolección de fósiles en el Grupo Nama, Namibia.
- Análisis morfológico y paleoambiental detallado del espécimen fósil.
- Datación radiométrica para establecer la edad de la capa fósil.
Principales resultados:
- El descubrimiento de Namapoikia rietoogensis gen. y sp. Nov., un metazoario biomineralizado de gran tamaño (hasta 1 metro).
- El organismo poseía un esqueleto complejo y robusto y probablemente representa a un cnidario o porifero.
- Namapoikia incrustaba fisuras verticales dentro de los arrecifes microbianos, lo que indicaba condiciones paleoambientales específicas.
Conclusiones:
- Los metazoos grandes y modulares con mineralización biológicamente controlada aparecieron aproximadamente 15 millones de años antes de lo que se pensaba.
- Este descubrimiento tiene un impacto significativo en nuestra comprensión de la evolución de los metazoos durante el Proterozoico tardío.
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