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Los hongos carnívoros del ámbar del Cretácico
Alexander R Schmidt1, Heinrich Dörfelt, Vincent Perrichot
1Museum für Naturkunde der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstrasse 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany. alexander.schmidt@museum.hu-berlin.de
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|December 15, 2007
Resumen
Se descubrieron hongos carnívoros fosilizados de la era de los dinosaurios en ámbar de 100 millones de años. Estos antiguos hongos, que atrapan a los nematodos con anillos hifales, muestran rasgos únicos, lo que indica una evolución independiente de tales estrategias depredadoras.
Área de la Ciencia:
- La paleomicología.
- Biología evolutiva Biología evolutiva.
- La ciencia de los fósiles La ciencia de los fósiles
Sus antecedentes:
- Los hongos carnívoros son conocidos por sus mecanismos de captura especializados.
- La evidencia fósil de la antigua vida fúngica es rara, especialmente con las interacciones preservadas.
Objetivo del estudio:
- Para describir y clasificar hongos carnívoros fosilizados recién descubiertos.
- Para investigar la historia evolutiva de los hongos carnívoros.
Principales métodos:
- Análisis de hongos fosilizados conservados en ámbar del período Cretácico.
- Examen microscópico de las estructuras fúngicas (anillos hifáticos) y de las presas asociadas (nematodos).
- Análisis comparativo con grupos de hongos carnívoros existentes (actualmente vivos).
Principales resultados:
- El descubrimiento de fósiles de hongos carnívoros que datan de hace aproximadamente 100 millones de años.
- Los hongos utilizaban anillos hifáticos para atrapar pequeños nematodos.
- Los fósiles exhiben características únicas en la formación de anillos y el ciclo de vida, distintas de los hongos carnívoros modernos.
- La excelente preservación en ámbar facilitó el estudio morfológico detallado.
Conclusiones:
- Los nichos ecológicos de los hongos carnívoros fueron ocupados por diversos grupos durante el período Cretácico.
- Los dispositivos de captura de hongos evolucionaron de forma independiente varias veces a lo largo de la historia de la Tierra.
- Este hallazgo amplía nuestra comprensión de la biodiversidad de hongos antiguos y las adaptaciones depredadoras.
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