古生代的洞穴系统保存了已知的最古老的羊皮肤证据
Ethan D Mooney1, Tea Maho1, R Paul Philp2
1Dinosaur Evolution Research Center, International Center of Future Science, Jilin University, 2699 Qianjin Str., Changchun, Jilin Province 130012, China; Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Rd., Mississauga L5L1C6, Ontario, Canada.
Current biology : CB
|January 12, 2024
概括
早期羊动物的化石皮肤揭示了过渡到陆地生命的过程. 这种古生物学时代的皮肤造化石提供了表皮整体结构的最早证据,并有助于重建古代脊椎动物解剖学.
科学领域:
- 古生物学的古生物学
- 脊椎动物的进化 脊椎动物的进化
- 古生态学 古生态学
背景情况:
- 俄克拉荷马州的理查兹斯普尔 (Richards Spur) 保存了来自2.89亿至2.86亿年前的早期陆地四足动物的多样性.
- 特殊的保存是由于油透的碳化合物浸在无氧条件下的富含粘土的洞穴沉积物中.
- 这种独特的环境保存了罕见的整体软组织,为脊椎动物的进化过渡提供了洞察力.
研究的目的:
- 报道了第一个古生物学时代的皮肤造化石 (3D碳化) 和最早的表皮整体结构.
- 提供早期羊动物从水生生活方式过渡到陆生生活方式时发生的解剖学变化的证据.
- 为了记录以前未知的骨化,并为古生物学重建提供信息.
主要方法:
- 来自理查兹斯普尔洞穴系统的特别保存的软组织的分析.
- 皮肤造化石 (3D碳化) 和压缩化石 (碳化皮肤印记) 的检查.
- 从骨头和洞穴样本中提取的可提取碳化合物的色谱分析,以确定源岩.
主要成果:
- 发现了第一个古老时代的皮肤造化石和最早已知的表皮整体结构.
- 压缩化石表现出与现存的鱼相似的形态.
- 识别新的骨化,包括皮肤中潜在的眼骨化.
- 碳化合物分析表明伍德福德页岩是源岩,将海洋和陆地生物联系在一起.
结论:
- 这些发现提供了关于早期羊动物过渡到陆地生命的解剖变化的关键证据.
- 这项研究代表了已知最古老的胎皮肤的保存,这是由于独特的地质条件所促进的.
- 这些化石对于早期陆地脊椎动物的古生物学重建是无价的.
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