Comment-Advanced Early Jurassic Termite (Insecta:Isoptera) Nests: Evidence from the Clarens Formation in the Tuli Basin, Southern Africa (Bordy et al., 2004)

Autores
Genise, Jorge Fernando; Bellosi, Eduardo Sergio; Melchor, Ricardo Nestor; Cosarinsky, Marcela Irene
Año de publicación
2005
Idioma
inglés
Tipo de recurso
artículo
Estado
versión publicada
Descripción
The contribution by Bordy et al. (2004) lacks the pertinent macro and micromorphological analyses and comparisons with modern nests that would allow their attribution to termites. It also lacks any analysis about the age of the structures in comparison with the bearing rocks. In addition, the described features are not indicative of termitic origin, as summarized below: (a) Eolian dunes as those described from the Clarens Formation, are inhabited only by few termites that construct no mounds, but completely subterranean nests. In addition, this environment is poorly vegetated or lacks any vegetation at all, which would not support large colonies of termites; (b) The features and size of the interconnecting bioturbated cylinders are not compatible with any known termite gallery; (c) The orientation of the structures is not diagnostic of termite nests, even less, when pillars, ?buttresses? and ?bioturbated cylinders? show the same orientation; (d) The purported buttresses are almost unknown for termite nests and show a close resemblance to structural joints; (e) Type 1 burrows lack a detailed description and interpretation. For this reason, it is impossible to attribute them to social or solitary organisms, even less to termites when branching is rare; (f) The attribution of type 2 burrows to ants is unsupported. Besides, this aspect is not critical to the identification of termite nests; (g) Type 3 burrows display characteristics that occur in a wide array of sedimentary deposits and are not diagnostic of termite nests; (h) The wall of the purported termite nests is an order of magnitude thinner than the same structure in modern termite nests; (i) The absence of clay in the structures is contradictory with the inferred fungus-growing termites, because the clay content of soil is critical for the construction of these subaerial nests; (j) The presence of advanced fungus-growing termites as purported producers of the Tuli structures is unlikely by the early Jurassic, considering that the oldest termites come from the Cretaceous, and  there is no record of grasslands and gilled fungus until the Tertiary.In consequence, it is considered that the interpretation of the Tuli structures as termite nests is unsubstantiated and should be revised.
Fil: Genise, Jorge Fernando. Museo Paleontológico Egidio Feruglio; Argentina
Fil: Bellosi, Eduardo Sergio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; Argentina
Fil: Melchor, Ricardo Nestor. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina
Fil: Cosarinsky, Marcela Irene. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; Argentina
Materia
COMMENT
JURASSIC
TERMITE NESTS
Nivel de accesibilidad
acceso abierto
Condiciones de uso
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/
Repositorio
CONICET Digital (CONICET)
Institución
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
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oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/104324

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spelling Comment-Advanced Early Jurassic Termite (Insecta:Isoptera) Nests: Evidence from the Clarens Formation in the Tuli Basin, Southern Africa (Bordy et al., 2004)Genise, Jorge FernandoBellosi, Eduardo SergioMelchor, Ricardo NestorCosarinsky, Marcela IreneCOMMENTJURASSICTERMITE NESTShttps://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.5https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1The contribution by Bordy et al. (2004) lacks the pertinent macro and micromorphological analyses and comparisons with modern nests that would allow their attribution to termites. It also lacks any analysis about the age of the structures in comparison with the bearing rocks. In addition, the described features are not indicative of termitic origin, as summarized below: (a) Eolian dunes as those described from the Clarens Formation, are inhabited only by few termites that construct no mounds, but completely subterranean nests. In addition, this environment is poorly vegetated or lacks any vegetation at all, which would not support large colonies of termites; (b) The features and size of the interconnecting bioturbated cylinders are not compatible with any known termite gallery; (c) The orientation of the structures is not diagnostic of termite nests, even less, when pillars, ?buttresses? and ?bioturbated cylinders? show the same orientation; (d) The purported buttresses are almost unknown for termite nests and show a close resemblance to structural joints; (e) Type 1 burrows lack a detailed description and interpretation. For this reason, it is impossible to attribute them to social or solitary organisms, even less to termites when branching is rare; (f) The attribution of type 2 burrows to ants is unsupported. Besides, this aspect is not critical to the identification of termite nests; (g) Type 3 burrows display characteristics that occur in a wide array of sedimentary deposits and are not diagnostic of termite nests; (h) The wall of the purported termite nests is an order of magnitude thinner than the same structure in modern termite nests; (i) The absence of clay in the structures is contradictory with the inferred fungus-growing termites, because the clay content of soil is critical for the construction of these subaerial nests; (j) The presence of advanced fungus-growing termites as purported producers of the Tuli structures is unlikely by the early Jurassic, considering that the oldest termites come from the Cretaceous, and  there is no record of grasslands and gilled fungus until the Tertiary.In consequence, it is considered that the interpretation of the Tuli structures as termite nests is unsubstantiated and should be revised.Fil: Genise, Jorge Fernando. Museo Paleontológico Egidio Feruglio; ArgentinaFil: Bellosi, Eduardo Sergio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Melchor, Ricardo Nestor. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Cosarinsky, Marcela Irene. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaSociety for Sedimentary Geology2005-12info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionhttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501info:ar-repo/semantics/articuloapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/11336/104324Genise, Jorge Fernando; Bellosi, Eduardo Sergio; Melchor, Ricardo Nestor; Cosarinsky, Marcela Irene; Comment-Advanced Early Jurassic Termite (Insecta:Isoptera) Nests: Evidence from the Clarens Formation in the Tuli Basin, Southern Africa (Bordy et al., 2004); Society for Sedimentary Geology; Palaios; 20; 3; 12-2005; 303-3080883-13511938-5323CONICET DigitalCONICETenginfo:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/https://bioone.org/journals/palaios/volume-20/issue-3/palo.2004.p05-C01/CommentAdvanced-Early-Jurassic-Termite-Insecta--Isoptera-Nests--Evidence/10.2110/palo.2004.p05-C01.shortinfo:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.2110/palo.2004.p05-C01info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccesshttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/reponame:CONICET Digital (CONICET)instname:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas2025-09-03T10:09:11Zoai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/104324instacron:CONICETInstitucionalhttp://ri.conicet.gov.ar/Organismo científico-tecnológicoNo correspondehttp://ri.conicet.gov.ar/oai/requestdasensio@conicet.gov.ar; lcarlino@conicet.gov.arArgentinaNo correspondeNo correspondeNo correspondeopendoar:34982025-09-03 10:09:11.877CONICET Digital (CONICET) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicasfalse
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Comment-Advanced Early Jurassic Termite (Insecta:Isoptera) Nests: Evidence from the Clarens Formation in the Tuli Basin, Southern Africa (Bordy et al., 2004)
title Comment-Advanced Early Jurassic Termite (Insecta:Isoptera) Nests: Evidence from the Clarens Formation in the Tuli Basin, Southern Africa (Bordy et al., 2004)
spellingShingle Comment-Advanced Early Jurassic Termite (Insecta:Isoptera) Nests: Evidence from the Clarens Formation in the Tuli Basin, Southern Africa (Bordy et al., 2004)
Genise, Jorge Fernando
COMMENT
JURASSIC
TERMITE NESTS
title_short Comment-Advanced Early Jurassic Termite (Insecta:Isoptera) Nests: Evidence from the Clarens Formation in the Tuli Basin, Southern Africa (Bordy et al., 2004)
title_full Comment-Advanced Early Jurassic Termite (Insecta:Isoptera) Nests: Evidence from the Clarens Formation in the Tuli Basin, Southern Africa (Bordy et al., 2004)
title_fullStr Comment-Advanced Early Jurassic Termite (Insecta:Isoptera) Nests: Evidence from the Clarens Formation in the Tuli Basin, Southern Africa (Bordy et al., 2004)
title_full_unstemmed Comment-Advanced Early Jurassic Termite (Insecta:Isoptera) Nests: Evidence from the Clarens Formation in the Tuli Basin, Southern Africa (Bordy et al., 2004)
title_sort Comment-Advanced Early Jurassic Termite (Insecta:Isoptera) Nests: Evidence from the Clarens Formation in the Tuli Basin, Southern Africa (Bordy et al., 2004)
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Genise, Jorge Fernando
Bellosi, Eduardo Sergio
Melchor, Ricardo Nestor
Cosarinsky, Marcela Irene
author Genise, Jorge Fernando
author_facet Genise, Jorge Fernando
Bellosi, Eduardo Sergio
Melchor, Ricardo Nestor
Cosarinsky, Marcela Irene
author_role author
author2 Bellosi, Eduardo Sergio
Melchor, Ricardo Nestor
Cosarinsky, Marcela Irene
author2_role author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv COMMENT
JURASSIC
TERMITE NESTS
topic COMMENT
JURASSIC
TERMITE NESTS
purl_subject.fl_str_mv https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.5
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1
dc.description.none.fl_txt_mv The contribution by Bordy et al. (2004) lacks the pertinent macro and micromorphological analyses and comparisons with modern nests that would allow their attribution to termites. It also lacks any analysis about the age of the structures in comparison with the bearing rocks. In addition, the described features are not indicative of termitic origin, as summarized below: (a) Eolian dunes as those described from the Clarens Formation, are inhabited only by few termites that construct no mounds, but completely subterranean nests. In addition, this environment is poorly vegetated or lacks any vegetation at all, which would not support large colonies of termites; (b) The features and size of the interconnecting bioturbated cylinders are not compatible with any known termite gallery; (c) The orientation of the structures is not diagnostic of termite nests, even less, when pillars, ?buttresses? and ?bioturbated cylinders? show the same orientation; (d) The purported buttresses are almost unknown for termite nests and show a close resemblance to structural joints; (e) Type 1 burrows lack a detailed description and interpretation. For this reason, it is impossible to attribute them to social or solitary organisms, even less to termites when branching is rare; (f) The attribution of type 2 burrows to ants is unsupported. Besides, this aspect is not critical to the identification of termite nests; (g) Type 3 burrows display characteristics that occur in a wide array of sedimentary deposits and are not diagnostic of termite nests; (h) The wall of the purported termite nests is an order of magnitude thinner than the same structure in modern termite nests; (i) The absence of clay in the structures is contradictory with the inferred fungus-growing termites, because the clay content of soil is critical for the construction of these subaerial nests; (j) The presence of advanced fungus-growing termites as purported producers of the Tuli structures is unlikely by the early Jurassic, considering that the oldest termites come from the Cretaceous, and  there is no record of grasslands and gilled fungus until the Tertiary.In consequence, it is considered that the interpretation of the Tuli structures as termite nests is unsubstantiated and should be revised.
Fil: Genise, Jorge Fernando. Museo Paleontológico Egidio Feruglio; Argentina
Fil: Bellosi, Eduardo Sergio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; Argentina
Fil: Melchor, Ricardo Nestor. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina
Fil: Cosarinsky, Marcela Irene. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; Argentina
description The contribution by Bordy et al. (2004) lacks the pertinent macro and micromorphological analyses and comparisons with modern nests that would allow their attribution to termites. It also lacks any analysis about the age of the structures in comparison with the bearing rocks. In addition, the described features are not indicative of termitic origin, as summarized below: (a) Eolian dunes as those described from the Clarens Formation, are inhabited only by few termites that construct no mounds, but completely subterranean nests. In addition, this environment is poorly vegetated or lacks any vegetation at all, which would not support large colonies of termites; (b) The features and size of the interconnecting bioturbated cylinders are not compatible with any known termite gallery; (c) The orientation of the structures is not diagnostic of termite nests, even less, when pillars, ?buttresses? and ?bioturbated cylinders? show the same orientation; (d) The purported buttresses are almost unknown for termite nests and show a close resemblance to structural joints; (e) Type 1 burrows lack a detailed description and interpretation. For this reason, it is impossible to attribute them to social or solitary organisms, even less to termites when branching is rare; (f) The attribution of type 2 burrows to ants is unsupported. Besides, this aspect is not critical to the identification of termite nests; (g) Type 3 burrows display characteristics that occur in a wide array of sedimentary deposits and are not diagnostic of termite nests; (h) The wall of the purported termite nests is an order of magnitude thinner than the same structure in modern termite nests; (i) The absence of clay in the structures is contradictory with the inferred fungus-growing termites, because the clay content of soil is critical for the construction of these subaerial nests; (j) The presence of advanced fungus-growing termites as purported producers of the Tuli structures is unlikely by the early Jurassic, considering that the oldest termites come from the Cretaceous, and  there is no record of grasslands and gilled fungus until the Tertiary.In consequence, it is considered that the interpretation of the Tuli structures as termite nests is unsubstantiated and should be revised.
publishDate 2005
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2005-12
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
info:ar-repo/semantics/articulo
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/11336/104324
Genise, Jorge Fernando; Bellosi, Eduardo Sergio; Melchor, Ricardo Nestor; Cosarinsky, Marcela Irene; Comment-Advanced Early Jurassic Termite (Insecta:Isoptera) Nests: Evidence from the Clarens Formation in the Tuli Basin, Southern Africa (Bordy et al., 2004); Society for Sedimentary Geology; Palaios; 20; 3; 12-2005; 303-308
0883-1351
1938-5323
CONICET Digital
CONICET
url http://hdl.handle.net/11336/104324
identifier_str_mv Genise, Jorge Fernando; Bellosi, Eduardo Sergio; Melchor, Ricardo Nestor; Cosarinsky, Marcela Irene; Comment-Advanced Early Jurassic Termite (Insecta:Isoptera) Nests: Evidence from the Clarens Formation in the Tuli Basin, Southern Africa (Bordy et al., 2004); Society for Sedimentary Geology; Palaios; 20; 3; 12-2005; 303-308
0883-1351
1938-5323
CONICET Digital
CONICET
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/https://bioone.org/journals/palaios/volume-20/issue-3/palo.2004.p05-C01/CommentAdvanced-Early-Jurassic-Termite-Insecta--Isoptera-Nests--Evidence/10.2110/palo.2004.p05-C01.short
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.2110/palo.2004.p05-C01
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
application/pdf
application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Society for Sedimentary Geology
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Society for Sedimentary Geology
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:CONICET Digital (CONICET)
instname:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
reponame_str CONICET Digital (CONICET)
collection CONICET Digital (CONICET)
instname_str Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
repository.name.fl_str_mv CONICET Digital (CONICET) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
repository.mail.fl_str_mv dasensio@conicet.gov.ar; lcarlino@conicet.gov.ar
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