Fossilized spermatozoa preserved in a 50-Myr-old annelid cocoon from Antarctica

Autores
Bomfleur, Benjamin; Mörs, Thomas; Ferraguti, Marco; Reguero, Marcelo Alfredo; Mc Loughlin, Stephen
Año de publicación
2015
Idioma
inglés
Tipo de recurso
artículo
Estado
versión publicada
Descripción
The origin and evolution of clitellate annelids-earthworms, leeches and their relatives-is poorly understood, partly because body fossils of these delicate organisms are exceedingly rare. The distinctive egg cases (cocoons) of Clitellata, however, are relatively common in the fossil record, although their potential for phylogenetic studies has remained largely unexplored. Here, we report the remarkable discovery of fossilized spermatozoa preserved within the secreted wall layers of a 50-Myr-old clitellate cocoon from Antarctica, representing the oldest fossil animal sperm yet known. Sperm characters are highly informative for the classification of extant Annelida. The Antarctic fossil spermatozoa have several features that point to affinities with the peculiar, leech-like 'crayfish worms' (Branchiobdellida). We anticipate that systematic surveys of cocoon fossils coupled with advances in non-destructive analytical methods may open a new window into the evolution of minute, soft-bodied life forms that are otherwise only rarely observed in the fossil record.
Fil: Bomfleur, Benjamin. Swedish Museum of Natural History; Suecia
Fil: Mörs, Thomas. Swedish Museum of Natural History; Suecia
Fil: Ferraguti, Marco. Università degli Studi di Milano; Italia
Fil: Reguero, Marcelo Alfredo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Departamento Científico de Paleontología de Vertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; Argentina
Fil: Mc Loughlin, Stephen. Swedish Museum of Natural History; Suecia
Materia
Annelida
Antarctica
Clitellata
Fossilization
Spermatozoa
Taphonomy
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
OAI Identificador
oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/53429
Acceder
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network_name_str CONICET Digital (CONICET)
spelling Fossilized spermatozoa preserved in a 50-Myr-old annelid cocoon from AntarcticaBomfleur, BenjaminMörs, ThomasFerraguti, MarcoReguero, Marcelo AlfredoMc Loughlin, StephenAnnelidaAntarcticaClitellataFossilizationSpermatozoaTaphonomyhttps://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.5https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1The origin and evolution of clitellate annelids-earthworms, leeches and their relatives-is poorly understood, partly because body fossils of these delicate organisms are exceedingly rare. The distinctive egg cases (cocoons) of Clitellata, however, are relatively common in the fossil record, although their potential for phylogenetic studies has remained largely unexplored. Here, we report the remarkable discovery of fossilized spermatozoa preserved within the secreted wall layers of a 50-Myr-old clitellate cocoon from Antarctica, representing the oldest fossil animal sperm yet known. Sperm characters are highly informative for the classification of extant Annelida. The Antarctic fossil spermatozoa have several features that point to affinities with the peculiar, leech-like 'crayfish worms' (Branchiobdellida). We anticipate that systematic surveys of cocoon fossils coupled with advances in non-destructive analytical methods may open a new window into the evolution of minute, soft-bodied life forms that are otherwise only rarely observed in the fossil record.Fil: Bomfleur, Benjamin. Swedish Museum of Natural History; SueciaFil: Mörs, Thomas. Swedish Museum of Natural History; SueciaFil: Ferraguti, Marco. Università degli Studi di Milano; ItaliaFil: Reguero, Marcelo Alfredo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Departamento Científico de Paleontología de Vertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; ArgentinaFil: Mc Loughlin, Stephen. Swedish Museum of Natural History; SueciaThe Royal Society2015-07info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionhttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501info:ar-repo/semantics/articuloapplication/pdfapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/11336/53429Bomfleur, Benjamin; Mörs, Thomas; Ferraguti, Marco; Reguero, Marcelo Alfredo; Mc Loughlin, Stephen; Fossilized spermatozoa preserved in a 50-Myr-old annelid cocoon from Antarctica; The Royal Society; Biology Letters; 11; 7; 7-2015; 1-51744-9561CONICET DigitalCONICETenginfo:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1098/rsbl.2015.0431info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/http://rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/11/7/20150431info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccesshttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/reponame:CONICET Digital (CONICET)instname:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas2025-09-29T09:54:42Zoai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/53429instacron: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:34982025-09-29 09:54:42.37CONICET Digital (CONICET) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicasfalse
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Fossilized spermatozoa preserved in a 50-Myr-old annelid cocoon from Antarctica
title Fossilized spermatozoa preserved in a 50-Myr-old annelid cocoon from Antarctica
spellingShingle Fossilized spermatozoa preserved in a 50-Myr-old annelid cocoon from Antarctica
Bomfleur, Benjamin
Annelida
Antarctica
Clitellata
Fossilization
Spermatozoa
Taphonomy
title_short Fossilized spermatozoa preserved in a 50-Myr-old annelid cocoon from Antarctica
title_full Fossilized spermatozoa preserved in a 50-Myr-old annelid cocoon from Antarctica
title_fullStr Fossilized spermatozoa preserved in a 50-Myr-old annelid cocoon from Antarctica
title_full_unstemmed Fossilized spermatozoa preserved in a 50-Myr-old annelid cocoon from Antarctica
title_sort Fossilized spermatozoa preserved in a 50-Myr-old annelid cocoon from Antarctica
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Bomfleur, Benjamin
Mörs, Thomas
Ferraguti, Marco
Reguero, Marcelo Alfredo
Mc Loughlin, Stephen
author Bomfleur, Benjamin
author_facet Bomfleur, Benjamin
Mörs, Thomas
Ferraguti, Marco
Reguero, Marcelo Alfredo
Mc Loughlin, Stephen
author_role author
author2 Mörs, Thomas
Ferraguti, Marco
Reguero, Marcelo Alfredo
Mc Loughlin, Stephen
author2_role author
author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Annelida
Antarctica
Clitellata
Fossilization
Spermatozoa
Taphonomy
topic Annelida
Antarctica
Clitellata
Fossilization
Spermatozoa
Taphonomy
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 origin and evolution of clitellate annelids-earthworms, leeches and their relatives-is poorly understood, partly because body fossils of these delicate organisms are exceedingly rare. The distinctive egg cases (cocoons) of Clitellata, however, are relatively common in the fossil record, although their potential for phylogenetic studies has remained largely unexplored. Here, we report the remarkable discovery of fossilized spermatozoa preserved within the secreted wall layers of a 50-Myr-old clitellate cocoon from Antarctica, representing the oldest fossil animal sperm yet known. Sperm characters are highly informative for the classification of extant Annelida. The Antarctic fossil spermatozoa have several features that point to affinities with the peculiar, leech-like 'crayfish worms' (Branchiobdellida). We anticipate that systematic surveys of cocoon fossils coupled with advances in non-destructive analytical methods may open a new window into the evolution of minute, soft-bodied life forms that are otherwise only rarely observed in the fossil record.
Fil: Bomfleur, Benjamin. Swedish Museum of Natural History; Suecia
Fil: Mörs, Thomas. Swedish Museum of Natural History; Suecia
Fil: Ferraguti, Marco. Università degli Studi di Milano; Italia
Fil: Reguero, Marcelo Alfredo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Departamento Científico de Paleontología de Vertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; Argentina
Fil: Mc Loughlin, Stephen. Swedish Museum of Natural History; Suecia
description The origin and evolution of clitellate annelids-earthworms, leeches and their relatives-is poorly understood, partly because body fossils of these delicate organisms are exceedingly rare. The distinctive egg cases (cocoons) of Clitellata, however, are relatively common in the fossil record, although their potential for phylogenetic studies has remained largely unexplored. Here, we report the remarkable discovery of fossilized spermatozoa preserved within the secreted wall layers of a 50-Myr-old clitellate cocoon from Antarctica, representing the oldest fossil animal sperm yet known. Sperm characters are highly informative for the classification of extant Annelida. The Antarctic fossil spermatozoa have several features that point to affinities with the peculiar, leech-like 'crayfish worms' (Branchiobdellida). We anticipate that systematic surveys of cocoon fossils coupled with advances in non-destructive analytical methods may open a new window into the evolution of minute, soft-bodied life forms that are otherwise only rarely observed in the fossil record.
publishDate 2015
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2015-07
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/11336/53429
Bomfleur, Benjamin; Mörs, Thomas; Ferraguti, Marco; Reguero, Marcelo Alfredo; Mc Loughlin, Stephen; Fossilized spermatozoa preserved in a 50-Myr-old annelid cocoon from Antarctica; The Royal Society; Biology Letters; 11; 7; 7-2015; 1-5
1744-9561
CONICET Digital
CONICET
url http://hdl.handle.net/11336/53429
identifier_str_mv Bomfleur, Benjamin; Mörs, Thomas; Ferraguti, Marco; Reguero, Marcelo Alfredo; Mc Loughlin, Stephen; Fossilized spermatozoa preserved in a 50-Myr-old annelid cocoon from Antarctica; The Royal Society; Biology Letters; 11; 7; 7-2015; 1-5
1744-9561
CONICET Digital
CONICET
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1098/rsbl.2015.0431
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/http://rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/11/7/20150431
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
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv The Royal Society
publisher.none.fl_str_mv The Royal Society
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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score 13.070432

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