Francevillian biota: Difference between revisions
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[[File:Gabonionta I.jpg|thumb|Gabonionta, earliest form of multicellular life]] |
[[File:Gabonionta I.jpg|thumb|Gabonionta, earliest form of multicellular life]] |
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The ''' |
The '''Gabon macrofossils''', (also '''Francevillian Biota'''<ref name="El Albani et al 2014">{{cite journal|last1=El Albani|first1=Abderrazak|last2=Bengtson|first2=Stefan|last3=Canfield|first3=Donald E.|last4=Riboulleau|first4=Armelle|last5=Rollion Bard|first5=Claire|last6=Macchiarelli|first6=Roberto ''et al.''|title=The 2.1 Ga Old Francevillian Biota: Biogenicity, Taphonomy and Biodiversity|journal=PLoS ONE|date=25 June 2014|volume=9|issue=6|pages=e99438|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0099438|url=http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0099438}}</ref> or '''Gabonionta''') refers to group of a 2.1 billion year-old macroscopic [[fossil]]s, discovered 2010 in [[Gabon]], [[West Africa]], which have since been regarded as the earliest form of multi-cellular life. With the discovery of beginning of the evolution of [[multicellular life]] has been pushed back by 1.5 billion years. The discovery was by the Moroccan-French geologist [[Abderrazak El Albani]], of the [[University of Poitiers]], France. While the fossils have yet to be assigned to a formal taxonomic position, they have been informally referred to as the "Gabonionta" by the [[Natural History Museum Vienna]] in 2014.<ref>[http://www.nhm-wien.ac.at/jart/prj3/nhm/data/uploads/Pressemappe_Gabun_English.pdf Experiment Life – the Gabonionta]. (Press Release). 4 March 2014. Naturhistorisches Museum Wien </ref> |
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[[File:Gabonionta II.jpg|thumb|Gabonionta, diameter horizontal: 12 cm]] |
[[File:Gabonionta II.jpg|thumb|Gabonionta, diameter horizontal: 12 cm]] |
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==Morphology== |
==Morphology== |
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Gabonionta are up to 17 cm large fossils with complex morphology, including circular and elongated individuals. A spherical to ellipsoidal central body is bounded by radial structures. Gabonionta show three-dimensionality and coordinated growth |
Gabonionta are up to 17 cm large fossils with complex morphology, including circular and elongated individuals. A spherical to ellipsoidal central body is bounded by radial structures. Gabonionta show three-dimensionality and coordinated growth.<ref name="Albani2010">{{cite journal|last= El Albani|first=Abderrazak|coauthors=Bengtson, Stefan; Canfield, Donald E.; Bekker, Andrey; Macchiarelli, Roberto; Mazurier, Arnaud; Hammarlund, Emma U.; et al.|title=Large colonial organisms with coordinated growth in oxygenated environments 2.1 Gyr ago|journal=Nature|year=2010|volume=466|issue=7302|pages=100–104|doi=10.1038/nature09166|pmid=20596019|url=http://www.afrikibouge.com/publications/Article%20Albani.pdf|bibcode=2010Natur.466..100A}}</ref> Cell-cell communication must be assumed as it existed before multi-cellularity arose.<ref name="Sébe-Pedrós">{{cite journal|last=Sebe-Pedros|first=A.|coauthors=Roger, A. J.; Lang, F. B.; King, N.; Ruiz-Trillo, I.|title=Ancient origin of the integrin-mediated adhesion and signaling machinery|journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences|year=2010|volume=107|issue=22|pages=10142–10147|doi=10.1073/pnas.1002257107|url=http://www.pnas.org/content/107/22/10142.full?sid=b933a950-d3cb-4c6d-99b1-733ea59b0543|bibcode=2010PNAS..10710142S}}</ref> |
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==Locality== |
==Locality== |
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The findings come from shales of the Franceville basin with a high fossil density of up to 40 individuals per square meter. Presumably, the organisms survived at the bottom in shallow sea water in colonies.<ref name=" |
The findings come from shales of the Franceville basin with a high fossil density of up to 40 individuals per square meter. Presumably, the organisms survived at the bottom in shallow sea water in colonies.<ref name="Albani2010"/> |
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==Interpretations== |
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In describing the fossils, El Albani and colleagues described them as colonial organisms with possible affinities to eukaryotes, akin to [[microbial mat]]s albeit unlike any known structures in the fossil record, yet noting the complexity of the fossils and presence of [[sterane]] as suggestive of possible [[eukaryote]] identity. In a concurrent news report in ''[[Nature (magazine)|Nature]]'', paleontologist [[Philip Donoghue]] of Bristol University advocates a more conservative approach pending further evidence before calling them eukaryotes. Another view, held by [[Yale University|Yale's]] [[Adolf Seilacher]], interprets the fossils at not organisms at all, but rather [[pseudofossils]] of inorganic pyrites.<ref name=Maxmen2010>{{cite journal|last1=Maxmen|first1=Amy|title=Ancient macrofossils unearthed in West Africa|journal=Nature|date=30 June 2010|doi=10.1038/news.2010.323|url=http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100630/full/news.2010.323.html}}</ref> |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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{{Reflist}} |
{{Reflist}} |
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==External links== |
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* [http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100630/full/news.2010.323.html Ancient macrofossils unearthed in West Africa. ''Nature''] |
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Revision as of 05:04, 3 July 2014
The Gabon macrofossils, (also Francevillian Biota[1] or Gabonionta) refers to group of a 2.1 billion year-old macroscopic fossils, discovered 2010 in Gabon, West Africa, which have since been regarded as the earliest form of multi-cellular life. With the discovery of beginning of the evolution of multicellular life has been pushed back by 1.5 billion years. The discovery was by the Moroccan-French geologist Abderrazak El Albani, of the University of Poitiers, France. While the fossils have yet to be assigned to a formal taxonomic position, they have been informally referred to as the "Gabonionta" by the Natural History Museum Vienna in 2014.[2]
Morphology
Gabonionta are up to 17 cm large fossils with complex morphology, including circular and elongated individuals. A spherical to ellipsoidal central body is bounded by radial structures. Gabonionta show three-dimensionality and coordinated growth.[3] Cell-cell communication must be assumed as it existed before multi-cellularity arose.[4]
Locality
The findings come from shales of the Franceville basin with a high fossil density of up to 40 individuals per square meter. Presumably, the organisms survived at the bottom in shallow sea water in colonies.[3]
Interpretations
In describing the fossils, El Albani and colleagues described them as colonial organisms with possible affinities to eukaryotes, akin to microbial mats albeit unlike any known structures in the fossil record, yet noting the complexity of the fossils and presence of sterane as suggestive of possible eukaryote identity. In a concurrent news report in Nature, paleontologist Philip Donoghue of Bristol University advocates a more conservative approach pending further evidence before calling them eukaryotes. Another view, held by Yale's Adolf Seilacher, interprets the fossils at not organisms at all, but rather pseudofossils of inorganic pyrites.[5]
See also
References
- ^ El Albani, Abderrazak; Bengtson, Stefan; Canfield, Donald E.; Riboulleau, Armelle; Rollion Bard, Claire; Macchiarelli, Roberto; et al. (25 June 2014). "The 2.1 Ga Old Francevillian Biota: Biogenicity, Taphonomy and Biodiversity". PLoS ONE. 9 (6): e99438. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0099438.
{{cite journal}}: Explicit use of et al. in:|first6=(help)CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link) - ^ Experiment Life – the Gabonionta. (Press Release). 4 March 2014. Naturhistorisches Museum Wien
- ^ a b El Albani, Abderrazak (2010). "Large colonial organisms with coordinated growth in oxygenated environments 2.1 Gyr ago" (PDF). Nature. 466 (7302): 100–104. Bibcode:2010Natur.466..100A. doi:10.1038/nature09166. PMID 20596019.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Sebe-Pedros, A. (2010). "Ancient origin of the integrin-mediated adhesion and signaling machinery". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 107 (22): 10142–10147. Bibcode:2010PNAS..10710142S. doi:10.1073/pnas.1002257107.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Maxmen, Amy (30 June 2010). "Ancient macrofossils unearthed in West Africa". Nature. doi:10.1038/news.2010.323.