RT Journal Article
T1 Involvement of microbial mats in delayed decay: an experimental essay on fish preservation
A1 Iniesto, Miguel
A1 López Archilla, Ana I.
A1 Fregenal Martínez, María Antonia
A1 Delgado Buscalioni, Angela
A1 Guerreo, M. Carmen
AB Microbial mats have been implicated in exceptional fossil preservation. Few analyses have addressed how these complex-multilayered biofilms promote fossil preservation. The sequence of changes during decay of neon tetra fish were tracked up to 27 months, and their decomposition in mats was compared against nonmat sediments (control fish). Statistically significant differences in quantitative variables (length, width, and thickness) are provided (ANOVA test, in all cases, P, 0.001). Changes in the qualitative features (body-head, fins, scale connection, and eye and body coloration) were phenetically analyzed resulting in two clusters and highlighting that notable differences in decay began at day 15. Mat fish how a delayed decomposition maintaining the external and internal body integrity, in which soft organs were preserved after 27 months as shown by Magnetic Resonance Imaging. We discuss how the organization, structure, and activity of this community are interrelated, favoring exceptional preservation. Microbial mats entomb the fish from the earliest stages, forming a Ca-rich coat over the carcass while embedding it in an anoxic condition. This quick entombment provides important protection against abiotic and/or biotic agents.
PB Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists.
SN 0883-1351
YR 2013
FD 2013
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/35009
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/35009
LA eng
NO Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN)
NO Junta de Castilla- La Mancha
DS Docta Complutense
RD 1 may 2024