Journal article
Interpreting melanin-based coloration through deep time: a critical review
Proceedings of the Royal Society. B, Biological sciences, v 282(1813), 20150614
22 Aug 2015
PMID: 26290071
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Colour, derived primarily from melanin and/or carotenoid pigments, is integral to many aspects of behaviour in living vertebrates, including social signalling, sexual display and crypsis. Thus, identifying biochromes in extinct animals can shed light on the acquisition and evolution of these biological traits. Both eumelanin and melanin-containing cellular organelles (melanosomes) are preserved in fossils, but recognizing traces of ancient melanin-based coloration is fraught with interpretative ambiguity, especially when observations are based on morphological evidence alone. Assigning microbodies (or, more often reported, their 'mouldic impressions') as melanosome traces without adequately excluding a bacterial origin is also problematic because microbes are pervasive and intimately involved in organismal degradation. Additionally, some forms synthesize melanin. In this review, we survey both vertebrate and microbial melanization, and explore the conflicts influencing assessment of microbodies preserved in association with ancient animal soft tissues. We discuss the types of data used to interpret fossil melanosomes and evaluate whether these are sufficient for definitive diagnosis. Finally, we outline an integrated morphological and geochemical approach for detecting endogenous pigment remains and associated microstructures in multimillion-year-old fossils.
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Details
- Title
- Interpreting melanin-based coloration through deep time: a critical review
- Creators
- Johan Lindgren (Corresponding Author) - Lund UniversityAlison Moyer - North Carolina State UniversityMary H Schweitzer - North Carolina Museum of Natural SciencesPeter Sjövall - University of BoråsPer Uvdal - Lund UniversityDan E Nilsson - Lund UniversityJimmy Heimdal - MAX IV LaboratoryAnders Engdahl - MAX IV LaboratoryJohan A Gren - Lund UniversityBo Pagh Schultz - MUSERUM, Natural History Division, 7800 Skive, DenmarkBenjamin P Kear - Uppsala University
- Publication Details
- Proceedings of the Royal Society. B, Biological sciences, v 282(1813), 20150614
- Publisher
- The Royal Society
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Biology
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000362050000001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85055205381
- Other Identifier
- 991021229884504721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Biology
- Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology