Sponge spicules from the lower Cambrian in the Yanjiahe Formation, South China: The earliest biomineralizing sponge record

Chang, Shan Chwen; Feng, Qinglai; Clausen, Sébastien; Zhang, Lei

doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2016.06.032

Cited by 57 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…Fossil remains of biomineralization are limited until the late Neoproterozoic (e.g., the Ediacaran calcifying animals Cloudinia and Namacalathus, Cunningham et al, 2017). Furthermore, confirmed fossil evidence of Precambrian Si biomineralization by eukaryotes is scant: microfossils proposed to represent siliceous testate amoebae date to ∼740 Ma (Porter and Knoll, 2000), while fossil siliceous sponge spicules in the Precambrian remain controversial (Antcliffe et al, 2014;Chang et al, 2017). It is possible that biosilicification did occur in the Ediacaran oceans, and that there exists a long missing record of (for example) siliceous sponge spicules from that time that has been long lost to the ravages of geologic time (Sperling et al, 2010).…”

Section: Changing Si Biogeochemistry In the Precambrian Oceansmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This is not just relevant to the Phanerozoic, when Si biomineralization irrefutably exists. Although earlier fossil evidence for silicifying organisms is scarce, and often controversial (Porter and Knoll, 2000;Sperling et al, 2010;Antcliffe et al, 2014;Chang et al, 2017), study of the evolutionary history of Si transporters used in biosilicification indicates a remarkably early appearance of transmembrane Si transport in eukaryotes. This challenges the hypothesis that the Precambrian oceans were controlled only by inorganic reactions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Biosilicification Drives a Decline of Dissolved Si in the Oceans through Geologic Time

et al. 2017

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Biosilicification has driven variation in the global Si cycle over geologic time. The evolution of different eukaryotic lineages that convert dissolved Si (DSi) into mineralized structures (higher plants, siliceous sponges, radiolarians, and diatoms) has driven a secular decrease in DSi in the global ocean leading to the low DSi concentrations seen today. Recent studies, however, have questioned the timing previously proposed for the DSi decreases and the concentration changes through deep time, which would have major implications for the cycling of carbon and other key nutrients in the ocean. Here, we combine relevant genomic data with geological data and present new hypotheses regarding the impact of the evolution of biosilicifying organisms on the DSi inventory of the oceans throughout deep time. Although there is no fossil evidence for true silica biomineralization until the late Precambrian, the timing of the evolution of silica transporter genes suggests that bacterial silicon-related metabolism has been present in the oceans since the Archean with eukaryotic silicon metabolism already occurring in the Neoproterozoic. We hypothesize that biological processes have influenced oceanic DSi concentrations since the beginning of oxygenic photosynthesis.

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Section: Changing Si Biogeochemistry In the Precambrian Oceansmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biosilicification Drives a Decline of Dissolved Si in the Oceans through Geologic Time

et al. 2017

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“…About 750 million years (My) after the appearance of multicellular life we saw the arrival of the Phylum Porifera (sponges), the most ancient metazoan (Chang et al. ). The body plans of the earliest multicellular organisms are asymmetric and do not have a head or tail.…”

Section: Multicellular Lifementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The first multicellular organisms originated 1.5 Bya (for a detailed timeline and updated phylogenetic classification see Lecointre & Le Guyader, 2007 and revised higher order classifications by Ruggiero et al 2015) and over time became more specialised and diverse, giving rise to the many plants, animals and fungi we see today (Hofkin, 2010). About 750 million years (My) after the appearance of multicellular life we saw the arrival of the Phylum Porifera (sponges), the most ancient metazoan (Chang et al 2017). The body plans of the earliest multicellular organisms are asymmetric and do not have a head or tail.…”

Section: Multicellular Lifementioning

confidence: 99%

The vertebrate heart: an evolutionary perspective

2017

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Convergence is the tendency of independent species to evolve similarly when subjected to the same environmental conditions. The primitive blueprint for the circulatory system emerged around 700-600 Mya and exhibits diverse physiological adaptations across the radiations of vertebrates (Subphylum Vertebrata, Phylum Chordata). It has evolved from the early chordate circulatory system with a single layered tube in the tunicate (Subphylum Urchordata) or an amphioxus (Subphylum Cephalochordata), to a vertebrate circulatory system with a two-chambered heart made up of one atrium and one ventricle in gnathostome fish (Infraphylum Gnathostomata), to a system with a three-chambered heart made up of two atria which maybe partially divided or completely separated in amphibian tetrapods (Class Amphibia). Subsequent tetrapods, including crocodiles and alligators (Order Crocodylia, Subclass Crocodylomorpha, Class Reptilia), birds (Subclass Aves, Class Reptilia) and mammals (Class Mammalia) evolved a four-chambered heart. The structure and function of the circulatory system of each individual holds a vital role which benefits each species specifically. The special characteristics of the four-chamber mammalian heart are highlighted by the peculiar structure of the myocardial muscle.

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“…A huge variety of marine and freshwater sponges have been described, with an estimated diversity in the order of 9,000 species (Van Soest et al, 2012), and trace fossil record down to the lowest Cambrian (Chang et al, 2017). Among them the Demospongiae (> 7,000 species) and the Hexactinellida (∼ 600 species) can present silica spicules of different structure and morphology, ranging from a few microns (microscleres), to millimeters and up to several meters long (megascleres).…”

Section: Light Propagation In Glass Sponge Materialsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Optical Properties of Nanostructured Silica Structures From Marine Organisms

et al. 2018

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Light is important for the growth, behavior, and development of both phototrophic and autotrophic organisms. A large diversity of organisms used silica-based materials as internal and external structures. Nano-scaled well-organized silica biomaterials are characterized by a low refractive index and an extremely low absorption coefficient in the visible range, which make them interesting for optical studies. Recent studies on silica materials from glass sponges and diatoms, have pointed out very interesting optical properties, such as light waveguiding, diffraction, focusing, and photoluminescence. Light guiding and focusing have been shown to be coupled properties found in spicule of glass sponge or shells of diatoms. Moreover, most of these interesting studies have used purified biomaterials and the properties have addressed in non-aquatic environments, first in order to enhance the index contrast in the structure and second to enhance the spectral distribution. Although there is many evidences that silica biomaterials can present interesting optical properties that might be used for industrial purposes, it is important to emphases that the results were obtained from a few numbers of species. Due to the key roles of light for a large number of marine organisms, the development of experiments with living organisms along with field studies are require to better improve our understanding of the physiological and structural roles played by silica structures.

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Sponge spicules from the lower Cambrian in the Yanjiahe Formation, South China: The earliest biomineralizing sponge record

Cited by 57 publications

References 38 publications

Biosilicification Drives a Decline of Dissolved Si in the Oceans through Geologic Time

Biosilicification Drives a Decline of Dissolved Si in the Oceans through Geologic Time

The vertebrate heart: an evolutionary perspective

Optical Properties of Nanostructured Silica Structures From Marine Organisms

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