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Arthropod entombment in weathering-formed opal: new horizons for recording life in rocks.

ABSTRACT: Animal fossils preserved in various geological materials, such as limestone, claystone, or amber, provide detailed information on extinct species that is indispensable for retracing the evolution of terrestrial life. Here, we present the first record of an animal fossil preserved in opal formed by weathering with such high-resolution details that even individual cuticle hairs are observed. The fossil consists of the exoskeleton of a nymphal insect belonging to the order Hemiptera and either the family Tettigarctidae or the Cicadidae. This identification is based on anatomical details such as the tibial and femoral morphology of the forelegs. The exoskeleton of the insect was primarily zeolitized during the alteration of the host rocks and later sealed in opal deposited by silica-rich fluids derived from the continental weathering of the volcanic host rocks. Organic matter is preserved in the form of amorphous carbon. This finding makes opal formed by rocks weathering a new, complementary source of animal fossils, offering new prospects for the search for ancient life in the early history of Earth and possibly other terrestrial planets such as Mars, where weathering-formed opal occurs.

SUBMITTER: Chauvire B

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7324577 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Arthropod entombment in weathering-formed opal: new horizons for recording life in rocks.

Chauviré Boris B Houadria Mickal M Donini Aline A Berger Brian T BT Rondeau Benjamin B Kritsky Gene G Lhuissier Pierre P

Scientific reports 20200629 1

Animal fossils preserved in various geological materials, such as limestone, claystone, or amber, provide detailed information on extinct species that is indispensable for retracing the evolution of terrestrial life. Here, we present the first record of an animal fossil preserved in opal formed by weathering with such high-resolution details that even individual cuticle hairs are observed. The fossil consists of the exoskeleton of a nymphal insect belonging to the order Hemiptera and either the ...[more]

PMID: 32601331

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Arthropod entombment in weathering-formed opal: new horizons for recording life in rocks.

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Arthropod entombment in weathering-formed opal: new horizons for recording life in rocks.

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