Filamentous cyanobacteria preserved in masses of fungal hyphae from the Triassic of Antarctica
Citation:
Harper, C.J., Taylor, E.L., Krings, M., Filamentous cyanobacteria preserved in masses of fungal hyphae from the Triassic of Antarctica, Peer J., 8, 2020, e8660Download Item:
Abstract:
Permineralized peat from the central Transantarctic Mountains of Antarctica has provided a wealth of information on plant and fungal diversity in Middle Triassic high-latitude forest paleoecosystems; however, there are no reports as yet of algae or cyanobacteria. The first record of a fossil filamentous cyanobacterium in this peat consists of wide, uniseriate trichomes composed of discoid cells up to 25 μm wide, and enveloped in a distinct sheath. Filament morphology, structurally preserved by permineralization and mineral replacement, corresponds to the fossil genus Palaeo- lyngbya, a predominantly Precambrian equivalent of the extant Lyngbya sensu lato (Oscillatoriaceae, Oscillatoriales). Specimens occur exclusively in masses of interwoven hyphae produced by the fungus Endochaetophora antarctica, suggesting that a special micro-environmental setting was required to preserve the filaments. Whether some form of symbiotic relationship existed between the fungus and cyanobacterium remains unknown.
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http://people.tcd.ie/charperDescription:
PUBLISHED
Author: Harper, Carla
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Journal ArticleCollections
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Peer J.8
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Full text availableKeywords:
Microbiology, Mycology, Paleontology, Endochaetophora antarctica, Fungal reproduction, Lichen, Mesozoic, Mucoromycota, Oscillatoriaceae, Palaeolyngbya, Peat, SymbiosisSubject (TCD):
Smart & Sustainable PlanetDOI:
https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.8660ISSN:
2167-8359Metadata
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