10.5061/DRYAD.FN78R
Donoghue, Philip C. J.
University of Bristol
Bengtson, Stefan
Swedish Museum of Natural History
Dong, Xi-ping
Peking University
Gostling, Neil J.
University of Bristol
Huldtgren, Therese
Swedish Museum of Natural History
Cunningham, John A.
University of Bristol
Yin, Chongyu
Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry
Yue, Zhao
Swedish Museum of Natural History
Peng, Fan
Peking University
Stampanoni, Marco
Paul Scherrer Institute
Data from: Synchrotron X-ray tomographic microscopy of fossil embryos
Dryad
dataset
2012
Scalidophora
Markuelia
Introverta
Ecdysozoa
Palaeoscolecida
Vinctiplicata
Priapulida
2012-10-30T15:46:31Z
2012-10-30T15:46:31Z
en
https://doi.org/10.1038/nature04890
8544 bytes
1
CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
Fossilized embryos from the late Neoproterozoic and earliest Phanerozoic
have caused much excitement because they preserve the earliest stages of
embryology of animals that represent the initial diversification of
metazoans. However, the potential of this material has not been fully
realized because of reliance on traditional, non-destructive methods that
allow analysis of exposed surfaces only, and destructive methods that
preserve only a single two-dimensional view of the interior of the
specimen. Here, we have applied synchrotron-radiation X-ray tomographic
microscopy (SRXTM), obtaining complete three-dimensional recordings at
submicrometre resolution. The embryos are preserved by early diagenetic
impregnation and encrustation with calcium phosphate, and differences in
X-ray attenuation provide information about the distribution of these two
diagenetic phases. Three-dimensional visualization of blastomere
arrangement and diagenetic cement in cleavage embryos resolves outstanding
questions about their nature, including the identity of the columnar
blastomeres. The anterior and posterior anatomy of embryos of the
bilaterian worm-like Markuelia confirms its position as a scalidophoran,
providing new insights into body-plan assembly among constituent phyla.
The structure of the developing germ band in another bilaterian,
Pseudooides, indicates a unique mode of germ-band development. SRXTM
provides a method of non-invasive analysis that rivals the resolution
achieved even by destructive methods, probing the very limits of
fossilization and providing insight into embryology during the emergence
of metazoan phyla.
Cladistic data matrixCladistic data matrixDatamatrix