Abstract
Organic tissues such as cuticles may survive as organic remains and account for the fossil record of a number of important groups such as graptolites, chelicerates, insects, chitinozoans, ammonite beaks and fish scales. Fossilized cuticles were assumed to be composed of chitin protein complex similar to the living relatives, however, analysis of fossils using a range of mass spectrometric and spectroscopic methods have shown that preserved cuticles include significant amounts of aliphatic hydrocarbon component at times with an aromatic component that is very different to the composition of the cuticle of the living arthropod. Analysis of successively older fossil material has revealed that this transformation to an aliphatic composition is gradual and perhaps time dependant. Taphanomic incubation experiments demonstrate that lipids such as fatty acids are incorporated into the decaying chitin protein exoskeleton as early as a few weeks contributing to the aliphatic component. This is supported by chemolytic analysis of fossils that reveal presence of fatty acyl moieties in the macromolecule. Thus, the aliphatic composition in the fossils is generated in-situ and not from migration from an external source. Many kerogens are similarly aliphatic and serve as a source for petroleum during thermal maturation. In such sedimentary organic matter where the contributing organism does not have a resistant aliphatic biopolymer, in situ lipid incorporation is likely an important mechanism for presence of the aliphatic component in the fossil organic matter.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
Adam P, Schmid JC, Mycke B, Strazielle C, Connan J, Huc A, Albrecht P (1993) Structural investigation of non-polar sulfur cross-linked macromolecules in petroleum. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 57:3395–3419
Adam P, Schneckenburger P, Schaeffer P, Albrecht P (2000) Clues to early diagenetic sulfurization processes from mild chemical cleavage of labile sulfur-rich geomacromolecules. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 64:3485–3503
Baas M, Briggs DEG, van Heemst JDH, Kear AJ, de Leeuw JW (1995) Selective preservation of chitin during the decay of shrimp. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 59:945–951
Bland HA, van Bergen PF, Carter JF, Evershed RP (1998) Early diagenetic transformations of Proteins and Polysaccharides in archaeological plant remains. In: Stankiewicz BA, van Bergen PF (eds) Nitrogen-containing macromolecules in the bio- and geosphere. ACS Symposium series 707, American Chemical Society
Blokker P, Schouten S, de Leeuw JW, Sinninghe Damsté JS, van den Ende H (2000) A comparative study of fossil and extant algaenans using ruthenium tetroxide degradation. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 64:2055–2065
Boyce CK, Cody GD, Feser M, Jacobsen, Knoll AH, Wirick S (2002) Preservation of cell wall chemistry and microstructure in plant fossils as old as 400 million years: detection by carbon X-ray absorption spectromicroscopy. Geology 30:1039–1042
Briggs DEG (1999) Molecular taphonomy of animal and plant cuticles: selective preservation and diagenesis. Philos Trans R Soc London Ser B 354:7–16
Briggs DEG (2003) The role of decay and mineralization in the preservation of soft-bodied fossils. Annu Rev Earth Planet Sci 31:275–301
Briggs DEG, Kear AJ (1994) Decay and mineralization of shrimps. Palaios 9:431–456
Briggs DEG, Evershed RP, Lockheart MJ (2000) The biomolecular paleontology of continental fossils. Paleobiology 26 (supplement to no. 4):169–193
Collinson ME, Mösle B, Finch P, Wilson R, Scott AC (1998) The preservation of plant cuticle in the fossil record: a chemical and microscopical investigation. Ancient Biomolecules 2:251–265
Cuesta A, Dhamelincourt P, Laureyns J, Martinez-Alonso A, Tascon JMD (1994) Raman microprobe studies on carbon materials. Carbon 32:1523–1532
de Leeuw JW, Baas J (1993) The behavior of esters in the presence of tetramethylammonium salts at elevated temperatures; flash pyrolysis or flash chemolysis? J Anal Appl Pyrol 26:175–184
de Leeuw JW, Largeau C (1993) A review of macromolecular organic compounds that comprise living organisms and their role in kerogen, coal and petroleum formation. In: Engel MH, Macko SA (eds) Organic geochemistry: principles and applications. Plenum, New York, pp 23–62
Duncan IJ, Titchener F, Briggs DEG (2003) Decay and disarticulation of the cockroach: implications for the preservation of the blattoids of Writhlington (Upper Carboniferous), UK. Palaios 18:256–265
Freeman KH, Hayes JM, Trendel J-M, Albrecht P (1990) Evidence from carbon isotope measurements for diverse origins of sedimentary hydrocarbons. Nature 343:254–256
Gatellier J-PLA, de Leeuw JW, Sinninghe Damsté JS, Derenne S, Largeau C, Metzger P (1993) A comparative study of macromolecular substances of a Coorongite and cell walls of the extant alga Botryococcus braunii. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 57:2053–2068
Gupta NS, Briggs DEG, Collinson ME, Evershed RP, Michels R, Pancost RD (2006a) Organic preservation of fossil arthropods: an experimental study. Proc R Soc Lond B 273:2777–2783
Gupta NS, Briggs DEG, Collinson ME, Evershed RP, Pancost RD (2006c) Re-investigation of the occurrence of cutan in plants: implications for the leaf fossil record. Paleobiology 32:432–449
Gupta NS, Briggs DEG, Collinson ME, Evershed RP, Michels R, Pancost RD (2007a) Molecular preservation of plant and insect cuticles from the Oligocene Enspel Formation, Germany: evidence against derivation of aliphatic polymer from sediment. Org Geochem 38:404–418
Gupta NS, Tetlie OE, Briggs DEG, Pancost RD (2007b) Fossilization of Eurypterids: a result of molecular transformation. Palaios 22:439–447
Gupta NS, Briggs DEG, Collinson ME, Evershed RP, Michels R, Jack KS, Pancost RD (2007c) Evidence for the in situ polymerisation of labile aliphatic organic compounds during the preservation of fossil leaves: implications for organic matter preservation. Org Geochem 38:499–522
Gupta NS, Briggs DEG, Landman NH, Tanabe K, Summons RE (2008a) Molecular structure of organic components in cephalopods: evidence for oxidative crosslinking in fossil marine inverstebrates. Org Geochem 39:1405–1414
Gupta NS, Cambra-Moo O, Briggs DEG, Love GD, Fregenal-Martinez MA, Summons RE (2008b) Molecular taphonomy of macrofossils from the Cretaceous Las Hoyas Formation, Spain. Cretaceous Res 29:1–8
Gupta NS, Cody GD, Tetlie OE, Briggs DEG, Summons RE (2009) Rapid incorporation of lipids into macromolecules during experimental decay of invertebrates: initiation of geopolymer formation. Org Geochem 40:589–594
Hayes JM, Freeman KH, Popp BN, Hoham CH (1990) Compound-specific isotopic analyses: a novel tool for reconstruction of ancient biogeochemical processes. Org Geochem 16:1115–1128
Hebting Y, Schaeffer P, Behrens A, Adam P, Schmitt G, Schneckenburger P, Bernasconi SM, Albrecht P (2006) Biomarker evidence for a major preservation pathway of sedimentary organic carbon. Science 312:1627–1631
Knicker H, del Rio JC, Hatcher PG, Minard RD (2001) Identification of protein remnants in insoluble geopolymers using TMAH thermochemolysis/GC–MS. Org Geochem 32:397–409
Kok MD, Schouten S, Sinninghe Damsté JS (2000) Formation of insoluble, nonhydrolyzable, sulfur-rich macromolecules via incorporation of inorganic sulfur species into algal carbohydrates. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 64:2689–2699
Krzeczkowski RA (1970) Fatty acids in raw and processed Alaska pink shrimp. J Am Oil Chem Soc 47:451–452
Larter SR, Douglas AG (1980) Melanoidins – kerogen precursors and geochemical lipid sinks: a study using pyrolysis gas chromatography (PGC). Geochim Cosmochim Acta 44:2087–2095
Lockey KH (1988) Lipids of the insect cuticle: origin, composition and function. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 89:595–645
Love GD, Snape CE, Carr AD, Houghton RC (1995) Release of covalently-bound alkane biomarkers in high yields from kerogen via catalytic hydropyrolysis. Org Geochem 23:981–998
Marshall CP, Love GD, Snape CE, Hill AC, Allwood AC, Walter MR, Kranendonk MJ, Van Bowden SA, Sylva SP, Summons RE (2007) Structural characterization of kerogen in 3.4 Ga Archaean cherts from the Pilbara Craton, Western Australia. Precambrian Res 155:1–23
Mösle B, Collinson ME, Finch P, Stankiewicz BA, Scott AC, Wilson R (1998) Factors influencing the preservation of plant cuticles: a comparison of morphology and chemical comparison of modern and fossil examples. Org Geochem 29:1369–1380
Nguyen RT, Harvey HR (1998) Protein preservation during early diagenesis in marinewaters and sediments. In: Stankiewicz BA, van Bergen PF (eds) Nitrogen containing macromolecules in the bio- and geosphere. ACS Symposium Series 707, American Chemical Society
Rahl JM, Anderson KM, Brandon MT, Fassoulas C (2005) Raman spectroscopic carbonaceous material thermometry of low-grade metamorphic rocks: Calibration and application to tectonic exhumation in Crete, Grece. Earth Planet Sci Lett 240:339–354
Riboulleau A, Derenne S, Largeau C, Baudin F (2001) Origin of contrasting features and preservation pathways in kerogens from the Kashpir oil shales (Upper Jurassic, Russian Platform). Org Geochem 32:647–665
Schaefer J, Kramer KJ, Garbow JR, Jacob GS, Stejskal EO, Hopkins TL, Speirs RD (1987) Aromatic cross-links in insect cuticle: detection by solid-state 13C and 15N NMR. Science 235:1200–1204
Schaeffer P, Harrison BJ, Keely BJ, Maxwell JR (1995a) Product distributions from chemical degradation of kerogens from a marl from a Miocene evaporitic sequence (Vena del Gesso, N. Italy). Org Geochem 23:541–554
Schaeffer P, Reiss C, Albrecht P (1995b) Geochemical study of macromolecular organic matter from sulfur-rich sediments of evaporitic origin (Messinian of Sicily) by chemical degradations. Org Geochem 23:567–581
Shioya M, Ishiwatari R (1983) Laboratory thermal conversion of sedimentary lipids to kerogen-like matter. Org Geochem 5:7–12
Stankiewicz BA, Briggs DEG, Evershed RP, Flannery MB, Wuttke M (1997a) Preservation of chitin in 25-million-year-old fossils. Science 276:1541–1543
Stankiewicz BA, Briggs DEG, Evershed RP (1997b) Chemical composition of Paleozoic and Mesozoic fossil invertebrate cuticles as revealed by pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Energy Fuels 11:515–521
Stankiewicz BA, Briggs DEG, Evershed RP, Duncan IJ (1997c) Chemical preservation of insect cuticles from the Pleistocene asphalt deposits of California USA. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 61:2247–2252
Stankiewicz BA, Mösle B, Finch P, Collinson ME, Scott AC, Briggs DEG, Evershed RP (1998a) Molecular taphonomy of arthropod and plant cuticles from the Carboniferous of North America: implications for the origin of kerogen. J Geol Soc 155:453–462
Stankiewicz BA, Poinar HN, Briggs DEG, Evershed RP, Poinar GO Jr (1998b) Chemical preservation of plants and insects in natural resins. Proc R Soc Lond B 265:641–647
Stankiewicz BA, Briggs DEG, Michels R, Collinson ME, Evershed RP (2000) Alternative origin of aliphatic polymer in kerogen. Geology 28:559–562
Tissot B, Welte DH (1984) Petroleum formation and occurrence, 2nd edn. Springer, Berlin
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2011 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Gupta, N.S., Summons, R.E. (2011). Fate of Chitinous Organisms in the Geosphere. In: Gupta, N. (eds) Chitin. Topics in Geobiology, vol 34. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9684-5_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9684-5_7
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-90-481-9683-8
Online ISBN: 978-90-481-9684-5
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)