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dc.contributor.authorPlet, C.
dc.contributor.authorGrice, Kliti
dc.contributor.authorPagès, A.
dc.contributor.authorVerrall, M.
dc.contributor.authorCoolen, M.
dc.contributor.authorRuebsam, W.
dc.contributor.authorRickard, W.
dc.contributor.authorSchwark, L.
dc.date.accessioned2017-11-20T08:50:05Z
dc.date.available2017-11-20T08:50:05Z
dc.date.created2017-11-20T08:13:30Z
dc.date.issued2017
dc.identifier.citationPlet, C. and Grice, K. and Pagès, A. and Verrall, M. and Coolen, M. and Ruebsam, W. and Rickard, W. et al. 2017. Palaeobiology of red and white blood cell-like structures, collagen and cholesterol in an ichthyosaur bone. Scientific Reports. 7 (1).
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/58034
dc.identifier.doi10.1038/s41598-017-13873-4
dc.description.abstract

© 2017 The Author(s). Carbonate concretions are known to contain well-preserved fossils and soft tissues. Recently, biomolecules (e.g. cholesterol) and molecular fossils (biomarkers) were also discovered in a 380 million-year-old concretion, revealing their importance in exceptional preservation of biosignatures. Here, we used a range of microanalytical techniques, biomarkers and compound specific isotope analyses to report the presence of red and white blood cell-like structures as well as platelet-like structures, collagen and cholesterol in an ichthyosaur bone encapsulated in a carbonate concretion from the Early Jurassic (~182.7 Ma). The red blood cell-like structures are four to five times smaller than those identified in modern organisms. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis revealed that the red blood cell-like structures are organic in composition. We propose that the small size of the blood cell-like structures results from an evolutionary adaptation to the prolonged low oxygen atmospheric levels prevailing during the 70 Ma when ichthyosaurs thrived. The d 13 C of the ichthyosaur bone cholesterol indicates that it largely derives from a higher level in the food chain and is consistent with a fish and cephalopod diet. The combined findings above demonstrate that carbonate concretions create isolated environments that promote exceptional preservation of fragile tissues and biomolecules.

dc.publisherNature Publishing Group
dc.relation.sponsoredbyhttp://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP130100577
dc.titlePalaeobiology of red and white blood cell-like structures, collagen and cholesterol in an ichthyosaur bone
dc.typeJournal Article
dcterms.source.volume7
dcterms.source.number1
dcterms.source.issn2045-2322
dcterms.source.titleScientific Reports
curtin.departmentDepartment of Chemistry
curtin.accessStatusOpen access via publisher


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