Allopatric molting of Devonian trilobites
Abstract Trilobite exuviae record the development of individual trilobites and their molting process and can also contain information on their behavior. The silt- to fine-grained tuffites of the middle part of the Middle Member of the Upper Devonian Hongguleleng Formation in western Junggar contains...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2022-08-01
|
| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-18146-3 |
| _version_ | 1828358141158359040 |
|---|---|
| author | Ruiwen Zong Yiming Gong |
| author_facet | Ruiwen Zong Yiming Gong |
| author_sort | Ruiwen Zong |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Trilobite exuviae record the development of individual trilobites and their molting process and can also contain information on their behavior. The silt- to fine-grained tuffites of the middle part of the Middle Member of the Upper Devonian Hongguleleng Formation in western Junggar contains abundant phacopidae trilobite, specifically Omegops sp. A, almost all of which are exuviae. Based on the preservation pattern, burial environment, and set of organisms co-occurring with Omegops sp. A, we speculate that the environment represented by the middle part of the Middle Member of the Hongguleleng Formation served only as the molting site of Omegops sp. A, and that their primary habitat was elsewhere. Omegops sp. A would have thus travelled to deep-water to molt. The reasons for allopatric molting may have included avoiding predators and interference from competing organisms during molting. This implies that the migratory behavior of some modern arthropods may have existed since at least the Devonian. This behavior suggests that Late Devonian phacopidae trilobites may have migrated to deeper water expanded their ecological domain as a survival strategy in response to unfavorable ecological environment. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T03:25:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-41bf5209ab774b7bbe32683772df0565 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T03:25:11Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-41bf5209ab774b7bbe32683772df05652022-12-22T02:15:11ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222022-08-011211910.1038/s41598-022-18146-3Allopatric molting of Devonian trilobitesRuiwen Zong0Yiming Gong1State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of GeosciencesState Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of GeosciencesAbstract Trilobite exuviae record the development of individual trilobites and their molting process and can also contain information on their behavior. The silt- to fine-grained tuffites of the middle part of the Middle Member of the Upper Devonian Hongguleleng Formation in western Junggar contains abundant phacopidae trilobite, specifically Omegops sp. A, almost all of which are exuviae. Based on the preservation pattern, burial environment, and set of organisms co-occurring with Omegops sp. A, we speculate that the environment represented by the middle part of the Middle Member of the Hongguleleng Formation served only as the molting site of Omegops sp. A, and that their primary habitat was elsewhere. Omegops sp. A would have thus travelled to deep-water to molt. The reasons for allopatric molting may have included avoiding predators and interference from competing organisms during molting. This implies that the migratory behavior of some modern arthropods may have existed since at least the Devonian. This behavior suggests that Late Devonian phacopidae trilobites may have migrated to deeper water expanded their ecological domain as a survival strategy in response to unfavorable ecological environment.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-18146-3 |
| spellingShingle | Ruiwen Zong Yiming Gong Allopatric molting of Devonian trilobites Scientific Reports |
| title | Allopatric molting of Devonian trilobites |
| title_full | Allopatric molting of Devonian trilobites |
| title_fullStr | Allopatric molting of Devonian trilobites |
| title_full_unstemmed | Allopatric molting of Devonian trilobites |
| title_short | Allopatric molting of Devonian trilobites |
| title_sort | allopatric molting of devonian trilobites |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-18146-3 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ruiwenzong allopatricmoltingofdevoniantrilobites AT yiminggong allopatricmoltingofdevoniantrilobites |