New suspension-feeding radiodont suggests evolution of microplanktivory in Cambrian macronekton
The rapid diversification of metazoans and their organisation in modern-style marine ecosystems during the Cambrian profoundly transformed the biosphere. What initially sparked this Cambrian explosion remains passionately debated, but the establishment of a coupling between pelagic and benthic realm...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Publishing Group
2018
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| _version_ | 1826265709593755648 |
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| author | Lerosey-Aubril, R Pates, S |
| author_facet | Lerosey-Aubril, R Pates, S |
| author_sort | Lerosey-Aubril, R |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | The rapid diversification of metazoans and their organisation in modern-style marine ecosystems during the Cambrian profoundly transformed the biosphere. What initially sparked this Cambrian explosion remains passionately debated, but the establishment of a coupling between pelagic and benthic realms, a key characteristic of modern-day oceans, might represent a primary ecological cause. By allowing the transfer of biomass and energy from the euphotic zone-the locus of primary production-to the sea floor, this biological pump would have boosted diversification within the emerging metazoan-dominated benthic communities. However, little is known about Cambrian pelagic organisms and their trophic interactions. Here we describe a filter-feeding Cambrian radiodont exhibiting morphological characters that likely enabled the capture of microplankton-sized particles, including large phytoplankton. This description of a large free-swimming suspension-feeder potentially engaged in primary consumption suggests a more direct involvement of nekton in the establishment of an oceanic pelagic-benthic coupling in the Cambrian. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-06T20:27:56Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:3005a0d2-7ea1-4772-95ab-e80e7d6ed01c |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-06T20:27:56Z |
| publishDate | 2018 |
| publisher | Nature Publishing Group |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:3005a0d2-7ea1-4772-95ab-e80e7d6ed01c2022-03-26T12:59:06ZNew suspension-feeding radiodont suggests evolution of microplanktivory in Cambrian macronektonJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:3005a0d2-7ea1-4772-95ab-e80e7d6ed01cEnglishSymplectic Elements at OxfordNature Publishing Group2018Lerosey-Aubril, RPates, SThe rapid diversification of metazoans and their organisation in modern-style marine ecosystems during the Cambrian profoundly transformed the biosphere. What initially sparked this Cambrian explosion remains passionately debated, but the establishment of a coupling between pelagic and benthic realms, a key characteristic of modern-day oceans, might represent a primary ecological cause. By allowing the transfer of biomass and energy from the euphotic zone-the locus of primary production-to the sea floor, this biological pump would have boosted diversification within the emerging metazoan-dominated benthic communities. However, little is known about Cambrian pelagic organisms and their trophic interactions. Here we describe a filter-feeding Cambrian radiodont exhibiting morphological characters that likely enabled the capture of microplankton-sized particles, including large phytoplankton. This description of a large free-swimming suspension-feeder potentially engaged in primary consumption suggests a more direct involvement of nekton in the establishment of an oceanic pelagic-benthic coupling in the Cambrian. |
| spellingShingle | Lerosey-Aubril, R Pates, S New suspension-feeding radiodont suggests evolution of microplanktivory in Cambrian macronekton |
| title | New suspension-feeding radiodont suggests evolution of microplanktivory in Cambrian macronekton |
| title_full | New suspension-feeding radiodont suggests evolution of microplanktivory in Cambrian macronekton |
| title_fullStr | New suspension-feeding radiodont suggests evolution of microplanktivory in Cambrian macronekton |
| title_full_unstemmed | New suspension-feeding radiodont suggests evolution of microplanktivory in Cambrian macronekton |
| title_short | New suspension-feeding radiodont suggests evolution of microplanktivory in Cambrian macronekton |
| title_sort | new suspension feeding radiodont suggests evolution of microplanktivory in cambrian macronekton |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT leroseyaubrilr newsuspensionfeedingradiodontsuggestsevolutionofmicroplanktivoryincambrianmacronekton AT patess newsuspensionfeedingradiodontsuggestsevolutionofmicroplanktivoryincambrianmacronekton |