Anoxia can increase the rate of decay for cnidarian tissue: Using Actinia equina to understand the early fossil record
Abstract
An experimental decay methodology is developed for a cnidarian model organism to serve as a comparison to the many previous such studies on bilaterians. This allows an examination of inherent bias against the fossilisation of cnidarian tissue and their diagnostic characters, under what conditions these occur, and in what way. The decay sequence of Actinia equina was examined under a series of controlled conditions. These experiments show that cnidarian decay begins with an initial rupturing of the epidermis, followed by rapid loss of recognisable internal morphological characters. This suggests that bacteria work quicker on the epidermis than autolysis does on the internal anatomy. The data also show that diploblastic tissue is not universally decayed more slowly under anoxic or reducing conditions than under oxic conditions. Indeed, some cnidarian characters decay more rapidly under anoxic conditions than they do under oxic conditions. This suggests the decay pathways acting may be different to those affecting soft bilaterian tissue such as soft epidermis and internal organs. What is most important in the decay of soft polyp anatomy is the microbial community, which can be dominated by oxic or anoxic bacteria. Different Lagerstätte, even of the same type, will inevitably have subtle difference in their bacterial communities, which among other factors, could be a control on soft polyp preservation leading to either an absence of compelling soft anthozoans (Burgess Shale) or an astonishing abundance (Qingjiang biota).
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Some cnidarian tissues decay faster under anoxic conditions than in the presence of oxygen.
“It has been recently shown that some cnidarian tissues decay faster under anoxic conditions than in the presence of oxygen (Hancy & Antcliffe, 2020).”
From Probability-based preservational variations within the early Cambrian Chengjiang biota (China) (2022) · cites this paper as Hancy & Antcliffe, 2020
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Probability-based preservational variations within the early Cambrian Chengjiang biota (China)
Saleh, F., Ma, X., Guenser, P., Mángano, M. G., Buatois, L. A., & Antcliffe, J. B. (2022) · PeerJ · doi:10.7717/peerj.13869 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Self-citation
- Authors
- Hancy, A. D., & Antcliffe, J. B.
- Affiliations
- University of Bristol (GB)
- University of Oxford (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Antcliffe, Jonathan B.
- Venue
- Geobiology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2020-01-28
- Volume
- 18
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 167-184
- ISSN
- 1472-4669 (ISSN-L)
- 1472-4677
- OpenAlex
- W3004152019
- Cited by
- 33
- References
- 23
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 4
- FWCI
- 2.86
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Geobiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851
- University of Oxford
- Université de Lausanne
- University of Bristol
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Paleontology and Evolutionary Biology
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Marine Invertebrate Physiology and Ecology
- Keywords
- anoxia, Actinia equina, soft tissue preservation, autolysis, microbial decomposition, Lagerstätte, Burgess Shale, Anthozoa
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Bacteria, Cnidaria, Fossils, Oxygen, Biota
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