Exceptionally Preserved Lacustrine Ostracods From The Middle Miocene Of Antarctica: Implications For High Latitude Palaeoenvironment

Main Category: Biology / Biochemistry
Article Date: 23 Jul 2008 - 1:00 PDT

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A newly discovered ancient lake in the Dry Valleys of Antarctica yields exquisitely preserved fossilized ostracods (tiny crustaceans) with soft anatomy, the first record of 3-dimensionally fossilized animal soft tissues from this continent.

Modern aquatic environments of the Antarctic interior do not support ostracods.

Indeed, the most southerly modern freshwater ostracods are from lakes in the South Orkney Islands (60 degrees S), where mean annual temperature is about 0 degrees C.

The fossil ostracods of the Dry Valleys signal a high latitude (77 degrees S) lake viable for animal colonisation that indicates a dramatic change in the climate of this region, from tundra conditions 14 million years ago, to the intensely cold continental interior climate experienced today.

Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

Proceedings B is the Royal Society's flagship biological research journal, dedicated to the rapid publication and broad dissemination of high-quality research papers, reviews and comment and reply papers. The scope of journal is diverse and is especially strong in organismal biology.

www.publishing.royalsociety.org/proceedingsb