Cyanobacteria and seasonal death: A new taphonomic model for the Eocene Messel lake

Koenigswald, Wighart von; Braun, Andreas; Pfeiffer, Thekla

doi:10.1007/bf03009232

Cited by 29 publications

(8 citation statements)

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“…Some taphonomic models suggest that poisonous gases such as carbon dioxide were periodically emitted from the maar lake and caused the death of vertebrates living in and around the lake [14]. Another hypothesis suggests that episodic cyanobacterial blooms poisoned animals that drank from surface waters [15].…”

Section: Materials and Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The prevalence of A. crassesculpta couples had lead previous researchers to conclude that these animals perished while mating [15,19], but no explicit anatomical evidence was provided that would allow confirming this assertion. We are able to corroborate that all A. crassesculpta couples consist of two individuals only, and we demonstrate for the first time that all couples contain one male and one female individual and that the tails of some males are aligned with those of the female.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The more traditional model suggests that volcanic gases were periodically emitted from the lake and thereby caused the death of the animals that lived in and around the lake [18]. A more recent, competing hypothesis suggests that episodic cyanobacterial blooms in the summer months rapidly poisoned the animals that drank from the surface waters of the lake, in particular terrestrial mammals, or bats and birds that drank before returning to their roosts [15]. In our opinion, it is implausible that the A. crassesculpta couples found at Messel would actively swim, court and finally mate in poisonous surface waters or ingest poisonous surface waters only while mating.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Caught in the act: the first record of copulating fossil vertebrates

et al. 2012

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The behaviour of fossil organisms can typically be inferred only indirectly, but rare fossil finds can provide surprising insights. Here, we report from the Eocene Messel Pit Fossil Site between Darmstadt and Frankfurt, Germany numerous pairs of the fossil carettochelyid turtle Allaeochelys crassesculpta that represent for the first time among fossil vertebrates couples that perished during copulation. Females of this taxon can be distinguished from males by their relatively shorter tails and development of plastral kinesis. The preservation of mating pairs has important taphonomic implications for the Messel Pit Fossil Site, as it is unlikely that the turtles would mate in poisonous surface waters. Instead, the turtles initiated copulation in habitable surface waters, but perished when their skin absorbed poisons while sinking into toxic layers. The mating pairs from Messel are therefore more consistent with a stratified, volcanic maar lake with inhabitable surface waters and a deadly abyss.

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Section: Materials and Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Caught in the act: the first record of copulating fossil vertebrates

et al. 2012

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“…It has been proposed that animals preserved at Messel died after inhaling poisonous gases (Franzen 1978;Franzen and Köster 1994;Richter and Storch 1980) or drinking surface water poisoned by toxic phytoplankton metabolites (von Koenigswald et al 2004). Joyce and Scheyer (2011) have questioned the second explanation with regard to aquatic turtles.…”

Section: Death In Geiseltaliellus Maariusmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Early work considered that carcasses were washed into the lake by small streams (e.g., Franzen 1977). The current leading hypotheses to explain the occurrence of Messel animal fossils are: (1) the animals were asphyxiated by clouds of gas, particularly relatively heavy compounds like carbon dioxide or sulphur dioxide, which could have formed a death-trap layer over the lake on windless days (Franzen 1978;Franzen and Köster 1994;Franzen et al 1982); and (2) the animals died after drinking surface water poisoned by seasonal phytoplankton blooms (von Koenigswald et al 2004; see also Richter and Clausing 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

From tree to shining sea: taphonomy of the arboreal lizard Geiseltaliellus maarius from Messel, Germany

Smith

Wuttke

2012

Palaeobio Palaeoenv

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Much has been written about the palaeoenvironment of the middle Eocene fossil Lagerstätte of Messel, Germany, and of the taphonomy of the vertebrates found in it, but taphonomic phenomena among the reptiles in this locality are virtually unstudied. The iguanid Geiseltaliellus maarius is the most common lizard species in Messel. We present taphonomic data for this species and analyse it. Specimens of G. maarius can be divided into three preservation classes, one of which is distinguished purely by decompositional phenomena. Most specimens sank quickly to the bottom of Lake Messel after entering it, but one floated for some time prior to emplacement. In theory, overlying pressure should not preclude the accumulation of gases of decay in submerged carcasses. In one specimen, such gases appear to have built up intracoelomically for many weeks, but did not cause the carcass to rise because of overlying water pressure. Eruption of the gases through the oral and cloacal openings, possibly initiated by a coincident turbidity current, scattered the bones of the skull, the pelvic region, and the proximal part of the tail. G. maarius had evolved a form of intervertebral urotomy (pseudoautotomy), which is indicative of arboreal habits. The waxy substance adipocere, formed after breakdown of fat, has been neglected in discussions of taphonomy, but may constitute an important factor in stabilising carcasses and enabling three-dimensional preservation before diagensis.

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Messel

Smith

2021

Encyclopedia of Life Sciences

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The Messel Pit, located near Frankfurt am Main, Germany, is inscribed on the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites due to the breathtaking quality of its fossils and the wealth of detail they reveal about life in an ancient ecosystem. Its age, about 48 million years old, places it in the last sustained greenhouse phase of Earth's climate, the Eocene. Fossils of most major terrestrial groups of organisms are preserved together, from freshwater algae to fungi, plants and animals. Species diversity in many groups is higher than in the same area today. Extraordinary details of organismic anatomy are preserved, from iridescent insect colouration to bird plumage and reptile scales. Furthermore, stunning specimens record organismic interactions, from predator–prey relations to reproductive behaviour. Messel arguably holds the greatest promise to elucidate a terrestrial ecosystem in a greenhouse climate. Key Concepts Messel is an ancient maar lake that resulted from volcanic eruptions 48 Ma. Climate at the time was warm and equable, a so‐called ‘greenhouse climate’. The sediment in which the fossils are preserved is an ‘oil shale’ with a high water and organic content. A special transfer method developed in the mid‐twentieth century made possible the long‐term conservation of vertebrate fossils from Messel. Messel preserves an exceptional taxonomic range of fossils, from algae to plants and animals. Soft‐tissue preservation at Messel gives unparalleled insight into the anatomy of ancient organisms. Extraordinary specimens from Messel document organismic interactions, from trophic relations to reproductive behaviour.

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Cyanobacteria and seasonal death: A new taphonomic model for the Eocene Messel lake

Cited by 29 publications

References 9 publications

Caught in the act: the first record of copulating fossil vertebrates

Caught in the act: the first record of copulating fossil vertebrates

From tree to shining sea: taphonomy of the arboreal lizard Geiseltaliellus maarius from Messel, Germany

Messel

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