title: Direct chemical evidence for eumelanin pigment from the Jurassic period.
abstract: Melanin is a ubiquitous biological pigment found in bacteria, fungi, plants, and animals. It has a diverse range of ecological and biochemical functions, including display, evasion, photoprotection, detoxification, and metal scavenging. To date, evidence of melanin in fossil organisms has relied entirely on indirect morphological and chemical analyses. Here, we apply direct chemical techniques to categorically demonstrate the preservation of eumelanin in two > 160 Ma Jurassic cephalopod ink sacs and to confirm its chemical similarity to the ink of the modern cephalopod, Sepia officinalis. Identification and characterization of degradation-resistant melanin may provide insights into its diverse roles in ancient organisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
authors.forename: Keely
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Glass
authors.forename: Shosuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Philip R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Wilby
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sota
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: C Russell
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Bowers
authors.forename: Jakob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vinther
authors.forename: Suryendu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dutta
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Summons
authors.forename: Derek E G
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Briggs
authors.forename: Kazumasa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wakamatsu
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Simon
mesh_terms: D004578:Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; D005580:Fossils; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D008543:Melanins / Q000737:chemistry*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010860:Pigments, Biological / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D008543:Melanins; D010860:Pigments, Biological; C041877:eumelanin