title: Molecular composition and ultrastructure of Jurassic paravian feathers.
abstract: Feathers are amongst the most complex epidermal structures known, and they have a well-documented evolutionary trajectory across non-avian dinosaurs and basal birds. Moreover, melanosome-like microbodies preserved in association with fossil plumage have been used to reconstruct original colour, behaviour and physiology. However, these putative ancient melanosomes might alternatively represent microorganismal residues, a conflicting interpretation compounded by a lack of unambiguous chemical data. We therefore used sensitive molecular imaging, supported by multiple independent analytical tests, to demonstrate that the filamentous epidermal appendages in a new specimen of the Jurassic paravian Anchiornis comprise remnant eumelanosomes and fibril-like microstructures, preserved as endogenous eumelanin and authigenic calcium phosphate. These results provide novel insights into the early evolution of feathers at the sub-cellular level, and unequivocally determine that melanosomes can be preserved in fossil feathers.
authors: Department of Geology, Lund University, 223 62 Lund, Sweden.
authors: Johan
authors: J
authors: Lindgren
authors: SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden, Chemistry, Materials and Surfaces, 501 15 Borås, Sweden.
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Sjövall
authors: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02906, USA.
authors: Ryan M
authors: RM
authors: Carney
authors: Operational Direction 'Earth and History of Life', Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, 1000 Brussels, Belgium.|Department of Geology, University of Namur, 5000 Namur, Belgium.
authors: Aude
authors: A
authors: Cincotta
authors: MAX-IV laboratory, Lund University, 221 00 Lund, Sweden.|Chemical Physics, Department of Chemistry, Lund University, 221 00 Lund, Sweden.
authors: Per
authors: P
authors: Uvdal
authors: Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA.
authors: Steven W
authors: SW
authors: Hutcheson
authors: Department of Biology, Lund University, 223 62 Lund, Sweden.
authors: Ola
authors: O
authors: Gustafsson
authors: Operational Direction 'Earth and History of Life', Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, 1000 Brussels, Belgium.|Department of Geology, Liège University, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
authors: Ulysse
authors: U
authors: Lefèvre
authors: Eldonia, 9 Avenue des Portes Occitanes, 3800 Gannat, France.
authors: François
authors: F
authors: Escuillié
authors: MAX-IV laboratory, Lund University, 221 00 Lund, Sweden.
authors: Jimmy
authors: J
authors: Heimdal
authors: MAX-IV laboratory, Lund University, 221 00 Lund, Sweden.
authors: Anders
authors: A
authors: Engdahl
authors: Department of Geology, Lund University, 223 62 Lund, Sweden.
authors: Johan A
authors: JA
authors: Gren
authors: Museum of Evolution, Uppsala University, 752 36 Uppsala, Sweden.|Palaeobiology Programme, Department of Earth Sciences, Uppsala University, 752 36 Uppsala, Sweden.
authors: Benjamin P
authors: BP
authors: Kear
authors: Department of Chemistry, Fujita Health University School of Health Sciences, Toyoake, Aichi 470-1192, Japan.
authors: Kazumasa
authors: K
authors: Wakamatsu
authors: Department of Geology, University of Namur, 5000 Namur, Belgium.
authors: Johan
authors: J
authors: Yans
authors: Operational Direction 'Earth and History of Life', Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, 1000 Brussels, Belgium.
authors: Pascal
authors: P
authors: Godefroit
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D025061:Dinosaurs / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D017886:Durapatite / Q000737:chemistry; D004817:Epidermis / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005241:Feathers / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005580:Fossils; D008543:Melanins; D008830:Microbodies / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D018629:Spectrometry, Mass, Secondary Ion; D013052:Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D008543:Melanins; C041877:eumelanin; D017886:Durapatite