Biogeochemical Evidence for Dinoflagellate Ancestors in the Early Cambrian

1998/08/21 by J. Michael Moldowan, Nina M. Talyzina · 5 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Environmental Science · Engineering · #Marine and coastal ecosystems #Methane Hydrates and Related Phenomena #Hydrocarbon exploration and reservoir analysis #Dinoflagellate #Biogeochemical cycle #Paleontology #Biology #Ecology #Geology

paper · doi:10.1126/science.281.5380.1168

openalex publication_date 1998/08/21 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/23

Abstract

Dinoflagellates are single-celled organisms that reflect the ecological conditions in modern oceans and lakes. Ultrastructural data and molecular phylogeny suggest that they originated in the Neoproterozoic, yet dinoflagellate ancestors are classified only to the Middle Triassic ( approximately 240 million years ago). Examination of dinoflagellate-specific biological markers (dinosteranes and 4alpha-methyl-24-ethylcholestane) in concentrated microfossils with known morphology identified ancient dinoflagellate ancestors from the Early Cambrian ( approximately 520 million years ago).

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• Unexpected diversity of small eukaryotes in deep-sea Antarctic plankton
• Affinities of Early Cambrian acritarchs studied by using microscopy, fluorescence flow cytometry and biomarkers
• Living fossils in the Indo-Pacific warm pool: A refuge for thermophilic dinoflagellates during glaciations
• Molecular data and the evolutionary history of dinoflagellates
• Dinoflagellate [wikipedia]