A 425-million-year-old Silurian pentastomid parasitic on ostracods
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Siveter, DJ
Briggs, DE
Siveter, DJ
Sutton, MD
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Pentastomids (tongue worms) are worm-like arthropods known today from ∼140 species [1]. All but four are parasitic on vertebrates. Their life cycle typically involves larval development in an intermediate host followed by maturation in the respiratory tract of a definitive terrestrial host. Fossil pentastomids are exceedingly rare and are known only from isolated juveniles [2-6]. The identity of the possible hosts of fossil pentastomids and the origin of their lifestyle have generated much debate. A new, exceptionally preserved species, described based on adults from 425-million-year-old marine rocks, is the only known fossil pentastomid associated with a host, in this case a species of ostracod crustacean. The pentastomids are preserved near eggs within the ostracod and also, uniquely for any fossil or living pentastomid, are attached externally to the host. This discovery affirms the origin of pentastomids as ectoparasitic on marine invertebrates. The terrestrialization of pentastomids may have occurred in parallel with the vertebrate invasion of land.
Date Issued
2015-06-15
Date Acceptance
2015-04-15
Citation
Current Biology, 2015, 25 (12), pp.1632-1637
ISSN
0960-9822
Publisher
Elsevier
Start Page
1632
End Page
1637
Journal / Book Title
Current Biology
Volume
25
Issue
12
Copyright Statement
© 2015 The Authors. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
License URL
Sponsor
Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
Identifier
PII: S0960-9822(15)00486-8
Grant Number
NE/F01693X/1
Subjects
Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Biology
Cell Biology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine - Other Topics
FUNCTIONAL-MORPHOLOGY
CRUSTACEAN
EVOLUTION
ARTHROPOD
FOSSILS
Animals
Crustacea
Fossils
Imaging, Three-Dimensional
Time Factors
Animals
Crustacea
Imaging, Three-Dimensional
Time Factors
Fossils
Developmental Biology
06 Biological Sciences
11 Medical and Health Sciences
17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2015-05-21