Paleontologists Find First Molecular Evidence of Ginger Pigment Molecules in Fossil Frogs
upstart writes:
Paleontologists find first molecular evidence of ginger pigment molecules in fossil frogs:
Paleontologists at University College Cork (UCC) have found the first molecular evidence of pheomelanin, the pigment that produces ginger coloration, in the fossil record.
The new study reports the preservation of molecular fragments of the pigment pheomelanin in 10-million-year-old frogs, adding molecular analysis to the paleontologists' arsenal when reconstructing the original colors of extinct organisms.
[...] Dr. Slater said, "This finding is so exciting because it puts paleontologists in a better place to detect different melanin pigments in many more fossils. This will paint a more accurate picture of ancient animal color and will answer important questions about the evolution of colors in animals. Scientists still don't know how-or why-pheomelanin evolved, because it is toxic to animals, but the fossil record might just unlock the mystery."
Journal Reference:
Slater, Tiffany S., Ito, Shosuke, Wakamatsu, Kazumasa, et al. Taphonomic experiments reveal authentic molecular signals for fossil melanins and verify preservation of phaeomelanin in fossils [open], Nature Communications (DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40570-w)
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