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An exceptionally preserved vermiform mollusc from the Silurian of England

Nature volume 410, pages 461–463 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

Studies of the origin and radiation of the molluscs have yet to resolve many issues regarding their nearest relatives, phylogeny and ancestral characters1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11. The Polyplacophora (chitons) and the Aplacophora are widely interpreted as the most primitive extant molluscs2,3,9,10, but Lower Palaeozoic fossils of the former lack soft parts, and the latter were hitherto unrecognized as fossils. The Herefordshire Lagerstätte12 is a Silurian (about 425 Myr bp) deposit that preserves a marine biota in remarkable three-dimensional detail. The external surface of even non-biomineralized cuticle was preserved by entombment in volcanic ash, subsequent incorporation into concretions, and infilling of the fossils with sparry calcite13. Here we describe, from this deposit, a complete vermiform mollusc, which we interpret as a plated aplacophoran. Serial grinding at intervals of tens of micrometres, combined with computer-based reconstruction methods, renders the fossils in the round14.

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Figure 2: Acaenoplax hayae.
Figure 1: Reconstructed specimens of Acaenoplax hayae.
Figure 3: Idealized reconstruction of A. hayae.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by NERC. We acknowledge technical assistance by J. Hay, and we thank L. Cherns, J. Peel and J. Taylor for discussions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Earth Sciences Department, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PS, UK

    Mark D. Sutton & Derek J. Siveter

  2. Department of Earth Sciences, Wills Memorial Building, Queen's Road, Bristol, BS8 1RJ, UK

    Derek E. G. Briggs

  3. Department of Geology, Bennett Building, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK

    David J. Siveter

  4. Geological Collections, University Museum of Natural History, Oxford, OX1 3PW, UK

    Derek J. Siveter

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  1. Mark D. Sutton
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  2. Derek E. G. Briggs
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  4. Derek J. Siveter
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Correspondence to Derek J. Siveter.

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Sutton, M., Briggs, D., Siveter, D. et al. An exceptionally preserved vermiform mollusc from the Silurian of England. Nature 410, 461–463 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/35068549

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