Tissue-specific geometry and chemistry of modern and fossilized melanosomes reveal internal anatomy of extinct vertebrates.

ABSTRACT: Recent discoveries of nonintegumentary melanosomes in extant and fossil amphibians offer potential insights into the physiological functions of melanin not directly related to color production, but the phylogenetic distribution and evolutionary history of these internal melanosomes has not been characterized systematically. Here, we present a holistic method to discriminate among melanized tissues by analyzing the anatomical distribution, morphology, and chemistry of melanosomes in various tissues in a phylogenetically broad sample of extant and fossil vertebrates. Our results show that internal melanosomes in all extant vertebrates analyzed have tissue-specific geometries and elemental signatures. Similar distinct populations of preserved melanosomes in phylogenetically diverse vertebrate

SUBMITTER: Rossi V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6731645 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature