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Fossil Carder Bee's Nest from the Hominin Locality of Taung, South Africa

Parker, Jennifer F ; Hopley, Philip J ; Kuhn, Brian F Bicho, Nuno

PloS one, 2016-09, Vol.11 (9), p.e0161198-e0161198 [Periódico revisado por pares]

United States: Public Library of Science

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  • Título:
    Fossil Carder Bee's Nest from the Hominin Locality of Taung, South Africa
  • Autor: Parker, Jennifer F ; Hopley, Philip J ; Kuhn, Brian F
  • Bicho, Nuno
  • Assuntos: Australopithecus africanus ; Bees ; Biology and Life Sciences ; Casts ; Earth Sciences ; Ecology and Environmental Sciences ; Evolution ; Fossil hominids ; Fossils ; Hominids ; Hymenoptera ; Insects ; Megachile ; Megachilidae ; Nesting ; Nesting behavior ; Pleistocene ; Preservation ; Savannahs ; Trace fossils ; Trichomes
  • É parte de: PloS one, 2016-09, Vol.11 (9), p.e0161198-e0161198
  • Notas: ObjectType-Article-1
    SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
    ObjectType-Feature-2
    content type line 23
    Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
    Conceived and designed the experiments: PJH JP.Performed the experiments: JP.Analyzed the data: JP.Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: PJH BFK.Wrote the paper: JP PJH BFK.
  • Descrição: The Buxton-Norlim Limeworks southwest of Taung, South Africa, is renowned for the discovery of the first Australopithecus africanus fossil, the 'Taung Child'. The hominin was recovered from a distinctive pink calcrete that contains an abundance of invertebrate ichnofauna belonging to the Coprinisphaera ichnofacies. Here we describe the first fossil bee's nest, attributed to the ichnogenus Celliforma, from the Plio-Pleistocene of Africa. Petrographic examination of a cell lining revealed the preservation of an intricate organic matrix lined with the calcitic casts of numerous plant trichomes-a nesting behaviour unique to the modern-day carder bees (Anthidiini). The presence of Celliforma considered alongside several other recorded ichnofossils can be indicative of a dry, savannah environment, in agreement with recent work on the palaeoenvironment of Plio-Pleistocene southern Africa. Moreover, the occurrence of ground-nesting bees provides further evidence that the pink calcrete deposits are of pedogenic origin, rather than speleogenic origin as has previously been assumed. This study demonstrates the potential value of insect trace fossils as palaeoenvironmental indicators.
  • Editor: United States: Public Library of Science
  • Idioma: Inglês
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  • Realização: ABCD-USP USP   Logos de Redes Sociais: Freepik

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