Sero‐taxonomy of skeletal macromolecules in living Terebratulid brachiopods

Abstract

Antibodies prepared against macromolecules isolated from the shells of three living brachiopod genera have proved to be of considerable taxonomic significance, in that the pattern of cross‐reactivity of all three antisera consistently points to a new interpretation for the evolution of the largest extant brachiopod order, the Terebratulida. This new molecular evidence actually complements rather than contradicts the existing morphology‐based taxonomy, since detailed systematic investigation of the taxa in question has already demonstrated subtle but significant morphological differences in the major taxonomic characters which appear to reflect this new interpretation.

As fragments of skeletal macromolecules, including antigenic determinants, are known to survive for many millions of years within the protected micro‐environments provided by enclosing biominerals, these results suggest that such molecular fossils could well provide important insights on at least the high‐level taxonomic relationships of fossil organisms.

Key words:

• Brachiopod
• serology
• taxonomy
• loop ontogeny
• molecular palaeontology
• evolution.