Can ovarian follicles fossilize?

ARISING FROM X. Zheng et al. Nature495, 507–511(2013)10.1038/nature11985 In a recent report Zheng et al. describe ovarian follicles in three fossil birds from the Early Cretaceous period of China belonging to Jeholornis and two enantiornithine species 1 . Because these were situated in the left half...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature (London) 2013-07, Vol.499 (7457), p.E1-E1
Main Authors: Mayr, Gerald, Manegold, Albrecht
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
631/181/414
Animals
Biological Evolution
Birds - anatomy & histology
Birds - physiology
Birds, Fossil
brief-communications-arising
Female
Fossilization
Fossils
Humanities and Social Sciences
multidisciplinary
Natural history
Ovarian Follicle - anatomy & histology
Ovarian Follicle - physiology
Ovaries
Physiological aspects
Reproduction - physiology
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
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Summary:ARISING FROM X. Zheng et al. Nature495, 507–511(2013)10.1038/nature11985 In a recent report Zheng et al. describe ovarian follicles in three fossil birds from the Early Cretaceous period of China belonging to Jeholornis and two enantiornithine species 1 . Because these were situated in the left half of the body cavity of the fossils, the authors suppose that the right ovary was already reduced in these early birds 1 . Fossilization of ovarian follicles would constitute an extraordinary case of soft tissue preservation, but the morphology of the fossil structures does not agree with the ovulation mode of coelurosaurs. There is a Reply to this Brief Communication Arising by O'Connor, J., Zheng, X. & Zhou, Z. Nature 499, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature12368 (2013).
ISSN:0028-0836
1476-4687
DOI:10.1038/nature12367