The Paleontological Society of Washington
March 18, 2020
Q?rius Theater
National Museum of Natural History, Constitution Ave. entrance,
Ground Floor
Tracing the evolution of bio-mineralization in corals
The Burrens of Ireland
Dr. Christopher Hough, Volunteer, Dept. of Paleobiology, NMNH
The history of life on this planet can be characterized as a slow, gradual evolution of species, but there have been times of rapid change and diversification of species. One such time is the Cambrian era, during which many new life forms, and their predators, evolved rapidly. It is during this time that the ability to grow crystalline exoskeletons arose in filter feeders such as corals to ward off those predators. Many other taxa such as brachiopoda and mollusca, also adopted this trait (somewhat modified in the case of brachiopoda) sometime early in the Cambrian. This trait later contributed to the origin of endoskeletons (internal bones) that gave vertebrates the opportunity to thrive in the sea and on land 150 million years later. The broad effects of bio-mineralization in the evolution of species qualifies this trait as a mile stone in evolution.
How did this trait evolve? What are the processes that create calcium carbonate minerals on the outside of coral polyps? It has been only in the last decade that some understanding of this process and the resulting trait has been obtained. Research on this matter is not complete. I will speak to these questions in my talk.
Non-Smithsonian visitors will be escorted from the Constitution Ave. entrance of the NMNH to the Q?rius theatre at 6:50 and 6:55 p.m. Society members will host the speaker for dinner at the Elephant & Castle (1201 Pennsylvania Ave.) prior to the meeting. Members may meet at the restaurant or inside the Constitution Ave. entrance of the NMNH at 5:00.