Open AccessBiology of the Precambrian Genus Kakabekia: New Observations on Living Kakabekia barghoorniana
Author(s) -
B. Z. Siegel,
S. M. Siegel
Publication year - 1970
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.67.2.1005
Subject(s) - precambrian , arctic , genus , biology , glacier , the arctic , living fossil , ecology , zoology , paleontology , oceanography , geology
Kakabekia barghoorniana Siegel, living species of a fossil genusKakabekia , has now been cultured from Alaskan soil samples obtained from the Mendenhall Glacier near Juneau and from the Point Barrow region above the Arctic Circle. Morphological comparisons, especially of mantle variations, show that fossil and living populations overlap in many details. Cytochemical tests demonstrate that livingKakabekia has no storage forms of lipid or polysaccharide and no phenoloxidase. Some individuals (19-33%) contain heme enzymes but most do not; hence they cannot utilize O2 even in air.