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Science 6 June 1997:
Vol. 276. no. 5318, pp. 1541 - 1543
DOI: 10.1126/science.276.5318.1541
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Reports

Preservation of Chitin in 25-Million-Year-Old Fossils

B. Artur Stankiewicz, Derek E. G. Briggs, Richard P. Evershed, Matthew B. Flannery, Michael Wuttke

Chitin is present in fossil insects from the Oligocene (24.7 million years ago) lacustrine shales of Enspel, Germany. This result, which was obtained by analytical pyrolysis, extends by nearly 25 million years the length of time that chemically detectable remains of this biomolecule are known to survive. The embedding sediment is dominated by diatoms, which reflect high productivity in the paleolake. The primary control on the preservation of chitin is thus not time; it may persist in older sediments where suitable paleoenvironmental conditions prevailed.

B. A. Stankiewicz and D. E. G. Briggs, Biogeochemistry Research Centre, Department of Geology, University of Bristol, Queen's Road, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK.
R. P. Evershed and M. B. Flannery, Organic Geochemistry Unit, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Cantock's Close, Bristol BS8 1TS, UK.
M. Wuttke, Landesamt für Denkmalpflege Rheinland-Pfalz, Referat Erdgeschichtliche Denkmalpflege, Am Obstmarkt 13, D-55126 Mainz, Germany.

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