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First report of allogeneic fusion and allorecognition in tabulate corals

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 July 2015

James P. A. Noble
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick E3B 5A3
Dong-Jin Lee
Affiliation:
Canada, and 350-1 Nae-Dang-Dong, Samick Apt. 2-906, Seo-Ku, Daegu, Seoul, Korea

Abstract

Adult intercolony fusion occurs in Paleofavosites capax (Billings) and P. asper (d'Orbigny) in the Silurian of Anticosti Island. This represents the first documented example of allogeneic fusion seen in tabulate corals. The occurrence of allogeneic fusion and non-fusion and the documentation of agonistic behavior in the same species attest to the presence of some degree of allorecognition specificity, now well established for modern corals, already in these Silurian corals. The implication is that the evolution of allorecognition systems, probably by polymorphism at allorecognition loci, was already well established 400 million years ago in corals. Banding, probably seasonal, appears to be more likely environmentally than genetically controlled.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Journal of Paleontology 

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