Moldowan JM, Talyzina NM
J. M. Moldowan, Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-2115, USA. N. M. Talyzina, Department of Earth Sciences, Historical Geology and Paleontology, Uppsala University, Norbyvagen 22, S-75236, S.
Science. 1998 Aug 21;281(5380):1168-70. doi: 10.1126/science.281.5380.1168.
Dinoflagellates are single-celled organisms that reflect the ecological conditions in modern oceans and lakes. Ultrastructural data and molecular phylogeny suggest that they originated in the Neoproterozoic, yet dinoflagellate ancestors are classified only to the Middle Triassic ( approximately 240 million years ago). Examination of dinoflagellate-specific biological markers (dinosteranes and 4alpha-methyl-24-ethylcholestane) in concentrated microfossils with known morphology identified ancient dinoflagellate ancestors from the Early Cambrian ( approximately 520 million years ago).
甲藻是反映现代海洋和湖泊生态状况的单细胞生物。超微结构数据和分子系统发育表明它们起源于新元古代，但甲藻的祖先仅被分类到三叠纪中期（约2.4亿年前）。通过对已知形态的浓缩微化石中甲藻特有的生物标志物（甲藻甾烷和4α-甲基-24-乙基胆甾烷）进行检测，确定了早寒武世（约5.2亿年前）的古代甲藻祖先。
