U.S.-Poland Project Development: Research on Rare Horseshoe Crabs in a Jurassic (160-145 million years old) Fossil Deposit in Poland

Kent State University, Kent OH

Investigators

Abstract

The goal of this project is to initiate a U.S.-Polish collaboration between Dr. Rodney M. Feldmann at Kent State University, Ohio, and Dr. Blazej Blazejowski, at the Polish Academy of Sciences' Institute of Paleobiology, Warsaw. Together, they will examine the recent discovery of over 100 specimens of ~160-145 million year old horseshoe crab fossils from the Kcynia Formation in the Owadów-Brezizinki quarry located in central Poland. The U.S.-Polish team expects their exploratory field and laboratory research to shed new light on the evolution and ecology of horseshoe crabs, (limulines) a group that has had a very long geological history, but has been poorly represented in the fossil record. With a few exceptions, abundant deposits of such specimens are extremely rare. Access to the recently discovered locality in Poland presents an exceptional opportunity to learn more about ancient horseshoe crab evolution and ecology and how this might affect modern coastal environments. At the Owadów-Brezizinki site in Poland, the fossils are preserved as whole animals. Some specimens are preserved with articulated appendages exposed on underlying body surfaces. Therefore, the Polish and U.S. researchers expect to begin to characterize growth patterns, study molt stages, determine gender, and explore group behavior. Preliminary technical results will probe several areas of horseshoe paleobiology with the goal of testing whether today's limulines are truly "living fossils." Horseshoe crabs stand out as one of the most intriguing and ancient elements of arthropod fauna not only as ancients, but because in the modern era they have attracted interest of researchers due to their rhythmic patterns of locomotion, photoreceptors, immune system components, and general ecological significance and commercial potential. This developmental U.S.-Polish collaboration will engage a U.S. graduate student in well tested study techniques and field practices. The team's initial findings are expected to help explain the factors that led to remarkable preservation and define the direction for follow-on cooperative research to add to our basic understanding of the diversity of horseshoe crabs ~160-145 million years ago. Results will be published in reviewed, international journals and new data entered into the Paleobiology Database. Altogether, the broader impacts of this international exploratory, collaborative and educational effort are expected to advance our fundamental knowledge in paleontology, with potential contributions to future paleoecological, hydrodynamic, and cuticle research.