Novel techniques to study ancient micro amber from tropical beach sand reveal a treasurehouse of exceptionally well preserved fossilized microfungi

Abstract

Simple, novel techniques developed for separation and simultaneous direct morphometric study of Amber Micro Fragments (AMF) from tropical beach sand are reported yielding rich information on unidentified fossilized microfungi. Sieves of different mesh sizes were used to separate AMF from tropical beach sand. Fractions below 150 mu m which proved rich in AMF were used for manual retrieval using stereomicroscope. A handprinted slide microarray having 4 X 12 squares used for microscopic examination of multiple AMF mounts revealed AMF having either rough or smooth surfaces and with or without microinclusions. The microinclusions could be morphologically attributed to fungi. The potential for systematic and comprehensive studies to retrieve and examine AMF at high frequency from tropical beach sand in the world and especially those which are threatened due to sea level rise due to climate change was demonstrated. The potential of retrievable AMF from tropical beach sand in microbiological, metagenomic studies and as biological proxies to reconstruct bygone biospheres has been highlighted.