Investigating the preservation of vase-shaped microfossils from Tasmania

Vase-shaped microfossils (VSMs) are the 720–780 million-year-old fossilized shells of testate amoebae. Although most commonly preserved through secondary mineralization, VSMs are rarely preserved organically. Recent work suggests organic VSMs may often be misidentified as mineralized casts. In this study, I examine VSMs from the Togari Group in Tasmania to assess their composition. I determine whether they are organic or mineralized using elemental analyses (EDS, EPMA) and document patterns of preservation present across rock types and layers. Fossil composition provides insights into the surface conditions of the early Earth and improves our understanding of the biology and ecology of an important group of fossil eukaryotes.