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Gomez et al 2021
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Sergio A. Martínez
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Dpto. de Paleontología, Facultad de Ciencias, UdelaR, Iguá 4225, 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay
Bol. Soc. Zool. Uruguay (2ª época). 2021. Vol. 30 (2): e30.2.3 ISSN 2393-6940
GÓMEZ ET AL. 2
Fig 2. A. Sectors of the valves. 1: umbonal, 2: anterior, 3: central, 4: posterior. B. Shells of C. fluminea illustrating the taphonomic
grades employed: a) grade 0 of fragmentation, periostracum and corrasion.; b) grade 1 of periostracum and corrasion; c) grade 2 of
periostracum and corrasion. Scale bar: 1cm.
The use of a bioinvader with a well-documented Uruguay. Now, we are showing the first results of a
time of arrival let us to witness natural taphonomic similar research but focusing on a bivalve: Corbicula
processes in action in an up to present not accessible fluminea (Müller, 1774). The first populations of
time scale when the time of arrival of the invader Corbicula fluminea in Uruguay were signaled by
species is well documented. Martínez, Rojas, Cabrera Olazarri (1986), 35 years ago. Thus, we have a decadal
and Antuña (2020) (see also Antuña et al., this volume) scale resolution for the taphonomic processes implied,
published for the first time the evaluation from a being the present one the first study of this kind in
taphonomic point of view of shells of the invader bivalves.
gastropod Rapana venosa (Valenciennes, 1846) in
Bol. Soc. Zool. Uruguay (2ª época). 2021. Vol. 30 (2): e30.2.3 ISSN 2393-6940
Actualistic taphonomy of Corbicula fluminea
Bol. Soc. Zool. Uruguay (2ª época). 2021. Vol. 30 (2): e30.2.3 ISSN 2393-6940
taphonomic attributes. A.
umbonal sector, B. anterior
sector, C. central sector, D.
posterior sector. For each
sector, there are shown
sample 1 and sample 2.
3
GÓMEZ ET AL. 4
Table 1. Number and percentage (in brackets) of bioclasts according to their taphonomic condition.
Umbo
Fragmentation 245 (77) 47 (15) 14 (4) 12 (4) 194 (64) 53 (17) 19 (6) 37 (12)
Periostracum 1 (0) 3 (1) 302 (95) 12 (4) 1 (0) 9 (3) 256 (84) 37 (12)
Corrasion 0 (0) 6 (2) 300 (94) 12 (4) 3 (1) 20 (7) 243 (80) 37 (12)
Anterior
Fragmentation 246 (77) 44 (14) 17 (5) 11 (3) 204 (67) 62 (20) 14 (5) 23 (8)
Periostracum 8 (3) 23 (7) 276 (87) 11 (3) 12 (4) 23 (8) 245 (81) 23 (8)
Corrasion 2 (1) 14 (4) 291 (92) 11 (3) 8 (3) 22 (7) 250 (83) 23 (8)
Center
Fragmentation 265 (83) 36 (11) 14 (4) 3 (1) 192 (63) 94 (31) 13 (4)4 (1)
Periostracum 9 (3) 22 (7) 284 (89) 3 (1) 12 (4) 25 (8) 262 (86) 4 (1)
Corrasion 3 (1) 13 (4) 299 (94) 3 (1) 8 (3) 22 (7) 269 (89) 4 (1)
Posterior
Fragmentation 265 (83) 36 (11) 14 (4) 3 (1) 187 (62) 47 (16) 25 (8) 44 (15)
Periostracum 9 (3) 22 (7) 284 (89) 3 (1) 15 (5) 20 (7) 224 (74) 44 (15)
Corrasion 3 (1) 13 (4) 299 (94) 3 (1) 8 (3) 21 (7) 230 (76) 44 (15)
Bol. Soc. Zool. Uruguay (2ª época). 2021. Vol. 30 (2): e30.2.3 ISSN 2393-6940
5 Actualistic taphonomy of Corbicula fluminea
Table 2. X2 and probability (in brackets) values for the comparison between the two samples.
first and second sample, respectively. Grade 0 was by posterior sectors. The anterior sector did not exhibit
far the most frequent (77% and 64%), followed by significant differences.
grade 1 and grade 2. The periostracum was absent in
most cases, being grade 2 the most frequent (ca. 95%
and 84%). Grade 0 was the less frequent, being less DISCUSSION
than 1% in both samples. Corrasion followed the same
trend as the periostracum, being grade 2 far more Globally, the taphonomic attributes observed in C.
frequent than the others (94% and ca. 80%), and grade fluminea showed scarce variability as depicted by the
0 the less frequent (0% and 1%). Bioerosion and two samples studied. The Χ2 test only showed
bioencrustation were not recorded in this valve area. significant differences with respect to corrasion in the
The anterior sector (Fig. 3B) was preserved in 97% umbonal sector, and regarding fragmentation in the
and 92% of the first and second samples, respectively. central and posterior sectors. These results indicate
Grade 0 of fragmentation predominated in this sector in that the conclusions are reliable, although further
both samples (77% and 67%), followed by grades 1 sampling would permit refining the discussion and
and 2. Periostracum presence exhibited grade 2 mostly conclusions.
(87% and 81%), followed by grades 1 and 0. In the As referred to in Results, the umbonal sector was
same trend, grade 2 predominated widely regarding the less frequent sector in the samples, and by the
corrasion (92% and 83%), followed by grades 1 and 0. contrary, the most frequent was the central one. Similar
Bioerosion and bioencrustation were not recorded in results were obtained for other freshwater bivalves,
this valve area. such as Unio sp. (Newell, Gower, Benton and
The central section (Fig. 3C) was present in the Tverdokhlebov, 2007). The preponderant damaging
99% of the bioclasts. In this area, grade 0 mechanism proposed by these authors are bedload
predominated regarding fragmentation (83% and currents, being the umbo the tallest and most exposed
63%), grade 1 was in second place (31% and 11%), zone to the particle impact, and in consequence the
and grade 2 was in both samples in only around 4% of first one to be abraded. Subsequently, with increasing
the bioclasts. Periostracum presence was represented abrasion, the shell becomes more prone to
in most cases by grade 2 (89% and 86%), with low fragmentation. Although in general this sequence is not
records of grades 1 and 0. Similar frequencies were impossible in our case, the different lifestyles of the
obtained for the corrasion, with grade 2 being the 94% species of Unio and Corbicula preclude to adopt it
and 89%, followed by grade 1, and by grade 0 with straightforward; for the moment it can be considered a
extremely low percentages. Bioerosion and plausible hypothesis to test. Partly different results
bioencrustation were not recorded in this valve section. were obtained by Kotzian and Simões (2006) in a work
The posterior sector (Fig. 3D) was present in 99% globally concerning the molluscan death assemblages
and 85% of the first and second samples, respectively. of the Touro Passo river in Southern Brazil. Despite as
In this area grade 0 predominated regarding in our case these authors found a general pattern of
fragmentation (83% and 62%), followed by grades 1 scarce fragmentation, the most fragmented sector was
and 2. Periostracum presence was represented mostly the posterior one. Contrary to our findings, they
by grade 2 (89% and 74%), followed by grades 1 and 0. reported small levels of corrasion, but this contradiction
Corrasion followed the same trend, being grade 2 the must be taken with caution, since the identification of
most frequent (94% and 76%), followed by grade 1, corrasion in both works was not done in the same way.
and an extremely low representation of grade 0. Periostracum loss and corrasion followed the same
Bioerosion and bioencrustation were not recorded in trends, what is expectable, since the periostracum is
this valve sector. the first barrier against abrasion and corrosion (Taylor
The frequencies obtained for both samples were and Kennedy, 1969; Harper, 1997, among others). The
compared by means of a Χ2 test (Table 2). A significant correlation between the size of the clasts, periostracum
difference was obtained for corrasion in the umbonal loss, and corrasion (specifically corrosion) has been
sector, and for fragmentation in the central and signaled many times (e.g., Pereira, Fornari, Erthal,
Bol. Soc. Zool. Uruguay (2ª época). 2021. Vol. 30 (2): e30.2.3 ISSN 2393-6940
GÓMEZ ET AL. 6
Leme and Giannini, 2021, and literature therein). taphonomy in tropical mixed siliciclastic-
The absence of bioerosion structures and carbonate settings: II. Effect of bivalve life
bioencrustation may reflect the low salinity conditions habitats and shell types. Paleobiology, 26,
in which C. fluminea lives. The presence of bioeroding 103–115.
and bioencrusting organisms in freshwater conditions Briggs, D.E.G. (1995). Experimental Taphonomy.
is minimum compared to marine settings. Moreover, as Palaios, 10, 539-550.
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bioencrustations, that diminishes notably the effect of morphology on postmortem
probability of finding these structures in freshwater, on transportation of bivalves and its taphonomic
the contrary for soft periphyton and ovigerous capsules implications. Palaios, 28, 203–209.
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the studied bioclasts. Agencia Española de Cooperación
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Flessa, K. W. (1993). Time-averaging and temporal
CONCLUSIONS resolution in Recent marine shelly faunas. In:
S.M. Kidwell and A.K. Behrensmeyer (Eds.)
In a maximum time span of 35 years, the Taphonomics Approaches to Time Resolution in
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS P.A. Allison and D.E.G. Briggs (Eds.),
Taphonomy: Releasing the Data Locked in the
Ernesto Brugnoli, Fernando Erthal, and Alvar Fossil Record (pp. 115–209). New York: Plenum
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