PorphyrLagerstätten
PorphyrLagerstätten are a proposed category of fossil Lagerstätten defined by the exceptional preservation of biomolecules and pigments, especially porphyrin-based compounds such as heme and chlorophyll derivatives. The term combines porphyrin chemistry with Lagerstätten to emphasize a distinctive mode of preservation that preserves molecular remnants and enables insights into ancient coloration and physiology.
Geological settings for PorphyrLagerstätten commonly involve fine-grained, low-energy, often anoxic sediments in offshore basins, lakes, or
Preservation features include pigment-bearing soft tissues or outlines, microstructures indicative of original cellular organization, and detectable
Research methods combine spectroscopic analyses, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, and high-resolution imaging to identify porphyrin signals and
See also: Lagerstätten; fossil preservation; porphyrin biomarkers; paleoproteomics.