Early evolution of ecosystem and biotic diversity revealed from Archean large microfossils

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We performed detailed studies on Archean microfossils collected from 4 localities in the 3.4 Ga Strelley Pool Formation (SPF) and multiple localities in the 3.0 Ga Farrel Quartzite (FQ) in the Pilbara Craton, Western Australia. Morphological assemblages of SPF microfossils are not identical between localities. Furthermore, habit of colony of SPF lenticular microfossils is distinct form that of FQ lenses. The former is comprised only of lenses, whereas the latter is in most cases associated with small spheroids. HF-HCl extraction of the lenticular microfossils was successful and revealed the occasional presence of small vacuoles, fibrillar structures, and/or reticulation in their flanges. These results indicate the presence of surprisingly diverse and complex microorganisms in the Early and Mesoarchean shallow water ecosystem.