答《关于深海锰结核中“纳米级超微生物化石”的思考和建议》一文

REPLY TO “COMMENTS ON Spirisosphaerospora pacifica AND Miniactinomyces chinensis IN PELAGIC MANGANESE NODULES”

本文详细讨论了东太平洋深海锰结核中新发现的中华微放线菌和太平洋螺球孢菌究竟是不是超微生物。首先，它们是笔者根据形态、结构和元素成分作为超微生物化石进行鉴定的。其次，透射电子显微像中可以清楚地区分出完整的微生物结构，包括菌丝、孢子、孢囊和菌落等。它们之间的尺寸比例也是适当的。此外，透射电子显微像还揭示，深海锰质叠层石的纹层就是这些超微生物韵律性生长的结果，与滨海叠层石中的纹层十分相似。笔者认为，已知微生物的最小尺寸不能作为否定新发现的超微生物化石的依据。本文还讨论了超微生物化石的术语问题。

Whether Miniactinomyces chinensis and Spirisosphaerospora pacifica in the pelagic manganese nodules from the East Pacific Ocean are ultra microbes is discussed in detail. Firstly, they were identified by authors as ultra microfossils instead of ultra microbes based on their morphology, structure and elemental composition.Secondly, the complete microbio logical structures including hyphae, spores, sporangia and colonies can be distinguished obviously in the TEM images. The size proportion between them is appropriate to each other. In addition, the TEM images also revealed that the laminae in manganese stromatolites were formed as a result of rhythmic growth of these ultra microbes , which are similar to the laminae in strand stromatolites. The minimum size of known microbes can not be considered as a criterion for negating the newly discovered ultra microfossils. The term, namely ultra microfossil, is discussed as well.