The Largest Bio-Silica Structure on Earth: The Giant Basal Spicule from the Deep-Sea Glass Sponge Monorhaphis chuni
Figure 8
Presence of the three sublamellae within the lamella where the NanoSIMS analysis has been performed. (a) to (e) The 18 μm thick lamella (la) shows a substructuring into three sublamellae (sla). In contrast to the lamellae, the sublamellae are not delimited by visible gaps (g). At higher magnifications, the spacing of the gap (g), separating individual lamellae (la), and the absence of any gap/slit between the sublamellae (sla) is more distinct. (e) The location of the area ([quadratic area]) within a lamella that had been analyzed by NanoSIMS is shown. (f) to (h) View of a GBS cross-fracture, obtained by mechanical breaking, showing a ribbed surface. Magnification at the submicron level reveals that the surface of the fracture is a rib-like corrugated sheet (ri) without gap.
