Mineral phase analysis of various marine-species shells and skeletons collected in Japan; Implications for marine biominerals

Mitsuguchi, Takehiro ; Minakata, Keiji*; Sugihara, Kaoru*; Hiraoka, Masanori*; Yoshida, Masaaki*; Kokubu, Yoko   

Mineral phase analysis was performed, using X-ray diffractometry (XRD), for marine-organism shell/skeleton samples of 146-148 extant species of the following 10 phyla (18 classes) collected in Japan: Rhodophyta (Florideophyceae), Foraminifera (Globothalamea and Tubothalamea), Porifera (Hexactinellida), Cnidaria (Anthozoa and Hydrozoa), Bryozoa (Gymnolaemata), Brachiopoda (Lingulata and Rhynchonellata), Mollusca (Bivalvia, Cephalopoda, Gastropoda and Polyplacophora),Annelida (Polychaeta), Arthropoda (Cirripedia), and Echinodermata (Asteroidea, Crinoidea and Echinoidea). Some of the species were analyzed for each specific part of their shells/skeletons. Almost all the samples exhibited any of calcite, aragonite or their mixed phase, predominantly depending on their taxonomy and shell/skeletal structures. For samples containing significant amounts of calcite, the MgCO wt % of calcite has been determined from their XRD data, which ranges from 0 to 15 wt % and indicates clear inter-taxonomic differences. Low MgCO values (0-4 wt %) are observed for Rhynchonellata, Bivalvia, Gastropoda and Cirripedia; intermediate values (4-8 wt %) for Cephalopoda; high values (8-15 wt %) for Florideophyceae, Globothalamea, Tubothalamea, Polychaeta, Asteroidea and Crinoidea; low-to-high values for Gymnolaemata; intermediate-to-high values for Anthozoa and Echinoidea.