Pleistocene basanitic rocks of Vesteris Seamount in the Greenland Sea had been found to exhibit an endolithic habitat largely consisting of marine fungi that dwell within abundant vesicles, therefore representing cryptoendoliths. For the first time, we demonstrate that 3D X-ray microscopy can unravel how microorganisms access and migrate through vesicular rock. The fossil assemblages occur within a set of vesicles connected by microcracks. Such microcracks, which are ubiquitous features in submarine volcanic rocks, enable the dispersal of marine microorganisms in the rock. This study suggests that this pathway for the colonization of marine volcanic rocks forms in consequence of early tensional stress due to variable rates of cooling of the lava flow. Subsequently, the interconnected vesicles get populated by rock-dwelling microorganisms. This cryptoendolithic habitat exists at least since the Paleoproterozoic.

中文翻译：

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多孔火山岩中内石微生物的扩散：3D X 射线显微镜揭示的分布、沉降和路径

格陵兰海韦斯特里斯海山的更新世玄武岩被发现表现出内石栖息地，主要由居住在丰富囊泡内的海洋真菌组成，因此代表隐内石。我们首次证明 3D X 射线显微镜可以揭示微生物如何通过多孔岩石进入和迁移。化石组合出现在一组由微裂纹连接的囊泡内。这种微裂纹是海底火山岩中普遍存在的特征，使海洋微生物能够在岩石中扩散。这项研究表明，这条海洋火山岩殖民路径是由于熔岩流冷却速率变化而产生的早期张力应力的结果。随后，相互连接的囊泡中充满了居住在岩石中的微生物。