  Under very general assumptions we show that the quark dispersion relation in
the quark-gluon plasma is given by two collective branches, of which one has a
minimum at a non-vanishing momentum. This general feature of the quark
dispersion relation leads to structures (van Hove singularities, gaps) in the
low mass dilepton production rate, which might provide a unique signature for
the quark-gluon plasma formation in relativistic heavy ion collisions.
