scholarly journals The Souss lagerstätte of the Anti-Atlas, Morocco: discovery of the first Cambrian fossil lagerstätte from Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerd Geyer ◽  
Ed Landing
Keyword(s):  
South China ◽  
Lower Cambrian ◽  
Northern Slope ◽  
Sea Floor ◽  
Upper Cambrian ◽  
Exceptional Preservation ◽  
West Gondwana ◽  
Regional Correlation ◽  
Animal Remains ◽  
Stratigraphic Interval

AbstractEpisodic low oxygenated conditions on the sea-floor are likely responsible for exceptional preservation of animal remains in the upper Amouslek Formation (lower Cambrian, Stage 3) on the northern slope of the western Anti-Atlas, Morocco. This stratigraphic interval has yielded trilobite, brachiopod, and hyolith fossils with preserved soft parts, including some of the oldest known trilobite guts. The “Souss fossil lagerstätte” (newly proposed designation) represents the first Cambrian fossil lagerstätte in Cambrian strata known from Africa and is one of the oldest trilobite-bearing fossil lagerstätten on Earth. Inter-regional correlation of the Souss fossil lagerstätte in West Gondwana suggests its development during an interval of high eustatic levels recorded by dark shales that occur in informal upper Cambrian Series 2 in Siberia, South China, and East Gondwana.

scholarly journals Ontogeny of the articulated yiliangellinine trilobite Zhangshania typica from the lower Cambrian (Series 2, Stage 3) of southern China

2016 ◽  
Vol 91 (1) ◽  
pp. 86-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin-bo Hou ◽  
Nigel C. Hughes ◽  
Jie Yang ◽  
Tian Lan ◽  
Xi-guang Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South China ◽  
Lower Cambrian ◽  
Southern China ◽  
Junior Synonym ◽  
Early Cambrian ◽  
South China Block ◽  
The South ◽  
Positive Allometry ◽  
Regional Correlation ◽  
Almost All

AbstractNew discoveries of the early Cambrian yiliangellinine trilobite Zhangshania typica Li and Zhang in Kunming preserve almost all instars from early postembryonic (protaspid) to mature (holaspid) phases in articulated state, in addition to mature specimens with antennae bearing paired spines on the basal articles. The ontogenetic series shows protarthrous development with some, but likely not all, early holaspid instars expressing additional pygidial segments, gradual rearward migration of the location of the longest pleural spines on the trunk segments, and striking positive allometry of the genal spines. It also reveals Parazhangshania sichuanensis Li and Zhang, 1990 to be the holaspid stage 3 of Z. typica, and therefore its junior synonym. This new find in the Hongjingshao Formation provides species-based regional correlation across the South China block and Z. typica may provide an important biostratigraphic marker for the base of the traditional Tsanglangpuan Stage.

Macroscopic carbonaceous compressions in a terminal Proterozoic shale: A systematic reassessment of the Miaohe biota, south China

2002 ◽  
Vol 76 (2) ◽  
pp. 347-376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuhai Xiao ◽  
Xunlai Yuan ◽  
Michael Steiner ◽  
Andrew H. Knoll
Keyword(s):  
Green Algae ◽  
South China ◽  
Brown Algae ◽  
Body Plan ◽  
Early Cambrian ◽  
Burgess Shale ◽  
New Materials ◽  
Exceptional Preservation ◽  
Animal Remains ◽  
Late Neoproterozoic

Carbonaceous compression fossils in shales of the uppermost Doushantuo Formation (ca. 555-590 Ma) at Miaohe in the Yangtze Gorges area provide a rare Burgess-Shale-type taphonomic window on terminal Proterozoic biology. More than 100 macrofossil species have been described from Miaohe shales, but in an examination of published and new materials, we recognize only about twenty distinct taxa, including Aggregatosphaera miaoheensis new gen. and sp. Most of these fossils can be interpreted unambiguously as colonial prokaryotes or multicellular algae. Phylogenetically derived coenocytic green algae appear to be present, as do regularly bifurcating thalli comparable to red and brown algae. At least five species have been interpreted as metazoans by previous workers. Of these, Protoconites minor and Calyptrina striata most closely resemble animal remains; either or both could be the organic sheaths of cnidarian scyphopolyps, although an algal origin cannot be ruled out for P. minor. Despite exceptional preservation, the Miaohe assemblage contains no macroscopic fossils that can be interpreted with confidence as bilaterian animals. In combination with other late Neoproterozoic and Early Cambrian body fossils and trace fossils, the Doushantuo assemblage supports the view that body-plan diversification within bilaterian phyla was largely a Cambrian event.

Cambrian Lagerstätten: their distribution and significance

1985 ◽  
Vol 311 (1148) ◽  
pp. 49-65 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Special Reference ◽  
Community Ecology ◽  
Lower Cambrian ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Burgess Shale ◽  
Middle Cambrian ◽  
Upper Cambrian ◽  
Exceptional Preservation ◽  
Biotic Diversity

The geological setting, biotic diversity and taphonomy of Cambrian soft-bodied Lagerstätten are reviewed with special reference to the Lower Cambrian Emu Bay Shale (South Australia) and Kinzers Formation (Pennsylvania), and the Middle Cambrian Stephen Formation (Burgess Shale and adjacent localities, British Columbia). Brief mention is made also of a number of more minor occurrences in the U.S.A., China and Spain. Exceptional preservation in the Upper Cambrian is discussed by K. J. Müller (this symposium). These soft-bodied Lagerstätten afford a series of special insights into the nature of Cambrian life. Emphasis is laid on the information they provide with regards (i) levels of diversity and the proportion of skeletized taxa; (ii) the origin and relative success of bodyplans; (iii) community ecology and evolution.

Soft-bodied fossils from the Shipai Formation, Lower Cambrian of the Three Gorge area, South China

2005 ◽  
Vol 142 (6) ◽  
pp. 699-709 ◽  
Author(s):  
XING LIANG ZHANG ◽  
HONG HUA
Keyword(s):  
South China ◽  
Lower Cambrian ◽  
Cylindrical Body ◽  
Burgess Shale ◽  
Exceptional Preservation ◽  
New Information ◽  
Surface Ornamentation ◽  
Important Extension ◽  
Chengjiang Lagerstätte

Mudstones and shales in the Lower Cambrian Shipai Formation in the Three Gorge area, Hubei, China, are richly fossiliferous, containing common shelly fossils and some soft-bodied fossils. The latter provide important new information about the nature and variety of Cambrian soft-bodied organisms. Identifiable, non-mineralized taxa include components of the Chengjiang fauna, such as Vetulicola Hou, 1987, a palaeoscolecidan referable to Maotianshania Sun & Hou, 1987, and a brachiopod Diandongiapista with pedicle preserved (not illustrated). Cambrorhytium Conway Morris & Robison, 1988, co-occurring both in the Burgess Shale and the Chengjiang Lagerstätte, was also recovered. Additionally, a new worm is described based on two specimens. This taxon, in common with many other fossil worms, has a slender, cylindrical body with annulations, but it is characterized by each annulus bearing an elevated ridge and lacking surface ornamentation. The occurrence of exceptional preservation in the Shipai Formation has likely been overlooked due to the relatively poor resolution of soft-bodied fossils; nevertheless, this occurrence is an important extension of the Burgess Shale-type biotas in China, over 1500 km northeast of the provenance of the Chengjiang Lagerstätte.

Early Paleozoic Hyolitha from North America: reexamination of Walcott's and Resser's type specimens

1988 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 218-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Mark Malinky
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Lower Cambrian ◽  
Type Species ◽  
New Genus ◽  
Early Paleozoic ◽  
Type Specimens ◽  
Middle Cambrian ◽  
Upper Cambrian ◽  
New Family ◽  
The Family

Concepts of the family Hyolithidae Nicholson fide Fisher and the genera Hyolithes Eichwald and Orthotheca Novak have been expanded through time to encompass a variety of morphologically dissimilar shells. The Hyolithidae is here considered to include only those hyolithid species which have a rounded (convex) dorsum; slopes on the dorsum are inflated, and the venter may be flat or slightly inflated. Hyolithes encompasses species which possess a low dorsum and a prominent longitudinal sulcus along each edge of the dorsum; the ligula is short and the apertural rim is flared. The emended concept of Orthotheca includes only those species of orthothecid hyoliths which have a subtriangular transverse outline and longitudinal lirae covering the shell on both dorsum and venter.Eighteen species of Hyolithes and one species of Orthotheca from the Appalachian region and Western Interior were reexamined in light of more modern taxonomic concepts and standards of quality for type material. Reexamination of type specimens of H. similis Walcott from the Lower Cambrian of Newfoundland, H. whitei Resser from the Lower Cambrian of Nevada, H. billingsi Walcott from the Lower Cambrian of Nevada, H. gallatinensis Resser from the Upper Cambrian of Wyoming, and H. partitus Resser from the Middle Cambrian of Alabama indicates that none of these species represents Hyolithes. Hyolithes similis is here included under the new genus Similotheca, in the new family Similothecidae. Hyolithes whitei is designated as the type species of the new genus Nevadotheca, to which H. billingsi may also belong. Hyolithes gallatinensis is referred to Burithes Missarzhevsky with question, and H. partitus may represent Joachimilites Marek. The type or types of H. attenuatus Walcott, H. cecrops Walcott, H. comptus Howell, H. cowanensis Resser, H. curticei Resser, H. idahoensis Resser, H. prolixus Resser, H. resseri Howell, H. shaleri Walcott, H. terranovicus Walcott, and H. wanneri Resser and Howell lack shells and/or other taxonomically important features such as a complete aperture, rendering the diagnoses of these species incomplete. Their names should only be used for the type specimens until better preserved topotypes become available for study. Morphology of the types of H.? corrugatus Walcott and “Orthotheca” sola Resser does not support placement in the Hyolitha; the affinities of these species are uncertain.

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