Ediacaran successions occur widely in various depositional facies in South China and yield a series of fossil Lagerst?tten, providing a complete fossil record for the evolution of marine ecosystems after the terminal ...Ediacaran successions occur widely in various depositional facies in South China and yield a series of fossil Lagerst?tten, providing a complete fossil record for the evolution of marine ecosystems after the terminal Cryogenian global glaciation. Carbonate-dominated Ediacaran successions in shallow water facies in South China record a nearly complete δ^(13)C profile that may reflect variations of marine carbon isotopic composition during the Ediacaran Period. The Ediacaran fossils andδ^(13)C profiles from South China permit stratigraphic correlation and subdivision of the Ediacaran strata. Based on biostratigraphic, chemostratigraphic, and geochronometric data from the Ediacaran successions in South China, we propose that the Ediacaran System in China can be subdivided into two series, with three stages in each series. The lower series is characterized by acanthomorphic acritarchs and the upper series by Ediacara-type macrofossils, and the two series are separated by the declining limb of a pronounced δ^(13)C negative excursion(EN3) in the upper Doushantuo Formation. The basal boundary of Stage1 is the same as the basal boundary of Ediacaran System, which has been defined at the base of the cap carbonate unit. Stage 2 represents the first radiation of Ediacaran microscopic organisms, with δ^(13)C feature representing by positive values(EP1). The base of the Stage 2 is placed at the first appearance level of a spiny acritarch species. Stage 3 is characterized by the occurrence of more diverse acritarchs and δ^(13)C feature EP2, with its basal boundary defined by a δ^(13)C negative excursion(EN2) occurring in the middle Doushantuo Formation. The basal boundary of Stage 4 is the same as the upper series. Stage 5 is marked by the occurrence of macrfossils of Miaohe biota, and its lower boundary can be placed at the level where δ^(13)C values transition from positive to negative in MNE, or the first appearance level of macrofossils of the Miaohe biota. Stage 6 is characterized by the occurrences of Ediacara-type Shibantan biota and Gaojiashan biota, with its lower boundary defined by the first appearance level of Conotubus hemiannulatus. The formal establishment of the aforementioned series and stages requires further and more detailed integrative stratigraphic study on the Ediacaran successions in China. Some of the Ediacaran successions in South China have great potential to become global standards in Ediacaran subdivision.展开更多
Doushantuo phosphorites at Weng’an, Guizhou Province, provide a unique opportunity for the study of early evolution of multicellular organisms, including metazoans. Our light microscope and SEM observations, however,...Doushantuo phosphorites at Weng’an, Guizhou Province, provide a unique opportunity for the study of early evolution of multicellular organisms, including metazoans. Our light microscope and SEM observations, however, do not substantiate a sponge spicule interpretation of spicular structures. No convincing axial canals have been seen in the observed spicule population. Instead, the coexistence of some monaxonal spicules with clearly diagenetic crystal fascicles and dumbbells suggest that these monaxons may also be diagenetic in origin. Our preliminary EDS analyses detect no significant silicon in spicule-containing intraclasts (including abiotic clasts and fragments of sphaeromorphic acritarchs and algal thalli), that contain abundant monaxonal spicular structures. We, therefore, believe that the evidence for a sponge spicule interpretation of the Doushantuo spicular structures are at best ambiguous at present; these alleged sponge spicules are indistinguishable from coexistent diagenetic crystals.展开更多
Here is currently little consensus on the branching order and phyletic status of the oldest metazoan groups, but sponges are widely believed to be the earliestbranching living metazoans. Porifera are thought to have d...Here is currently little consensus on the branching order and phyletic status of the oldest metazoan groups, but sponges are widely believed to be the earliestbranching living metazoans. Porifera are thought to have diverged before the emergence of developmental characters typical of Eumetazoa, such as well-defined symmetry; extant sponges show radial symmetry of indeterminate high order, or none, combined with polarisation along the axis. In contrast, other early-branching phyla include bilateral and tetraradial(Cnidaria) and biradial(Ctenophora) symmetry, or none(Placozoa). A variety of prismatic early fossil sponges had shown here where the shared symmetry has been overlooked, and also describe structural tetraradial symmetry in Cambrian sponges from South China. Based on this study, this symmetry is likely to have been a primitive feature of sponges, and that the earliest-known fossil sponges were highly organised, cellularly integrated individuals whose body form was under strict genetic control.展开更多
基金supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program (B) of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. XDB18000000)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 41672027)
文摘Ediacaran successions occur widely in various depositional facies in South China and yield a series of fossil Lagerst?tten, providing a complete fossil record for the evolution of marine ecosystems after the terminal Cryogenian global glaciation. Carbonate-dominated Ediacaran successions in shallow water facies in South China record a nearly complete δ^(13)C profile that may reflect variations of marine carbon isotopic composition during the Ediacaran Period. The Ediacaran fossils andδ^(13)C profiles from South China permit stratigraphic correlation and subdivision of the Ediacaran strata. Based on biostratigraphic, chemostratigraphic, and geochronometric data from the Ediacaran successions in South China, we propose that the Ediacaran System in China can be subdivided into two series, with three stages in each series. The lower series is characterized by acanthomorphic acritarchs and the upper series by Ediacara-type macrofossils, and the two series are separated by the declining limb of a pronounced δ^(13)C negative excursion(EN3) in the upper Doushantuo Formation. The basal boundary of Stage1 is the same as the basal boundary of Ediacaran System, which has been defined at the base of the cap carbonate unit. Stage 2 represents the first radiation of Ediacaran microscopic organisms, with δ^(13)C feature representing by positive values(EP1). The base of the Stage 2 is placed at the first appearance level of a spiny acritarch species. Stage 3 is characterized by the occurrence of more diverse acritarchs and δ^(13)C feature EP2, with its basal boundary defined by a δ^(13)C negative excursion(EN2) occurring in the middle Doushantuo Formation. The basal boundary of Stage 4 is the same as the upper series. Stage 5 is marked by the occurrence of macrfossils of Miaohe biota, and its lower boundary can be placed at the level where δ^(13)C values transition from positive to negative in MNE, or the first appearance level of macrofossils of the Miaohe biota. Stage 6 is characterized by the occurrences of Ediacara-type Shibantan biota and Gaojiashan biota, with its lower boundary defined by the first appearance level of Conotubus hemiannulatus. The formal establishment of the aforementioned series and stages requires further and more detailed integrative stratigraphic study on the Ediacaran successions in China. Some of the Ediacaran successions in South China have great potential to become global standards in Ediacaran subdivision.
基金This work was supported by the NationalNatural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 95-Z-02-01) the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (Grant No. G2000077700) and Tulane University.
文摘Doushantuo phosphorites at Weng’an, Guizhou Province, provide a unique opportunity for the study of early evolution of multicellular organisms, including metazoans. Our light microscope and SEM observations, however, do not substantiate a sponge spicule interpretation of spicular structures. No convincing axial canals have been seen in the observed spicule population. Instead, the coexistence of some monaxonal spicules with clearly diagenetic crystal fascicles and dumbbells suggest that these monaxons may also be diagenetic in origin. Our preliminary EDS analyses detect no significant silicon in spicule-containing intraclasts (including abiotic clasts and fragments of sphaeromorphic acritarchs and algal thalli), that contain abundant monaxonal spicular structures. We, therefore, believe that the evidence for a sponge spicule interpretation of the Doushantuo spicular structures are at best ambiguous at present; these alleged sponge spicules are indistinguishable from coexistent diagenetic crystals.
基金supported by the Chinese Academy ofSciences(KZZD-EW-02)the Project-Oriented Hundred TalentsProgram of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(KZCX2-YW-BR-23)the National Science Foundation of China Research Fellowshipfor International Young Scientists(41150110152)
文摘Here is currently little consensus on the branching order and phyletic status of the oldest metazoan groups, but sponges are widely believed to be the earliestbranching living metazoans. Porifera are thought to have diverged before the emergence of developmental characters typical of Eumetazoa, such as well-defined symmetry; extant sponges show radial symmetry of indeterminate high order, or none, combined with polarisation along the axis. In contrast, other early-branching phyla include bilateral and tetraradial(Cnidaria) and biradial(Ctenophora) symmetry, or none(Placozoa). A variety of prismatic early fossil sponges had shown here where the shared symmetry has been overlooked, and also describe structural tetraradial symmetry in Cambrian sponges from South China. Based on this study, this symmetry is likely to have been a primitive feature of sponges, and that the earliest-known fossil sponges were highly organised, cellularly integrated individuals whose body form was under strict genetic control.
