埃迪卡拉纪印痕化石是陡山沱期宏体藻类的固着器吗?——Hiemalora与Gesinella的对比研究

Hiemalora是一类广为分布的埃迪卡拉(Ediacaran)纪(震旦纪)圆盘状印痕化石,周围具流苏状或触须状突起,曾被解释为似水母动物,或某种叶状生物的固着器官,但以往罕见其与叶状生物体共同保存。本文报道了华南贵州震旦纪陡山沱组一类保存完好丰富的被确认为藻类的碳膜化石——革辛娜藻Gesinella,具有完整的须状固着构造。这一须状构造的形态和大小与Hiemalora非常相似,致密加厚的基部及其周围辐射状分布的丝状或须根状构造,可以分别和后者的中央盘以及周缘突起的"触须"相比较。陡山沱组的这一类碳膜化石同时保存有明显巨大的形同藻类的叶片和固着器,为研究埃迪卡拉生物群的底栖印痕化石提供了新的认识,即:盘状的Hiemalora可能是多细胞藻类的固着器官,而不一定是最初解释的似水母动物或其它叶状体生物的固着构造。不过,证实这一点尚需更进一步地研究埃迪卡拉纪生物的保存方式和埋藏环境。

Morphological reconstruction of the Ediacaran macroalga Gesinella from South China

Macroalga Gesinella,a carbonaceous compression,is found in the upper part of Doushantuo Formation(Ediacaran)in the Yangtze Platform of South China.Morphologically,it is composed of a thallus(including an oval or oblong lamina and a short-rod-like stipe)and a holdfast(including a cone-shaped rhizome and many filamentous rhizoids).The cone-shaped rhizome connects with the stipe and the long rhizoids grew on the rhizome,meaning that the rhizome grew downwards and inserted into the sediment,while the rhizoids grew in the gaps between the sediment grains to anchor its body on the seafloor.On the lamina,branching and/or unbranching filaments are regularly distributed,so that the oval or oblong lamina can be interpreted as a sac-like body that has been compressed.The filaments on the lamina extend from the three-dimensionally preserved stipe,suggesting that the short-rod-like stipe may have been flexible to support the sac-like body in the water column.With tissue and organ differentiations,Gesinella can be regarded as a eukaryotic macroalga and a high-level metaphyte.Based on measurement and analysis of 108 specimens,the Ediacaran macroalga Gesinella from South China can be divided into three stages:juvenile stage(<3 mm maximum width)identified with difficulty,adult stage(3e10 mm maximum width)interpreted to have grown upwards for sunlight,and senescent stage(>10 mm maximum width)that grew sideways.

黔东北江口陡山沱组庙河生物群中的革辛娜藻Gesinella Steiner et al.,1992

贵州江口埃迪卡拉纪的江口庙河生物群是一个极为重要的早期后生生物群,不仅含有大量的宏观藻类化石,还发现了可靠的、重要的动物化石。宏观藻类化石数量丰富,保存完整,类型多样,提供了早期后生植物研究的极好材料。本文研究的江口庙河生物群中的大量碳质压模保存的湖南革辛娜藻Gesinella hunanensis,与产于湖南留茶坡组的模式标本相比,整体形态特征虽然一致,两者却存在一些差异,如江口的Gesinella hunanensis叶状体表面较光滑,碳膜厚度从基部向上逐渐变薄,边缘较中部厚,未见乳状突起及侧枝,但可见明显的碳膜压叠现象;叶状体周期性生长明显,一个生长周期形成的叶状体中部较宽,两端较窄;宽度从几个毫米至几十毫米,变化较大;固着结构分为须根状和盘状两种形态,固着器与叶状体之间为加厚的固着蒂,固着蒂之上的叶状体边缘呈波状。与带状棒形藻Baculiphyca taeniata明显不同,尽管整体均呈棒状,但度量相差一个数量级以上,且具独特的周期性生长方式,碳膜中部薄且时有叠压现象、而端部和边缘厚的特征显示其叶状体可能是中空的囊状,与Baculiphyca taeniata的叶状体碳膜极厚乃至保存为块状的特征明显不同。研究结果表明Gesinella hunanensis的形态趋于多样性,证实了Gesinella hunanensis与Baculiphyca taeniata是完全不同的另一类宏观藻类。