湘西震旦纪武陵山生物群的化石形态学特征和归属
Morphology and systematics of fossils in the Sinian Wulingshan biota from western Hunan Province
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摘要: 湘西桃源理公港震旦系留茶坡组中部黑色页岩中的炭质压膜化石,为研究末前寒武纪晚期生物学提供了一个稀有的布吉斯页岩型分类学窗口。根据已知属种和新获材料的研究,确定了17个明显的形态类型,讨论了每种形态类型特征及其可能的生物学属性,指出除个别化石可能为两侧对称动物外,其余绝大多数化石可以解释为原核生物或多细胞藻类,系统发育上与绿藻、褐藻、蓝藻细菌等相关。具固着器、叶状体为球状或具同心纹构造的Apsidiumsphaericus的发现,进一步证明典型埃迪卡拉动物群(或白海生物群)中简单的圆盘状化石可能为多细胞藻类,而不是水母。武陵山生物群中具同心纹结构的大型圆盘状化石的出现及其共生生物特点,指示该生物群是埃迪卡拉期生物分异发展阶段的产物,是末前寒武纪晚期一个以多细胞藻类发育为特色的新型生物群。Abstract: Carbonaceous load-cast fossils found in black shale in the middle part of the late Late Sinian Li-uchapo Formation at Ligonggang,Taoyuan,western Hunan,provide a rare Burgess-Shale-type tapho-nomic window for late terminal Precambrian biology.Based on a reexamination of published and new ma-terials,the authors have recognized17distinct taxa.Most of these fossils can be interpreted as prokaryotes or multicellular algae.Phylogenetically derived coenocytic green algae or brown algae and cyanobacterium appear to be present.The discovery of Apsidium sphaericus with spherical or disc-like thalli or well-pre-served concentric folds further provide important fossil evidence that many of the simple disc-like fossils found in the Ediacara biota(or Baihai biota)are probably multicellular algae rather than jellyfish.The ap-pearance of the large-sized disc-like fossils with concentric fold structure in the Wulingshan biota and the characteristics of their associated organisms indicate that the Wulingshan biota is the product of divergence and development of the Ediacara biota and is a new Ediacara biota type characterized by the development of abundant multicellular algae in the late terminal Precambrian.