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Dasyclad-like problematic fossils from the lower Cambrian of North Greenland

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Abstract

The problematic fossil Kordesphecia nyeboensis gen. et sp. nov. from the lower Cambrian of North Greenland resembles the slightly younger, putative dasycladalean alga Amgaella Korde, 1957 in terms of its spirally arranged rhombic cells and central cavity. It differs in adding new cells through the sequential addition of roofing plates (‘shingles’) to pre-existing cell rows rather than encrusting lateral branches in dasycladalean fashion, in which character it seems comparable to the contemporaneous Lenaella Korde, 1959) from Siberia of unknown affinity. Kordesphecia is classified as incertae sedis but may be a stem-group dasycladalean.

Kurzfassung

Das Problematikum Kordesphecia nyeboensis gen. et sp. nov ähnelt durch seine spiral angeordneten rhombischen Zellen und Zentralhöhle der stratigrafisch jüngeren mutmasslichen Dasycladalen Alge Amgaella Korde, 1957). Es unterscheidet sich jedoch durch ‘dachziegelartige’ sequentielle Addition neuer Zellen anstelle der Bildung krustiger lateraler Verzweigungen wie vom dasycladalen bekannt. In dieser Hinsicht ähnelt es dem gleichaltrigen Problematikum Lenaella Korde, 1959) aus Sibirien. Kordesphecia, formell als incerte sedis klassifiziert, ist ein möglicher Vertreter der Stammgruppe der Dasycladales.

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Acknowledgments

Michael Streng (Uppsala) reviewed the manuscript prior to submission. Journal reviews by Bruno Granier (Brest) and Christian B. Skovsted (Stockholm) are gratefully acknowledged, as is financial support from the Swedish Research Council (Vetenskapsrådet).

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  1. Department of Earth Sciences (Palaeobiology), Uppsala University, Villavägen 16, 75236, Uppsala, Sweden

    John S. Peel

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Peel, J.S. Dasyclad-like problematic fossils from the lower Cambrian of North Greenland. Paläontol Z 88, 367–374 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12542-013-0202-4

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