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Early Cambrian microfossils from the cherts in carbonates of the Kuruktag area, the Tarim block

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Abstract

The basal Cambrian is characteristic for the appearance of small shelly fossils and acanthomorphic acritarchs with relatively small vesicles. In the Tarim Block (NW China) and South China, this microfossil assemblage is dominated by small acanthomorphs and was referred to as the ‘Micrhystridium-Paracymatiosphaera-Megathrix’ (MPM) association, based on microfossils from the lower Cambrian Yurtus and Xishanblaq formations of the Tarim Block. This study provides the new early Cambrian microfossil assemblage preserved in cherts of carbonates in Tikebuladahuang section of the Kruktag area, Tarim Block. These early Cambrian microfossil assemblages come from upper part of the lower Cambrian Xishanblaq Formation in Tikebuladahuang section correlated with the Cambrian Stage 2, and the microfossil association dominated by Heliosphaeridium dissimilare, sponge spicules, Leiosphaeridia spp., and Siphonophycus sp. also occurs. The organic-walled microfossil assemblage found in this study can be compared with the microfossils in the early Cambrian Chert of the Yangtze plate. The Asteridium–Heliosphaeridium–Comasphaeridium (AHC) association in South China and the Tarim block may mix two fossil associations of different ages and fossil compositions.

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Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, Professor Fan-wei Meng, upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by Joint fund project of national natural fund of China (no. U20B6001), the Research Project of China Petrochemical Corporation (Sinopec, no. P21088-1), Basic prospective project of China Petrochemical Corporation (Sinopec, no. P21085-11) and the Basic Frontier Scientific Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (grant no. ZDBS-LY-DQC021).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Petroleum Exploration and Development Research Institute, SINOPEC, Beijing, 100083, China

    Zhi-li Zhang, Hui-li Li, Shuang-jian Li & Jiang Wu

  2. School of Resources and Geosciences, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, 221116, China

    Zhi-ji Ou & Fan-wei Meng

  3. Key Laboratory of Coalbed Methane Resources and Reservoir Formation Process of the Ministry of Education, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, 221008, China

    Zhi-ji Ou & Fan-wei Meng

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  1. Zhi-li Zhang
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Contributions

The fieldwork was conducted by Zhi-li Zhang, Hui-li Li, Shuang-jian Li, and Jiang Wu. The paper work was conducted by Zhi-li Zhang, Zhi-ji Ou, and Fan-wei Meng. Figs 1-7 were prepared by Zhi-ji Ou, and Fig. 8 were prepared by Fan-wei Meng. All authors were involved in the discussion.

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Correspondence to Fan-wei Meng.

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Zhang, Zl., Ou, Zj., Li, Hl. et al. Early Cambrian microfossils from the cherts in carbonates of the Kuruktag area, the Tarim block. Carbonates Evaporites 38, 32 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13146-023-00854-0

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