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Symmetry of Vendobionta (Late Precambrian Metazoa)

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Abstract

Vendobionta is a large group of Precambrian Metazoa, which is characterized by a set of symmetry elements arranged in a certain system of mutual subordination and typically not found in unitary multicellular animals. The radial axis of the 2nd, 3rd or 6th order, which organizes the arrangement of longitudinal antimeres of the body is the main symmetry element of vendobiont organisms. The second most significant elements are the planes of glide reflection, which connect transverse parts of the body. The elements of the lowest order are products of branching transformation and fractal multiplication, which are manifested in the organization of smaller secondary parts, including various internal structures. The unique morphology of vendobionts makes it difficult to clearly establish their position within the Metazoa.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The photographs were taken by A.V. Mazin and S.V. Bagirov (Paleontological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences).

Funding

This work was supported by a grant from the Russian Science Foundation (project no. 19-14-00346) and a grant for fundamental research on the topic of the state assignment at the Paleontological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences “The Emergence of Life, the Formation of the Biosphere, and the Development of Ancient Biotas”.

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  1. Borissiak Paleontological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117647, Moscow, Russia

    A. Yu. Ivantsov & M. A. Zakrevskaya

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Ivantsov, A.Y., Zakrevskaya, M.A. Symmetry of Vendobionta (Late Precambrian Metazoa). Paleontol. J. 55, 717–726 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0031030121070054

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