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Occurrence ofByronia Matthew andSphenothallus Hall in the Lower Cambrian of China

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Kurzfassung

Seltene phosphatische röhrchenförmige Fossilien aus der unter- bis mittelkambrischen Kaili- Formation aus der Provinz Guizhou (Kiautschau) in Südchina wurden als nicht-calcifizierte Algen oder als, Würmer’ (Scoleciellus Liu) identifiziert. Eine erneute Untersuchung dieser Fossilien erwies, daß die Fundstücke, die als nicht-verkalkte Algen bestimmt wurden, zuSphenothallus taijiangensis n. sp. zu stellen sind, während jene Exemplare, die alsScoleciellus identifiziert wurden, zuByronia natus (Liu) gehören.Sphenothallus taijiangensis undByronia natus aus den unterkambrischen Schichten der Kaili-Formation sind die ältesten Vertreter dieser Gattungen.Byronia natus ist, nebenB. Annulata Matthew (Mittelkambrium von Britisch Kolumbien), die einzige bekannte Art dieser Gattung.

Cambrovitus Mao et al., ein röhrchenförmiges Fossil aus den mittelkambrischen Schichten der Kaili-Formation, wurde ursprünglich zu den Hyolithiden gestellt. Die Entdeckung eines nahezu vollständigen Exemplars mit einer apikalen Haftscheibe deutet darauf hin, daßCambrovitus, ähnlich wieByronia undSphenothallus, wahrscheinlich ein thekentragender cnidarer Polyp war.

Abstract

Rare phosphatic tubular fossils from the Lower-Middle Cambrian Kaili Formation of Guizhou Province, southern China were originally identified as non-calcified algae or ‘worms’ (ScoleciellusLiu). Re-examination of these fossils indicates that specimens identified as non-calcified algae areSphenothallus taijiangensis n. sp., while specimens identified asScoleciellus belong toByronia natus (Liu).Sphenothallus taijiangensis andByronia natus from Lower Cambrian strata in the Kaili Formation are the oldest known representatives of their genera. In addition,B. natus (Liu) is the only known species ofByronia with the exception ofB. annulata Matthew (Middle Cambrian, British Columbia).

CambrovitusMao et al., a tubular fossil from Middle Cambrian strata in the Kaili Formation, originally was classified as a hyolithid. However, the discovery of a nearly complete specimen possessing an apical attachment disk shows thatCambrovitus, likeByronia andSphenothallus, probably was a thecate cnidarian polyp.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Academia Sinica, 210008, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China

    Mao-yan Zhu

  2. Department of Geology, Hanover College, 47243, Hanover, Indiana, USA

    Heyo Van Iten

  3. Department of Geological Sciences, University of Michigan, 48109, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

    Robt S. Cox

  4. Guizhou Institute of Technology, 550003, Guiyang, People’s Republic of China

    Yuan-long Zhao

  5. Bernd-D. Erdtmann, Technische Universität Berlin, EB 10, Ernst-Reuter-Platz 1, 10587, Berlin, Germany

    Bernd-D. Erdtmann

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Zhu, My., Van Iten, H., Cox, R.S. et al. Occurrence ofByronia Matthew andSphenothallus Hall in the Lower Cambrian of China. Paläont. Z. 74, 227–238 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02988098

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