The earliest-known ancestors of Recent Priapulomorpha from the Early Cambrian Chengjiang Lagersttte

It was suggested and eventually has been profferedthat the representatives of all extant phyla, including someminor group, occurred during the Cambrian radia-tions[1—10]. Many priapulid-like fossil worms have beenreported from Cambrian Lagerst?tten, such as the EarlyCambrian Chengjiang Lagerst?tte[11—16], the Middle Cam-brian Burgess Shale[17], and the Middle Cambrian Kailifauna[18]. The palaeoscolecidan worms from these Lager-st?tten have been regarded as either a stem group of thepri…     

Preliminary notes on softbodied fossil concentrations from the Early Cambrian Chengjiang deposits

The Chengjiang fauna has played a pivotal role in our understanding of the origin and diversification of metazoans since its discovery in 1984. To date, this fauna has been documented as consisting of 121 genera with 140 species belonging to 24 phyla[1-27]. The geo- graphic distribution of the Chengjiang fauna has been expanded from Chengjiang County to eastern Yunnan Province including Haikou, Malong, Yiliang, Anning and elsewhere[25-33], with about 20 localities in to- tal[25,33]. Succes…     

New observations of the lobopod-like worm Facivermis from the Early Cambrian Chengjiang Lagersttte

Facivermis yunnanicus （Hou ＆ Chen, 1989）, from the Early Cambrian Chengjiang Lagerstatte, a worm-like fossil with 5 pairs of tentacles and a perceived shrunken end, has been regarded as related to polychaetes, later it has been variously interpreted as Iobopods, Pentastoma and Iophophorates. Newly discovered complete specimens by the ELI field team show that the taxon has, in addition to the 5 pairs of appendages, a pear-shaped trunk end bearing two or three circles of hooks. Accordingly based on these important morphological characters, reconsideration of its affinities is provided and the taxonomy is remedied herein. Because the five pairs of appendages of Facivermis yunnanicus resemble the appendages of the fore-trunk of Iobopod Miraluolishania （Liu ＆ Shu, 2004）, it seems that they are homologous structures. Therefore, the affinities of Facivermis are regarded here as being close to the Iobopods, in addition, the lobe-like appendages of Facivermis are very crucial to exploring the origin of the appendages of Iobopods and arthropods.     

Response to“Discussion on the systematic position of the Early Cambrian priapulomorph worms”

Due to the combination of complex states of preser- vation and taphonomies in Chengjiang fossils, Huang et al.[1] expressed different opinions to those of Han et al.[2] on the morphology and systematic position of the fossil priapulomorph worms (Priapulom…     

Discussion on the systematic position of the Early Cambrian priapulomorph worms

Priapulid worms form a small marine phylum in present-day environments with only 18 described spe- cies, but they were the most abundant animals in the endobenthic communities of the Cambrian. They are particularly well represented in the Lower Cambrian M…     

Sponge fossil assemblage from the Early Cambrian Hetang Formation in southern Anhui

Abundant well-preserved large articulated sponge fossils and isolated spicules have been reported from the Early Cambrian Hetang Formation, southern Anhui Province. This unique epifaunal fossil assemblage dominated by articulated sponge fossils is called the Xidi Sponge Fauna. The sponge fauna lived in a quiet oxygenic environment below the storm wave base. Bloom of phytoplankton and rapid sedimentation rate resulted in the deposition of the black shales. Sufficient food supply, lack of other competitors, abundant ecological niches, and demand for oxygen during early Cambrian were in favor of the diversification and evolution of large sponges in the Early Cambrian.     

Developmental sequence of Cambrian embryo Markuelia

Based on more exquisitely preserved specimens of Markuelia hunanensis recently recovered from Middle and Upper Cambrian in western Hunan and in the light of Synchrotron radiation X-ray tomo-graphic microscopy, the developmental sequence from cleavage through organogenesis to the pre-hatching of Cambrian embryo Markuelia, especially the developmental sequence during the pre-hatching stage, i.e. from the earliest period when the scalids and tail spines only took shape to the latest period (just about hatching), is established. This developmental sequence provides a pattern of embryonic development during the pre-hatching stage, which has not been established in the living scalidophorans (priapulids, loriciferans and kinorhynchs). Thus, it not only enriches our knowledge on the embryonic development of the extant descendants of Markuelia, but also opens a new window to the evolution and development of the animal.     

A rare lobopod with well-preserved eyes from Chengjiang Lagerstātte and its implications for origin of arthropods

The origin of arthropods has long been one ofthe most hotly-debated subjects. Arthropods used to bethought closely related with annelids, but the two groups arenow believed to be separated into two major realms withinProtostomia on the basis of new molecular data. Although itis generally held by paleontologists that arthropods should berooted in the early lobopods-.a kind of worm-like creaturewith non-segmented legs, no intermediate forms have beenfound to bridge them. Here we report an organism with amixture of characters, including features characteristic ofarthropods (e.g., primary cephalization with paired eyes,paired antennae, and preliminary tagmosis) and of lobopods(e.g., worm-like body design, the dorsal spines, andnon-segmented limbs or lobe-like legs). The discovery of therare transitional form may throw new light on the origin ofarthropods and suggests that the most primitive arthropodsbegan with paired uniramous legs and the biramous onesevolved later.     

The distribution of the oil derived from Cambrian source rocks in Lunnan area, the Tarim Basin, China

There are great differences in biomarks between Cambrian oil and Middle-Upper Ordovician oil. In this stuty, the authors analyzed 40 oils found in Lunnan area by GC-MS and calculated the content of Cambrian oil in the 40 oils according to the steroid indexes of typical oil mixture and match experiment. The results show that it is a general phenomenon in Ordovician reservoir that the oil derived from Cambrian source rock mixed with the oil derived from Middle-Upper Ordovician source rock in Lunnan area, the mixture degree of the two oils is lower in Carboniferous reservoir than in Ordovician reservoir, and the oils kept in Triassic reservoir have single source, Middle-Upper Ordoviclan source rock. The mixture oils mainly composed of Cambrian oil （〉50%） distributed in Sangtamu fault zone, and the oils found in Lunnan fault zone are Middle-Upper Ordovician oil. This distribution of oils in Lunnan area is owing to that Lunnan fault zone is located in anticline axis part, Lunnan fault zone underwent serious erosion, and the oils from Cambrian source rock accumulated in Lunnan fault zone were degraded completely during Caledonian-Hercynian movement. But the Cambrian oil accumulated in Sangtamu fault zone was not degraded completely and some of them were left for the location of Sangtamu fault zone is lower than Lunnan fault zone. Later, the oil derived from Middle-Upper Ordovician source rock mixed with the remained Cambrian oil, and the mixture oil formed in Sangtamu fault zone.     

A rare lobopod with well-preserved eyes from Chengjiang Lagerst(?)tte and its implications for origin of arthropods

The origin of arthropods has long been one ofthe most hotly-debated subjects. Arthropods used to bethought closely related with annelids, but the two groups arenow believed to be separated into two major realms withinProtostomia on the basis of new molecular data. Although itis generally held by paleontologists that arthropods should berooted in the early lobopods--a kind of worm-like creaturewith non-segmented legs, no intermediate forms have beenfound to bridge them. Here we report an organism with amixture of characters, including features characteristic ofarthropods (e.g., primary cephalization with paired eyes,paired antennae, and preliminary tagmosis) and of lobopods(e.g., worm-like body design, the dorsal spines, andnon-segmented Iimbs or lobe-like legs). The discovery of therare transitional form may throw new light on the origin ofarthropods and suggests that the most primitive arthropodsbegan with paired uniramous legs and the biramous onesevolved later.     

寒武早期泥质基底腕足动物的生活策略——来自澄江动物群的证据

目的 系统分析滇东泥质基底澄江化石库腕足动物的生活方式.方法 依据澄江化石库丰富的腕足动物资料,论证寒武纪早期泥质基底腕足动物的生活策略.结果 寒武纪早期泥质基底上腕足动物的生活方式主要包括肉茎附着型(pedicle-anchoring or pedicle-attaching)、自由平躺型(free-lying)、假内栖型(qusi-infaunal)和表栖粘附型(cemented epifaunal),肉茎附着型是早寒武世腕足动物生活的最普遍的型式.结论 空间生态分析显示,早寒武世滇东海盆中,腕足动物的分布已经具有一定的空间层次性,不同的腕足类型占据了不同的生态位,形成了比较复杂的空间群落结构.     

澄江动物群中翻吻动物的埋葬学与生态学研究

目的探讨云南早寒武世澄江化石库中翻吻动物的运动和生态习性。方法依据大量蠕虫标本的观察,认为的确有一部分翻吻动物化石为异地埋葬,并列举了一些原地埋葬的证据。结果部分翻吻动物如Tylotites petiolaris,Paraselkirkia 可能为营底上生活而并非全部为底内钻孔生活;报道了部分翻吻动物的密集埋葬现象;发现一些Cricocosmia 虫体表面具有一种未知生物属性的附生物,可能代表了一种外寄生关系;翻吻动物在滇东地区的分布可能受水深控制。结论早寒武世翻吻动物的运动,以及生态习性发生了一定程度的分异。     

Speciation of the genus Arthricocephalus Bergeron, 1899 (Trilobita) from the late Early Cambrian and its stratigraphic significance

The genus Arthricocephalus Bergeron, 1899 is revised, and Halipanktos Balker & Peel, 1997 is suggested here as a senior synonym. The subgenus Arthricocephalus (Arthricocephalites) Chien & Lin in Lu et al., 1974 is considered as a separate genus. Of the 20 previously assigned species of Arthricocephalus (Arthricocephalus) Bergeron, 1899, Arthricocephalus (Arthricocephalites) Chien & Lin in Lu et al., 1974, Arthricocephalus (Euarthricocephalus) Ju, 1983 are lumped into eight species. The speciation trend of Arthricocephalus and Arthricocephalites is demonstrated based on their stratigraphic occurrences. It not only enhances the resolution of the biostatigraphic zonation in the uppermost Lower Cambrian, but also represents a potential candidate to define the Duyunian stage. The base of the stage is suggested at the first appearance datum (FAD) of Arthricocephalus chauveaui Bergeron, 1899 within the evolutionary lineage from Ar. jiangkouensis Yin in Yin & Li,1978 to Ar. chauveaui in a global scale.     

Speciation of the genus Arthricocephalus Bergeron, 1899 (Trilobita) from the late Early Cambrian and its stratigraphic significance

The genus Arthricocephalus Bergeron, 1899 is revised, and Halipanktos Balker & Peel, 1997 is suggested here as a senior synonym. The subgenus Arthricocephalus (Arthricocephalites) Chien & Lin in Lu et al., 1974 is considered as a separate genus. Of the 20 previously assigned species of Arthricocephalus (Arthricocephalus) Bergeron, 1899, Arthricocephalus (Arthricocephalites) Chien & Lin in Lu et al., 1974, Arthricocephalus (Euarthricocephalus) Ju, 1983 are lumped into eight species. The speciation trend of Arthricocephalus and Arthricocephalites is demonstrated based on their stratigraphic occurrences. It not only enhances the resolution of the biostatigraphic zonation in the uppermost Lower Cambrian, but also represents a potential candidate to define the Duyunian stage. The base of the stage is suggested at the first appearance datum (FAD) of Arthricocephalus chauveaui Bergeron, 1899 within the evolutionary lineage from Ar. jiangkouensis Yin in Yin & Li,1978 to Ar. chauveaui in a global scale.