The earliest-known ancestors of Recent Priapulomorpha from the Early Cambrian Chengjiang Lagerstaette

The taxonomy of an early ancestor of Recent Priapulidae, Xiaoheiqingella peculiaris (= Yunnanpriapulus halteroformis Huang et al., 2004) from the Early Cambrian Chengjiang fossil Lagerstaette, is revised. Morphological characters comprise a pair of caudal appendages rather than a single appendage flanking the trunk end and a possible urogenital duct found inside the preanal region. An additional extremely rare fossil priapulid worm, Paratubiluchus bicaudatus gen. nov., sp. nov. is also described herein. Its diagnostic characters are: an introvert bearing 25 longitudinal rows of scalids, a distinct neck region, no annulus on the oval trunk, and a pair of caudal appendages. The proportion of body parts is similar in size to that of loricate larvae of Recent priapulids and larva-formed Palaeopriapulitidae. Taking account of the features of Xiaoheiqingella, bicaudal appendages are considered to be a synapomorphy of Priapulidae and Tubiluchidae. Paratubiluchus gen. nov. is most likely a candidate for the ancestor of the Tubiluchidae; it probably originated from a larva-formed priapulid with 25 rows of scalids, thus representing an intermediate link between the priapulids in mature-form and the priapulids with lorica.     

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.     

Primitive deuterostomes from the Chengjiang Lagerst?tte (Lower Cambrian, China).

Cambrian fossil-Lagerst?tten (sites of exceptional fossil preservation), such as those from Chengjiang (Lower Cambrian) and the Burgess Shale (Middle Cambrian), provide our best window into the Cambrian 'explosion'. Such faunas are known from about 40 localities, and have yielded a widely disparate series of taxa ranging from ctenophores to agnathan fish. Recent excavations of the Chengjiang fossil-Lagerst?tte, known from a series of sites near Kunming in Yunnan, south China, have resulted in the discovery of several new forms. In conjunction with material described earlier, these provide evidence for a new group of metazoans, the vetulicolians. Several features, notably a series of gill slits, suggest that this group can throw light on an early stage of deuterostome diversification.     

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…     

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.     

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.     

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.     

Microstructure and functional morphology of the Early Cambrian problematical fossil Rhombocorniculum

Rhombocorniculum cancellatum from the Lower Cambrian of southern Shaanxi Province (South China) is represented by the dextral and sinistral tooth-like sclerites (both in nearly equal numbers), indicating that the body plan of the organism with these sclerites probably was bilaterian. The main feature of the microstructure of the sclerites is the presence of longitudinally arranged, mutually contiguous hollow tubules, the shared walls consisting of microcrystalline apatite. In transverse cross sections, the sclerite wall mainly exhibits a spongy structure, with pore size decreasing adapically. Functional morphological analysis indicates that the sclerites serve as a defensive rather than a grasping function.     

Phylogeny and life habits of Early Arthropods——Predation in the Early Cambrian Sea

Thispaperdealswithcomponentsofthemacro faunafromtheMaotianshan Shalebiota ,focusingonthequestionoftheimportanceofpredatorylifehabitsintheEarlyCambrianmarinebiota .Twonewlydis coveredarthropodsfromtheMaotianshan Shalefau na ,currentlyunderinvestigation ,permittedustocomparetheirmorphologieswithknownfossilandre centtaxawith particularrespecttotheirecologicalrole ,phylogeneticandevolutionarysignificance ,andlifestrategiesintheCambrianingeneral.ArthropodaarethebyfarlargestlivinganimalgrouponEar…     

Early Cambrian eodiscoid trilobites of the Yangtze Platform and their stratigraphic implications

Analysis of the taxonomy and stratigraphic distribution of the Early Cambrian eodiscoid trilobites of the Yangtze Platform indicates that species of Tsunyidiscus and Hupeidiscus can be used for biostratigraphic correlation. T. aclis occurs only in the lower Qiongzhusian, T. armatus occurs in the lower and middle Qiongzhusian, while T. niutitangensis and T. tingi occur mainly in the middle and upper Qiongzhusian, with only T. tingi extending upward into the lower Canglangpuian. H. orientalis first appears in the upper Qiongzhusian, reaching peak abundance in the lower Canglangpuian and becoming extinct above the Drepanuroides Zone. Biostratigraphic and lithostratigraphic correlations indicate that the limestone in the lower part of the Mingxinsi Formation, the Upper Member of Jiumenchong Formation, and the upper part of the Middle Member of the Huangbailing Formation, can be correlated with each other as Hupediscus, an index fossil of the lower Canglangpuian, is abundant in all these units. The lower part of the Niutitang and Jiumenchong formations in eastern Guizhou, which mainly represent Qiongzhusian strata, can be correlated with the Lower Member of the Huangbailing Formation. The basal part of the Niutitang Formation, which may be equivalent to the Upper Meishucunian Shiyantou Formation in eastern Yunnan, is very condensed. Well-preserved sponge faunas and non-mineralized fossils in the lower part of the Niutitang and Hetang formations are not older than Qiongzhusian in age.     

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 Arthricocephaius (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.     

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…     

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 Ordovician 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.     

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.     

Sponge spicules in phosphorites of the Early Cambrian Gezhongwu Formation, Zhijin, Guizhou

Phosphorites occurring at the bottom of the Cambrian system contain abundant small shelly fossils, which are the product of the first episode of life explosion in the Cambrian. It was previously reported that the small shelly fossils are dominated by hyolithids, olivooids, zhijinitids, conodontomorphs, yubelichitids, camenitids and algae, with minor amounts of sponge fossils. Large amounts of sponge spicules, diverse in form, have been found for the first time in the Gezhongwu Formation phosphorites at Shixing, Zhijin County, Guizhou Province, of which such spicules as diaxon-triactins, diaxon-tetractins, pentaxon-pentactins and hexon-hexactins account for 30%. These spicules constitute the sponge clastic phosphorites made up of sponge clastics. Meanwhile, it is also expected that the radiation and diversity of sponge animals started as early as in the earliest Early Cambrian. Habit and burying environment of sponge animal are discussed in the paper.     

Vermicular fossils in the Early Cambrian Xidashan Formation in the Quruqtagh region of Xinjiang, China

Large amounts of vermicular fossils and a minor amount of sponge animal fossils have been found in the Early Cambrian Xidashan Formation in the region of Quruqtagh, Xinjiang. Vermicular fossils are generally more than 50 mm long and 0.3?1.4 mm wide; their wrinkled lamellae are microfine with 3?10 pieces within the length of every each millimeter. The fossils are considered to be Sabellidites cambriensis Sokolov (1965). The Xidashan Formation is the highest stratum in which Sabellidites occur, as has been so far reported.     

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.     

Stable isotopic geochemistry of organic carbon and pyrite sulfur from the Early Cambrian black shales in Northwestern Hunan, China

The early Cambrian black shale sequence in Northwestern Hunan Province has been investigated for its stable isotopic geochemistry of organic carbon and pyrite sulfur. The relatively low δ 13C values of organic matter, -29.7‰～-34.2‰, are interpreted as caused by the high CO2 concentration in atmosphere/ocean and an anoxic depositional environment in early Cambrian. Variable, but significantly positive δ 34S values, 10.2‰～ 28.2‰, for sedimentary pyrite reveals bacterial sulfate reduction as the pyrite-forming process but under sulfate-limited conditions. A protected anoxic basin, which had very limited access to open ocean, and its sediments, where metabolizable organic matter was rich and bioturbation was absent, are supposed to be the sulfate-limited environments and might have existed in South China in the early Cambrian.