Discovery of the budding phosphatized globular fossils from the Neoproterozoic Doushantuo Formation at Weng’an, Guizhou Province, China

There is much debate on biological affinities of the phosphatized globular fossils from the Neoproterozoic Doushantuo phosphorites at Weng’an, Guizhou Province. Here we report for the first time the budding structures of some of these globular fossils, which have previously been interpreted as the resting eggs and early cleavage embryos of metazoans. The budding structures are similar to the germinating tubes of the spore and zygote of living algae, suggesting that some globular fossils from the Doushantuo phosphorites bear affinity with algae. The present new information indicated various biological affinity of the phosphatized globular fossils from the Doushantuo phosphorites.     

New material of microfossils from the Ediacaran Doushantuo Formation in the Zhangcunping area, Yichang, Hubei Province and its zircon SHRIMP U-Pb age

The Zhangcunping area is located at the north limb of the Huangling anticline in Yichang, Hubei Province. Here, the sedimentary succession of the Ediacaran Doushantuo Formation is similar with that in the Weng’an area, Guizhou Province. A large number of new microfossils (mainly acanthoacritarchs) from the Doushantuo Formation in this area are reported in this paper. The fossil assemblage shows similarity as the phosphatized biota of the Doushantuo Formation at Weng’an, Guizhou Province and the silicified biota of the Doushantuo Formation at the Yangtze Gorges, which suggests that the Zhangcunping area is a key for correlation of the Doushantuo Formation between the Weng’an area, Guizhou Province and the Yangtze Gorges. Besides, a new zircon SHRIMP U-Pb age (614.0±7.6 Ma) is first obtained from a horizon underneath the exposed surface in the middle of the Doushantuo Formation in the Zhangcunping area. This age not only provides a new datum for subdivision of the Ediacaran Doushantuo Formation, but also indicates that the age of the exposed surface in the middle of the Doushantuo Formation in the Yangtze Platform should be posterior to 614.0±7.6 Ma. Due to the horizon of the Weng’an biota situated above the exposed surface, the age of the Weng’an biota should be posterior to 614.0±7.6 Ma as well. Supported jointly by the Basic Foundation of scientific research work from Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China (Grant No. J0716), Science and Technology of China for fundamental work (Grant No. 2006FY120300-2), National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40772013 and 40672022) and China Geological Survey (1212010611801-3)     

New observations on spiculelike structures from Doushantuo phosphorites at Weng’an, Guizhou Province

Doushantuo phosphorites at Weng’an, Guizhou Province, provide a unique opportunity for the study of early evolution of multicellular organisms, including metazoans. Our light microscope and SEM observations, however, do not substantiate a sponge spicule interpretation of spicular structures. No convincing axial canals have been seen in the observed spicule population. Instead, the coexistence of some monaxonal spicules with clearly diagenetic crystal fascicles and dumbbells suggest that these monaxons may also be diagenetic in origin. Our preliminary EDS analyses detect no significant silicon in spicule-containing intraclasts (including abiotic clasts and fragments of sphaeromorphic acritarchs and algal thalli), that contain abundant monaxonal spicular structures. We, therefore, believe that the evidence for a sponge spicule interpretation of the Doushantuo spicular structures are at best ambiguous at present; these alleged sponge spicules are indistinguishable from coexistent diagenetic crystals.     

中扬子北部上震旦统陡山沱组沉积特征及演化

中扬子区上震旦统陡山沱组中下部为一大套灰黑色、黑灰色泥页岩,且大部分地区深埋地腹,具有较好的页 岩气勘探潜力。基于钻井岩芯及野外剖面测量观察,开展了系统的基础地质研究,建立了陡山沱组区域地层格架,进 行了层序和沉积相分析。上震旦统陡山沱组岩性具有四分特征,钻井岩芯和实测剖面各分段的岩性特征和沉积厚度 有所不同,地层厚度在90∼250 m,总体上呈东西走向展布,即自北西向东、南逐渐增厚的趋势。将陡山沱组划分为一 个二级层序（SS1）,其中包含4 个三级层序（SQ1、SQ2、SQ3、SQ4）。沉积相包括滨岸潮坪相和台地相,台地相划分为 开阔台地、局限台地和台内盆地3 类亚相。陡山沱期,研究区整体上为台地相沉积,区内东南部为开阔台地沉积,西北 部为局限台地,西南部花鸡坡-X1 井-九里垭一带为相对深水的台内盆地相沉积。     

Trace element and rare earth element of cap carbonate in Ediacaran Doushantuo Formation in Yangtze Gorges

For the Doushantuo cap carbonate at the Jiulongwan section in the Yangtze Gorges, its concentrations of redox sensitive elements suggest two distinct enrichments in stratigraphy. These enrichments occur at about 0.8 m and 3.3 m above the bottom of cap carbonate, respectively. They are interpreted as the temporary anoxic depositional conditions due to the oxidation of seeped methane. REE＋Y patterns of the cap carbonate are classified into three types with different styles： （1） from the bottom to 2.45 m, representing the behaviors of freshwater and suggesting that massive meltwater swarmed into surface oceans during the deglaciation; （2） from 2.45 m to 3.3 m, indicating the pattern of ancient seawater possibly due to upwelling of deep water; and （3） from 3.3 m to the top, showing ＂MREE bulge＂ pattern with HREE-depletion as a result of diagenesis. The three-stage REE＋Y patterns represent the transformations of shallow water in the wake of the Marinoan glaciation in this region： the fresh meltwater was dominant first, and then it interfused into the oceanic basin by the transgression and upwelling. Bloom of plankton further introduced anoxia near the water-sediment interface.     

Discovery of phosphatized gastrula fossils from the Doushantuo Formation, Weng’an, Guizhou Province, China

Globular fossils from Doushantuo phosphorites at the Weng’an area are for the first time identified as a gastrulation stage of phosphatized embryos. They are got from the fossiliferous remains after acetic acid maceration. The fossils are found together with formerly reported animal resting eggs and embryos of the earlier cleavage stage. The oblate-shaped fossils with the same size as those reported embryos and invaginate at the middle part into the embryos, show the characteristics of the late blastula to the early gastrula stage of the embryo development. This discovery convinces the existence of animal embryos at Doushantuo age and offers new facts for the studying of the affinity of related fossils, which are still controversial at present.     

瓮安生物群中"内陷式动物原肠胚化石"的同步辐射无损成像及其亲缘关系的重新解释

 贵州瓮安埃迪卡拉纪陡山沱组(635—551Ma)的磷酸盐化动物胚胎化石作为全球已知最古老的多细胞动物化石记录,为研究后生动物的起源及早期演化过程提供了精美的实证材料.在传统扫描电子显微成像的基础上,结合同步辐射相位衬度显微断层成像技术,对瓮安生物群中以前报道的"内陷式动物原肠胚化石"的立体标本进行了比较形态学和解剖学研究.结果显示,贵州瓮安陡山沱组磷酸盐化内陷式动物原肠胚化石很可能是多细胞藻类,并非动物胚胎.     

Variations of sulfur and carbon isotopes in seawater during the Doushantuo stage in late Neoproterozoic

The Doushantuo Formation of the Sinian System in the Yangtze area is the first sedimentary stratigraphic unit after the Neoproterozoic Snowball Earth event[1], named the Nantuo Glaciation in south China. There are not only phosphorite and manganese mineralized beds[2], but also a series of biome which represents the biological radiation in Neoproterozoic[3] found in this formation. It is important to study the palaeoenvironment and the early biological evolution implied in the Doushantuo …     

Oxygen isotope geochemistry of phosphorite and dolomite and palaeo-ocean temperature estimation: A case study from the Neoproterozoic Doushantuo Formation, Guizhou Province,South China

The Neoproterozoic Doushantuo Formation at Weng'an in Guizhou Province of South China consists of phosphorites and dolomites.Three types of samples are recongnized for the phosphate-bearing rocks.In Type I samples, interstitial phosphates occur within the dolomite rocks, whereas in Type III samples, interstitial dolomites occur within the phosphorites; both of them may have diagenetic origin.The Type II samples are interbedded phosphorites and dolomites.Oxygen isotopic compositions of phosphate and coeval carbonate were analyzed.Phosphates of Type I and II samples show similar low δ18Ophos (SMOW) values of 10.9‰～12.1‰ and 10.7‰～12.8‰, respectively, whereas Type III phosphates show higher δ18Ophos (SMOW) values of 13.2‰～15.0‰.Dolomites from Type I and II samples have δ18Ocarb (PDB) and δ13Ccarb (PDB) values of -6.2‰～-3.4‰ and -2.2‰～-0.7‰, respectively, whereas interstitial dolomites from Type III samples show lower δ18Ocarb (PDB) and δ13Ccarb (PDB) values of -12.9‰～-8.6‰ and -4.4‰～-2.6‰.Petrology and oxygen isotope data suggest that diagenetic alteration may have partially affected the studied rocks, but the dolomites from Type I and phosphates from Type III samples represent the most pristine isotopic compositions of primary carbonates and phosphates precipitated from seawater.Calculations of palaeocean temperatures from the most 18O enriched dolomite and phosphate indicate a temperature range of 32.2 ℃ to 34.0 ℃ for the seawater of the Doushantuo Formation period.Ce anomaly also suggests more oxic conditions and possibly shallower water depth in the upper strata of the Doushantuo Formation at Weng'an, Guizhou Province.     

湖北秭归庙河震旦系陡山沱组-灯影组界线层内微球粒的发现及意义

在湖北秭归庙河震旦系剖面陡山沱组-灯影组界线层内首次发现了微球粒。这些微球粒多为黑色、浅褐色,呈圆球形、椭球形,直径50～100μm。通过波谱分析,微球粒主要为石质球,即磷灰石球和硅质球。扫描电子显微镜照片显示出微球粒复杂的显微构造特征。一般认为微球粒有地外和地内两种成因。庙河地区微球粒的发现,为研究界线时期地质事件提供了新的资料