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Taxonomy and palaeoenvironmental distribution of palaeopascichnids
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 13 June 2022
Abstract
Palaeopascichnida is a problematic group of extinct organisms that is globally distributed in Ediacaran sequences of Avalonia, Baltica, Siberia, South China and Australia. The fossils related to Palaeopascichnida consist of serially or cluster-like arranged, millimetre- to centimetre-scale globular or allantoid chambers, which are characterized by substantial differences in preservation, leading to no consistent diagnosis for these organisms. Here we integrate morphometric variation, stratigraphic distribution and habitat settings of more than 1200 specimens from all known fossil localities. The results of the morphological analysis demonstrate variation in chamber shape and size, and allow us to recognize six valid species within the group. Statistical analysis of the specimen distribution with respect to sedimentary environments indicates a significant difference in palaeoecological settings between species, making a significant contribution to the evolution and systematic palaeontology of these problematic organisms and perspective on their use in Neoproterozoic biostratigraphy. Our revision and systematic study sheds new light on one of the least studied groups of the late Ediacaran biota.
- Type
- Original Article
- Information
- Geological Magazine , Volume 159 , Special Issue 7: THEMATIC ISSUE: The Ediacaran System and the Ediacaran-Cambrian Transition , July 2022 , pp. 1175 - 1191
- Copyright
- © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press
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