Silicified tubular microfossils from the upper doushantuo formation (Ediacaran) in the yangtze gorges area, South China
- ISSN: 00223360
- DOI: 10.1666/08-034R1.1
Abstract
The Ediacaran Doushantuo Formation in the Yangtze Gorges area (Fig. 1.2) contains abundant silicified cyanobacterial coccoids and filaments (Y. Zhang et al., 1998), acanthomorphic acritarchs (Zhou et al., 2007), multicellular algae (Xiao, 2004), and possible animal embryos (L. Yin et al., 2007). These silicified fossils are taxonomically similar to the phosphatized fossils in the Doushantuo Formation of the Weng'an area, South China (Y. Zhang et al., 1998). However, the Weng'an assemblage contains tubular microfossils that have not been previously documented in the Yangtze Gorges area. Here we report the occurrence of secondarily silicified tubular guizhouensis (Xue et al., 1992) and Yangtzitubus semiteres new genus and speciesfrom lenticular cherts in the upper Doushantuo Formation in the Yangtze Gorges area. Of the two named taxa, Sinocyclocyclicus guizhouensis was previously known from the Weng'an area (Liu et al., 2008). The new data extend the geographic, taphonomic, and environmental distribution of Doushantuo tubular microfossils. A fuller documentation of the Doushantuo biodiversity is also important to the evaluation of possible taphonomic or environmental biases among the three exceptional taphonomic windowscarbonaceous compression (Xiao et al., 2002), phosphatization (Xiao and Knoll, 1999), and silicification (Y. Zhang et al., 1998)in Doushantuo black shales, phosphorites, and cherts, respectively.
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