Rare helical spheroidal fossils from the Doushantuo Lagerstätte: Ediacaran animal embryos come of age?

Research Article| February 01, 2007 Rare helical spheroidal fossils from the Doushantuo Lagerstätte: Ediacaran animal embryos come of age? Shuhai Xiao; Shuhai Xiao 1Department of Geosciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar James W. Hagadorn; James W. Hagadorn 2Department of Geology, Amherst College, Amherst, Massachusetts 01002, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Chuanming Zhou; Chuanming Zhou 3State Key Laboratory of Paleobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Xunlai Yuan Xunlai Yuan 3State Key Laboratory of Paleobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Geology (2007) 35 (2): 115–118. https://doi.org/10.1130/G23277A.1 Article history received: 09 Aug 2006 rev-recd: 07 Sep 2006 accepted: 16 Sep 2006 first online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Shuhai Xiao, James W. Hagadorn, Chuanming Zhou, Xunlai Yuan; Rare helical spheroidal fossils from the Doushantuo Lagerstätte: Ediacaran animal embryos come of age?. Geology 2007;; 35 (2): 115–118. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G23277A.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract A small quantity of helically coiled spheroidal fossils has been recovered from acid digestion of phosphorite samples from the Ediacaran Doushantuo Formation, South China. These fossils consist of an internal body enclosed in a sculptured envelope that is very similar to that of Doushantuo animal eggs and blastula embryos such as Megasphaera ornata. A hallmark of these fossils is a three-dimensional spiral structure, which always consists of three clockwise coils, and occurs on both the envelope and the internal body. The spiral structure consists of a spiral tunnel or canal flanked by two raised levees, and it is punctured by a series of holes. Some specimens show evidence of uncoiling, invagination along the spiral structure, or bipectinate furrowing on the band between canals. A possible ontogenetic link between these helical spheroidal fossils and Megasphaera ornata is suggested by similar size, similar envelope sculptures, and co-occurrence. We tentatively interpret these fossils as postblastula embryos related to Megasphaera ornata. Thus, they may represent the most advanced embryonic fossils so far known from the Ediacaran, although their adult morphologies and phylogenetic affinity remain unknown. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.