Projects per year
Abstract
The Weng’an Biota is a fossil Konservat-Lagerstätte in South China that is c. 570 - 609 myr old and provides an unparalleled snapshot of marine life during the interval in which molecular clocks estimate that animal clades were diversifying. It yields fossils that are three-dimensionally preserved in calcium phosphate with cellular and sometimes subcellular fidelity. The biota includes candidates for the oldest animals in the fossil record, including embryonic, larval and adult forms.We argue that, although the Weng’an Biota includes forms that could be animals, none can currently be assigned to this group with confidence. Nonetheless, the biota offers a rare and valuable window on the evolution of multicellular and soft-bodied organisms in the prelude to the Cambrian radiation.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 793-802 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Journal of the Geological Society |
Volume | 174 |
Issue number | 5 |
Early online date | 3 May 2017 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Sep 2017 |
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Projects
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DECODING THE FOSSIL RECORD OF EMBRYOLOGY AT THE DAWN OF ANIMAL EVOLUTION
16/06/08 → 16/06/12
Project: Research