A new Cambrian frondose organism; "Ediacaran survivor" or convergent evolution?

• Published in: Journal of the Geological Society Vol. 180; no. 2; p. 1
• Main Authors: Hu, Shixue, Zhao, Fangchen, Liu, Alexander G, Zhu, Maoyan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Geological Society of London 03-03-2023; The Geological Society of London; Geological Society Publishing House
• Subjects: Asia; biologic evolution; Biota; Cambrian; China; Convergence; Differentiation (biology); Evolution; Far East; fossil localities; Fossils; Fronds; Guangweia; Guangweia cheni; Guanshan biota; Kunming China; Lower Cambrian; morphology; new taxa; Palaeontology and geobiology; paleoecology; Paleontology; Paleozoic; Phylogenetics; Phylogeny; preservation; Survival; taphonomy; taxonomy; Wulongqing Formation; Yunnan China
• ISSN: 0016-7649; 2041-479X
• DOI: 10.1144/jgs2022-088

Guangweia cheni gen. et sp. nov. is an exceptionally preserved frond-like fossil from the early Cambrian Guanshan Biota of SW China, which shares morphological similarities with some characteristic late Ediacaran frondose organisms in comprising a leaf-like frond attached via a stem to a discoidal structure resembling a holdfast. Plausible evidence for tissue differentiation and bilateral symmetry in G. cheni implies a eumetazoan affinity. However, G. cheni profoundly differs from Ediacaran frondose taxa in several morphological characters, including its possession of an unusual wedge-shaped apical structure. These observations preclude direct phylogenetic relationships with known Ediacaran forms. Instead, G. cheni may record convergent evolution of a frondose bodyplan: a possibility that should be entertained for other purported Cambrian frondose taxa. Thematic collection: This article is part of the Advances in the Cambrian Explosion collection available at: https://www.lyellcollection.org/topic/collections/advances-in-the-cam brian-explosion Supplementary material: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.6294893