• Possible stem cnidarian at ~600 Mya

    From erik simpson@eastside.erik@gmail.com to sc.bio.paleontology on Tue Nov 5 08:48:41 2024
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/pala.12242


    "Abstract

    The early Ediacaran Lantian Formation in South China contains some of
    the oldest known representatives of morphologically complex
    macroorganisms, including various macroalgae and putative animals. The macroalgal fossils have been described previously in several
    publications, but no taxonomic treatment has been published for the
    putative animal fossils. This hampers our ability to fully evaluate and communicate the significance of these potentially important Ediacaran macrofossils. To address this deficiency, here we provide a systematic description of these putative animal fossils from the Lantian Formation, including four new genera and five new species: Lantianella laevis gen.
    et sp. nov., L. annularis gen. et sp. nov., Piyuania cyathiformis gen.
    et sp. nov., Qianchuania fusiformis gen. et sp. nov. and Xiuningella
    rara gen. et sp. nov. Morphological comparisons of these fossils and
    potential modern analogues are provided and critically assessed."

    This is an article I missed (2016) that describes very-well preserved
    fossils in the Lantian formation. Among other hard-to-assign specimens
    is a conical specimen consisting of a basal holdfast and topped with structures strongly suggesting tentacles. The resemblance to cnidarians
    is unmistakable. The authorship has strong credentials in Ediacaran
    research.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From John Harshman@john.harshman@gmail.com to sci.bio.paleontology on Tue Nov 5 10:06:18 2024
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    On 11/5/24 8:48 AM, erik simpson wrote:
    https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/pala.12242


    "Abstract

    The early Ediacaran Lantian Formation in South China contains some of
    the oldest known representatives of morphologically complex
    macroorganisms, including various macroalgae and putative animals. The macroalgal fossils have been described previously in several
    publications, but no taxonomic treatment has been published for the
    putative animal fossils. This hampers our ability to fully evaluate and communicate the significance of these potentially important Ediacaran macrofossils. To address this deficiency, here we provide a systematic description of these putative animal fossils from the Lantian Formation, including four new genera and five new species: Lantianella laevis gen.
    et sp. nov., L. annularis gen. et sp. nov., Piyuania cyathiformis gen.
    et sp. nov., Qianchuania fusiformis gen. et sp. nov. and Xiuningella
    rara gen. et sp. nov. Morphological comparisons of these fossils and potential modern analogues are provided and critically assessed."

    This is an article I missed (2016) that describes very-well preserved fossils in the Lantian formation.-a Among other hard-to-assign specimens
    is a conical specimen consisting of a basal holdfast and topped with structures strongly suggesting tentacles.-a The resemblance to cnidarians
    is unmistakable.-a The authorship has strong credentials in Ediacaran research.

    If they're metazoans, they might be the oldest metazoan fossils, though apparently they're roughly contemporaneous with the Doushantuo biota.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From erik simpson@eastside.erik@gmail.com to sc.bio.paleontology on Tue Nov 5 10:31:34 2024
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    On 11/5/24 10:06 AM, John Harshman wrote:
    On 11/5/24 8:48 AM, erik simpson wrote:
    https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/pala.12242


    "Abstract

    The early Ediacaran Lantian Formation in South China contains some of
    the oldest known representatives of morphologically complex
    macroorganisms, including various macroalgae and putative animals. The
    macroalgal fossils have been described previously in several
    publications, but no taxonomic treatment has been published for the
    putative animal fossils. This hampers our ability to fully evaluate
    and communicate the significance of these potentially important
    Ediacaran macrofossils. To address this deficiency, here we provide a
    systematic description of these putative animal fossils from the
    Lantian Formation, including four new genera and five new species:
    Lantianella laevis gen. et sp. nov., L. annularis gen. et sp. nov.,
    Piyuania cyathiformis gen. et sp. nov., Qianchuania fusiformis gen. et
    sp. nov. and Xiuningella rara gen. et sp. nov. Morphological
    comparisons of these fossils and potential modern analogues are
    provided and critically assessed."

    This is an article I missed (2016) that describes very-well preserved
    fossils in the Lantian formation.-a Among other hard-to-assign
    specimens is a conical specimen consisting of a basal holdfast and
    topped with structures strongly suggesting tentacles.-a The resemblance
    to cnidarians is unmistakable.-a The authorship has strong credentials
    in Ediacaran research.

    If they're metazoans, they might be the oldest metazoan fossils, though apparently they're roughly contemporaneous with the Doushantuo biota.
    All true, they're only ~10 My after the Doushantuo. Any further with a particular phylum identification is bound to be uncertain.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From erik simpson@eastside.erik@gmail.com to sci.bio.paleontology on Wed Nov 6 15:33:33 2024
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    On 11/5/24 10:06 AM, John Harshman wrote:
    On 11/5/24 8:48 AM, erik simpson wrote:
    https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/pala.12242


    "Abstract

    The early Ediacaran Lantian Formation in South China contains some
    of the oldest known representatives of morphologically complex
    macroorganisms, including various macroalgae and putative animals. The macroalgal fossils have been described previously in several
    publications, but no taxonomic treatment has been published for the
    putative animal fossils. This hampers our ability to fully evaluate and communicate the significance of these potentially important Ediacaran macrofossils. To address this deficiency, here we provide a systematic description of these putative animal fossils from the Lantian Formation, including four new genera and five new species: Lantianella laevis gen.
    et sp. nov., L. annularis gen. et sp. nov., Piyuania cyathiformis gen.
    et sp. nov., Qianchuania fusiformis gen. et sp. nov. and Xiuningella
    rara gen. et sp. nov. Morphological comparisons of these fossils and
    potential modern analogues are provided and critically assessed."

    This is an article I missed (2016) that describes very-well
    preserved fossils in the Lantian formation. Among other hard-to-assign specimens is a conical specimen consisting of a basal holdfast and
    topped with structures strongly suggesting tentacles. The resemblance
    to cnidarians is unmistakable. The authorship has strong credentials in Ediacaran research.

    If they're metazoans, they might be the oldest metazoan fossils,
    though apparently they're roughly contemporaneous with the Doushantuo biota.
    All true, they're only ~10 My after the Doushantuo. Any further with
    a particular phylum identification is bound to be uncertain.

    I belatedly remember that lophophorated also have tencacle-like
    structures. If the fossils are lophophorates, that would move the
    origin of cnidarians comfortably forward in the Ediacaran, about the
    time the probable tunicates appeared. I belatedly remember that
    lophophorated also have tencacle-like structures. If the fossils are lophophorates, that would move the origin of cnidarians comfortably
    forward in the Ediacaran, about the time the probable tunicates appeared.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From John Harshman@john.harshman@gmail.com to sci.bio.paleontology on Wed Nov 6 20:52:02 2024
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    On 11/6/24 3:33 PM, erik simpson wrote:
    On 11/5/24 10:06 AM, John Harshman wrote:
    On 11/5/24 8:48 AM, erik simpson wrote:
    https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/pala.12242


    "Abstract

    The early Ediacaran Lantian Formation in South China contains some
    of the oldest known representatives of morphologically complex macroorganisms, including various macroalgae and putative animals. The macroalgal fossils have been described previously in several
    publications, but no taxonomic treatment has been published for the
    putative animal fossils. This hampers our ability to fully evaluate and communicate the significance of these potentially important Ediacaran macrofossils. To address this deficiency, here we provide a systematic description of these putative animal fossils from the Lantian Formation, including four new genera and five new species: Lantianella laevis gen.
    et sp. nov., L. annularis gen. et sp. nov., Piyuania cyathiformis gen.
    et sp. nov., Qianchuania fusiformis gen. et sp. nov. and Xiuningella
    rara gen. et sp. nov. Morphological comparisons of these fossils and potential modern analogues are provided and critically assessed."

    This is an article I missed (2016) that describes very-well
    preserved fossils in the Lantian formation.-a Among other hard-to-assign specimens is a conical specimen consisting of a basal holdfast and
    topped with structures strongly suggesting tentacles.-a The resemblance
    to cnidarians is unmistakable.-a The authorship has strong credentials in Ediacaran research.

    If they're metazoans, they might be the oldest metazoan fossils,
    though apparently they're roughly contemporaneous with the Doushantuo
    biota.
    All true, they're only ~10 My after the Doushantuo.-a Any further with
    a particular phylum identification is bound to be uncertain.

    I belatedly remember that lophophorated also have tencacle-like structures.-a If the fossils are lophophorates, that would move the
    origin of cnidarians comfortably forward in the Ediacaran, about the
    time the probable tunicates appeared. I belatedly remember that lophophorated also have tencacle-like structures.-a If the fossils are lophophorates, that would move the origin of cnidarians comfortably
    forward in the Ediacaran, about the time the probable tunicates appeared.

    Not familiar with any Ediacaran tunicates. What?
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From erik simpson@eastside.erik@gmail.com to sci.bio.paleontology on Thu Nov 7 08:02:38 2024
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    On 11/6/24 8:52 PM, John Harshman wrote:
    On 11/6/24 3:33 PM, erik simpson wrote:
    On 11/5/24 10:06 AM, John Harshman wrote:
    On 11/5/24 8:48 AM, erik simpson wrote:
    https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/pala.12242


    "Abstract

    The early Ediacaran Lantian Formation in South China contains
    some of the oldest known representatives of morphologically complex
    macroorganisms, including various macroalgae and putative animals. The
    macroalgal fossils have been described previously in several
    publications, but no taxonomic treatment has been published for the
    putative animal fossils. This hampers our ability to fully evaluate
    and communicate the significance of these potentially important
    Ediacaran macrofossils. To address this deficiency, here we provide a
    systematic description of these putative animal fossils from the
    Lantian Formation, including four new genera and five new species:
    Lantianella laevis gen. et sp. nov., L. annularis gen. et sp. nov.,
    Piyuania cyathiformis gen. et sp. nov., Qianchuania fusiformis gen. et
    sp. nov. and Xiuningella rara gen. et sp. nov. Morphological
    comparisons of these fossils and potential modern analogues are
    provided and critically assessed."

    This is an article I missed (2016) that describes very-well
    preserved fossils in the Lantian formation.-a Among other
    hard-to-assign specimens is a conical specimen consisting of a basal
    holdfast and topped with structures strongly suggesting tentacles.
    The resemblance to cnidarians is unmistakable.-a The authorship has
    strong credentials in Ediacaran research.

    If they're metazoans, they might be the oldest metazoan fossils,
    though apparently they're roughly contemporaneous with the Doushantuo
    biota.
    All true, they're only ~10 My after the Doushantuo.-a Any further
    with a particular phylum identification is bound to be uncertain.

    I belatedly remember that lophophorated also have tencacle-like
    structures.-a If the fossils are lophophorates, that would move the
    origin of cnidarians comfortably forward in the Ediacaran, about the
    time the probable tunicates appeared. I belatedly remember that
    lophophorated also have tencacle-like structures.-a If the fossils are
    lophophorates, that would move the origin of cnidarians comfortably
    forward in the Ediacaran, about the time the probable tunicates appeared.

    Not familiar with any Ediacaran tunicates. What?
    https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12542-021-00596-1
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From John Harshman@john.harshman@gmail.com to sci.bio.paleontology on Thu Nov 7 17:50:37 2024
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    On 11/7/24 8:02 AM, erik simpson wrote:
    On 11/6/24 8:52 PM, John Harshman wrote:
    On 11/6/24 3:33 PM, erik simpson wrote:
    On 11/5/24 10:06 AM, John Harshman wrote:
    On 11/5/24 8:48 AM, erik simpson wrote:
    https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/pala.12242


    "Abstract

    The early Ediacaran Lantian Formation in South China contains
    some of the oldest known representatives of morphologically complex
    macroorganisms, including various macroalgae and putative animals.
    The macroalgal fossils have been described previously in several
    publications, but no taxonomic treatment has been published for the
    putative animal fossils. This hampers our ability to fully evaluate
    and communicate the significance of these potentially important
    Ediacaran macrofossils. To address this deficiency, here we provide a
    systematic description of these putative animal fossils from the
    Lantian Formation, including four new genera and five new species:
    Lantianella laevis gen. et sp. nov., L. annularis gen. et sp. nov.,
    Piyuania cyathiformis gen. et sp. nov., Qianchuania fusiformis gen.
    et sp. nov. and Xiuningella rara gen. et sp. nov. Morphological
    comparisons of these fossils and potential modern analogues are
    provided and critically assessed."

    This is an article I missed (2016) that describes very-well
    preserved fossils in the Lantian formation.-a Among other
    hard-to-assign specimens is a conical specimen consisting of a basal
    holdfast and topped with structures strongly suggesting tentacles.
    The resemblance to cnidarians is unmistakable.-a The authorship has
    strong credentials in Ediacaran research.

    If they're metazoans, they might be the oldest metazoan fossils,
    though apparently they're roughly contemporaneous with the Doushantuo
    biota.
    All true, they're only ~10 My after the Doushantuo.-a Any further
    with a particular phylum identification is bound to be uncertain.

    I belatedly remember that lophophorated also have tencacle-like
    structures.-a If the fossils are lophophorates, that would move the
    origin of cnidarians comfortably forward in the Ediacaran, about the
    time the probable tunicates appeared. I belatedly remember that
    lophophorated also have tencacle-like structures.-a If the fossils are
    lophophorates, that would move the origin of cnidarians comfortably
    forward in the Ediacaran, about the time the probable tunicates
    appeared.

    Not familiar with any Ediacaran tunicates. What?
    https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12542-021-00596-1

    If correct, that pushes the origin of chordates way back, and thus of deuterostomes too. I'd like to see how the people competent to analyze
    these fossils sort out.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From erik simpson@eastside.erik@gmail.com to sci.bio.paleontology on Thu Nov 7 19:28:16 2024
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    On 11/7/24 5:50 PM, John Harshman wrote:
    On 11/7/24 8:02 AM, erik simpson wrote:
    On 11/6/24 8:52 PM, John Harshman wrote:
    On 11/6/24 3:33 PM, erik simpson wrote:
    On 11/5/24 10:06 AM, John Harshman wrote:
    On 11/5/24 8:48 AM, erik simpson wrote:
    https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/pala.12242


    "Abstract

    The early Ediacaran Lantian Formation in South China contains
    some of the oldest known representatives of morphologically complex
    macroorganisms, including various macroalgae and putative animals.
    The macroalgal fossils have been described previously in several
    publications, but no taxonomic treatment has been published for the
    putative animal fossils. This hampers our ability to fully evaluate
    and communicate the significance of these potentially important
    Ediacaran macrofossils. To address this deficiency, here we provide
    a systematic description of these putative animal fossils from the
    Lantian Formation, including four new genera and five new species:
    Lantianella laevis gen. et sp. nov., L. annularis gen. et sp. nov.,
    Piyuania cyathiformis gen. et sp. nov., Qianchuania fusiformis gen.
    et sp. nov. and Xiuningella rara gen. et sp. nov. Morphological
    comparisons of these fossils and potential modern analogues are
    provided and critically assessed."

    This is an article I missed (2016) that describes very-well
    preserved fossils in the Lantian formation.-a Among other
    hard-to-assign specimens is a conical specimen consisting of a basal
    holdfast and topped with structures strongly suggesting tentacles.
    The resemblance to cnidarians is unmistakable.-a The authorship has
    strong credentials in Ediacaran research.

    If they're metazoans, they might be the oldest metazoan fossils, >>>> though apparently they're roughly contemporaneous with the
    Doushantuo biota.
    All true, they're only ~10 My after the Doushantuo.-a Any further >>>> with a particular phylum identification is bound to be uncertain.

    I belatedly remember that lophophorated also have tencacle-like
    structures.-a If the fossils are lophophorates, that would move the
    origin of cnidarians comfortably forward in the Ediacaran, about the
    time the probable tunicates appeared. I belatedly remember that
    lophophorated also have tencacle-like structures.-a If the fossils
    are lophophorates, that would move the origin of cnidarians
    comfortably forward in the Ediacaran, about the time the probable
    tunicates appeared.

    Not familiar with any Ediacaran tunicates. What?
    https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12542-021-00596-1

    If correct, that pushes the origin of chordates way back, and thus of deuterostomes too. I'd like to see how the people competent to analyze
    these fossils sort out.
    According to Mary Droser, the first clearly bilaterians, about the size
    of rice grans, also appeared about the same time. I forget when the deuterstome/protostome happened. Was it about the same time too, or later?
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2