Dengying Formation | |
---|---|
Stratigraphic range: Ediacaran ~ | |
![]() Transition between uppermost Doushantuo Formation and lowermost Dengying Formation | |
Type | Formation |
Sub-units | See: Members |
Underlies | Yanjiahe Formation [1] |
Overlies | Doushantuo Formation |
Location | |
Region | Yangtze Gorges |
Country | China |
The Dengying Formation is an upper Ediacaran (551-541 Ma [2] ) fossiliferous geologic formation found in South China. It was deposited on a shallow marine carbonate platform. [3]
Listed by ascending age:
Traditionally, the Tianzhushan Member was considered to be the uppermost unit of the Dengying Formation. However, its small shelly fossils and Micrhystridium -like acritarchs are a shared characteristic with the Cambrian Yanjiahe Formation. [3] The Kuanchuanpu Formation also is occasionally placed as a member of the Dengying Formation, [6] however it is likely separate for the same reasons.
The Dengying formation is unique from other Ediacaran formations in that its top is almost right up against the Ediacaran - Cambrian boundary, with more recent organisms being described that have striking similarities with Cambrian fauna, like Alienum. There are also a lot of ichnogenera in the form of burrows, something that is common in younger Ediacaran rocks the closer to the Cambrian boundary they are.
Color key
| Notes Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; |
Genus | Species | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|
Dickinsonia [7] |
| Oval to elongated motile organism. Only one incomplete specimen is known. | ![]() |
Genus | Species | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|
Charniodiscus [8] |
| Frondose organism. | ![]() |
Paracharnia [9] |
| Frondose organism. | ![]() |
Pteridinium [8] |
| Frondose organism. | |
Rangea [8] |
| Frondose organism. | ![]() |
Genus | Species | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|
Lobodiscus [10] |
| Tri-radial organism. | |
Genus | Species | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|
Helicolocellus [11] |
| Conical sponge, possible relations to hexactinelliid sponges. | ![]() |
Genus | Species | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|
Alienum [12] |
| Vetulicolian-like organism. | ![]() |
Cloudina [13] |
| Tubular organism. | ![]() |
Curviacus [14] |
| Elongated organism. | |
Conotubus [15] |
| Tubular organism. | |
Cycliomedusa [16] |
| Discoid organism. | ![]() |
Gaojiashania [17] |
| Tubular organism. | |
Hiemalora [8] |
| Discoid organism, possibly holdfasts of petalonamids. | ![]() |
Palaeorhopalon [13] |
| Tubular organism. | |
Shufangtubulus [13] |
| Tubular organism. | |
Sinotubulites [18] [13] |
| Tubular organism. | |
Wutubus [8] |
| Tubular organism. | |
Yangtziramulus [19] |
| Enigmatic organism, affinities with other forms is unknown, although possibly related to the Petalonamae, like Charnia. | |
Yilingia [20] |
| Bilterian animal of unknown affinities, with possible relations to Panarthopoda or Annelida. | |
Genus | Species | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|
Longfengshania [16] |
| Thallus-like macroalgae. | |
Protocodium [21] |
| Codiacean alga. | |
Genus | Species | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|
Protolagena [22] |
| Vase-like microorganisms. | |
Sicylagena [22] |
| Vase-like microorganisms. | |
Genus | Species | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|
Lamonte [23] |
| Burrows. | |
Helminthoidichnites |
| Burrows. | |
Shaanxilithes |
| Junior synonym of Nenoxites. | ![]() |
Nenoxites |
| Movement traces. | ![]() |
Torrowangea |
| Burrows. | |
Genus | Species | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|
Zhenba columns [24] |
| Possible affinities with coralline algae. | |
Bilateria indet. |
| Known to have several pairs of appendages, but its exact affinity is unknown [25] | |