Qingjiang biota

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The Qingjiang biota are a major discovery of fossilized remains dating from the early Cambrian period approximately 518 million years ago. [1] The remains consist at least 20,000 individual specimens, and were discovered near the Danshui River in the Hubei province of China in 2019. [2] The site is particularly notable due to both the large proportion of new taxa represented (approximately 53% of the specimens), [1] and due to the large amount of soft-body tissue of the ancient specimens that was preserved, likely due to the organisms being rapidly covered in sediment prior to fossilization, that allowed for the detailed preservation of even fragile, soft-bodied creatures such as jellyfish. Shelly fossils found at the site include trilobites, radiodonts, lobopods, bradoriids, brachiopods, hyolithids, mollusks, chancelloriids, kinorhynchs, priapulids, and articulated sponge spicules.

Contents

Restoration of an unnamed Qingjiang medusa Qingjiang medusa.jpg
Restoration of an unnamed Qingjiang medusa

The site is a Burgess Shale type preservation, [1] and has been widely compared [1] [3] [4] to the Burgess Shale in terms of the site's richness and significance. The discovery has been described as one of the most significant of its kind in the last 100 years. [2] Initial publications regarding the site stated that 4,351 of the collected specimens had been examined, [2] and 101 species had been identified, 53 of which were new to science. [5]

Talks are reportedly underway with local government to protect the site to ensure the longevity of continued research on the deposited specimens. [4]

List of taxa

Bacteria

GenusSpeciesPhylumNotesImage
Qingjiangonema [6] Q. cambria Thermodesulfobacteriota "Qingjiangonema is a long filamentous form comprising hundreds of cells filled by equimorphic and equidimensional pyrite microcrystals with a light sulfur isotope composition. Multiple lines of evidence indicate Qingjiangonema was a sulfate-reducing bacterium that exhibits similar patterns of cell organization to filamentous forms within the phylum Desulfobacterota, including the sulfate-reducing Desulfonema and sulfide-oxidizing cable bacteria."

Eukaryota incertae sedis

GenusNotesImage
Chuaria [7] Chuaria is a spheroidal and thick-walled eukaryote that is typically regarded as having algal affinities based on cell walls and biogeochemical analyses. It appears to have existed from the late Paleoproterozoic (1670–1640 Ma) to the Qingjiang Formation (518 Ma). "Like many Precambrian microfossils (Simpson, 1944, Schopf, 1994, Dvořák et al., 2015), its extraordinarily slow rate of evolutionary change was probably due to the asexual reproduction and wide ecological tolerance. Accordingly, if Chuaria represented a homogeneous eukaryote, it would make sense that it retained a consistent morphology for an exceptionally long geological time. Such hypobradytelic organism can be seen in macro-organisms as well, e.g., Marchantites Brongniart, 1849 of bryophyte (Li et al., 2014), or Lampetra Bonnaterre, 1788 of chordate (Gess et al., 2006)." Tawuia Chuaria Longfengshania.jpg

Algae

GenusSpeciesCladeNotesImage
Megaspirellus? [1] Megaspirellus was originally identified as an alga but has been more recently tentatively re-interpreted as a cololite (fossilized intestinal casts of faecal material) and a junior synonym of Cilindrotomaculum . [8]
Qingjiangthallus [9] Q. cystocarpium Florideophyceae A red alga. "Thalli comprise flat and ribbon‐shaped branches showing different branching patterns, some short branchlets, discoid or globose holdfasts and an unexpected occurrence of possible cystocarps (reproductive bodies)."
Sinocylindra [1] Chlorophyta?"Smooth cylindrical ribbons 0.19–2.2mm wide and up to 74.0 mm long. Ribbons are flexible and can be curved, looped or folded, but are not regularly coiled as in Megaspirellus or Grypania . No branching or holdfast structures are associated with the ribbons." [10]

Non-bilaterian animals

GenusSpeciesPhylumClassOrderFamilyNotesImage
Choia [1] Porifera Demospongiae Protomonaxonida Choiidae Choia carteri reconstruction.JPG
Crumillospongia [1] PoriferaDemospongiaeProtomonaxonida Hazeliidae
Halichondrites [1] PoriferaDemospongiaeProtomonaxonida Halichondritidae HalichondritesElissa-Detail NaturhistorischesMuseum Nov14-10.jpg
Hazelia [1] PoriferaDemospongiaeProtomonaxonidaHazeliidae
Leptomitella [1] PoriferaDemospongiaeProtomonaxonida
Leptomitus [1] PoriferaDemospongiaeProtomonaxonida Leptomitidae
Paraleptomitella [1] PoriferaDemospongiaeProtomonaxonidaLeptomitidae
Saetaspongia [1] PoriferaDemospongiaeProtomonaxonida [11]
Sanshapentella [12] S. tentoriformisPorifera Hexactinellida "Owing to the presence of definite hexactines and hexactine-derived spicules, Sanshapentella can be assigned to Hexactinellida... Sponge body is composed of a stout trunk (usually 10–35 mm in thickness) and four or five conical branches at the top."
Allonnia [1] Possible stem-group Eumetazoa [13] Chancelloriida Chancelloriidae Allonnia pennetta.png
Xianguangia [1] X. sinicaStem-group Ctenophora [14] DinomischidaeResolved as being in the monophyletic family Dinomischidae with Daihua and Dinomischus .
Dinomischus [1] Stem-group Ctenophora [14] Dinomischidae
Sphenothallus [1] Cnidaria Conulatae Their shell composition and microstructure indicate relatedness to conulariids [15] SphenothallidHoldfastOrdovician.jpg

Spiralia

GenusSpeciesPhylumClassOrderFamilyNotesImage
Ambrolinevitus [1] Possible stem-group Lophotrochozoa [16] Hyolitha
Archotuba [1] Possible stem-group Lophotrochozoa [16] Hyolitha
Burithes [1] B. yunnanensisPossible stem-group Lophotrochozoa [16] Hyolitha
Qingjianglepas [17] Q. elegans Mollusca Helcionelloida "Limpet-formed shell, flattened, with elliptical aperture. Radial sculpture of numerous high and narrow primary and secondary ribs, intersecting the concentric growth lines as imbrications. A prominent fold on anterior flank of shell, extending from apical region toward the anterior edge of aperture."
Heliomedusa [1] H. orientastem-group Brachiopoda MickwitziidaeWhether Heliomedusa and Mickwitzia are the same genus is debated. [18]
Diandongia [1] Brachiopoda Lingulata Lingulida Neobolidae [19] "The generic composition of the Botsfordiidae was recently emended by Popov et al. (2015), who restricted the family to include only genera exhibiting a pitted larval shell, a finely pustulose postlarval shell and lacking well-developed muscle platforms as well as a prominent dorsal median ridge. The linguloid family Neobolidae was reintroduced, encompassing several early Cambrian lingulide genera that previously had been assigned to the Botsfordiidae, including Neobolus and Edreja (Holmer and Popov, 2000). "
Lingulella [1] BrachiopodaLingulataLingulida Obolidae Botsfordia caelata 1.png

Ecdysozoa

GenusSpeciesPhylumClassOrderFamilyNotesImage
Alalcomenaeus [1] Arthropoda Megacheira LeanchoiliidaLeanchoiliidae 20210422 Alalcomenaeus cambricus.png
Amplectobelua ? [20] Arthropoda Radiodonta Amplectobeluidae
20191221 Radiodonta frontal appendage Amplectobelua symbrachiata.png
Branchiocaris [1] B. yunnanensisArthropoda Hymenocarina Protocarididae Branchiocaris.png
Burgessia [1] ArthropodaThe affinities of Burgessia are contentious. It may be a basally derived crown-arthropod [21] . Drawing of Burgessia.jpg
Combinivalvula [1] C. chengjiangensisArthropoda Sunellidae The family Sunnellidae includes three genera: Combinivalvula, Sunella , and Jinningella . "Sunellids resemble Isoxys Walcott, 1890 to which they may be closely related; both possess a bivalved, elongated carapace with cardinal spines that almost entirely covers the body. However, neither cephalic appendages nor proximal portions of trunk limbs are visible in sunellids, and thus, their systematic position remains uncertain." [22]
Duplapex [23] D. animaArthropodaHymenocarinaTuzoiidae"The general morphology of Duplapex gen. nov. clearly indicates affinity with the Family Tuzoiidae, supported by the unmineralized bivalved carapace, reticulate ornamentation, small marginal spines and annulated eye stalks. However, its layered valves are distinguished from those of Tuzoia (the only genus found in the Family Tuzoiidae), and Duplapex has unique ventral notches and doublure spines. These justify the erection of a new genus within the Family Tuzoiidae." Duplapex.png
Estaingia ArthropodaTrilobita Ptychopariida Estaingiidae EstaingiaBilobata.png
Isoxys [24] I. minorArthropoda Isoxyida IsoxyidaeI. minor appears to have produced many eggs (approximately 300 per clutch), and egg-bearing individuals were about half the size of adults, indicating r-selection in this species. This is currently the earliest diverging arthropod that displays brood behavior. Artistic reconstruction of Isoxys curvirostratus.jpg
Leanchoilia [1] ArthropodaMegacheiraLeanchoiliidaLeanchoiliidae 20191027 Leanchoilia superlata.png
Misszhouia [1] M. longicaudataArthropoda Nektaspida Naraoiidae Misszhouia.png
Mollisonia [1] ArthropodaMollisoniidaStem-group Chelicerata 20190922 Mollisonia plenovenatrix.png
Naraoia [1] N. spinosaArthropodaNektaspidaNaraoiidae Naraoia spinosa.jpg
Redlichia [1] ArthropodaTrilobita Redlichiida Redlichiidae Redlichia rex.jpg
Stanleycaris [20] S. qingjiangensisArthropodaRadiodontaHurdiidae 20240914 Radiodonta frontal appendage Stanleycaris qingjiangensis.png
Sunella [1] S. grandisArthropoda Sunellidae

Deuterostomes

GenusSpeciesCladeNotesImage
Eldonia [1] Stem-group Ambulacraria [25] A member of the stem-ambulacrarian clade Cambroernida. Eldonia ludwigii life restoration.jpg
Yunnanozoon [1] Possible stem-group Deuterostome [25] Yunnanozoon lividum YKLP 13005.jpg
Banffia [1] Possible stem-group Deuterostome [26] Banffia is a member of the clade Vetulicolia, which may belong to stem-Deuterostomia. Banffia constricta.JPG

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 Fu, Dongjing; Tong, Guanghui; Dai, Tao; Liu, Wei; Yang, Yuning; Zhang, Yuan; Cui, Linhao; Li, Luoyang; Yun, Hao; Wu, Yu; Sun, Ao; Liu, Cong; Pei, Wenrui; Gaines, Robert; Zhang, Xingliang (22 March 2019). "The Qingjiang biota—A Burgess Shale–type fossil Lagerstätte from the early Cambrian of South China". Science. 363 (6433): 1338–1342. Bibcode:2019Sci...363.1338F. doi: 10.1126/science.aau8800 . PMID   30898931.
  2. 1 2 3 Cheung, Helier (24 March 2019). "Huge fossil discovery made in China's Hubei province". BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 15 June 2023. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  3. ↑ Lewis, Dyani. "Chinese fossil site rivals Burgess Shale". Cosmos. Archived from the original on 29 March 2019. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  4. 1 2 Greshko, Michael. "Spectacular new fossil bonanza captures explosion of early life". National Geographic. Archived from the original on March 21, 2019. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  5. ↑ "Paleontologists Discover 518 Million-Year-Old Fossil Site in China". Sci-News. 26 March 2019. Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  6. ↑ Cui, Linhao; Zhu, Kelei; Li, Ruiyun; Chang, Chao; Wu, Laiyuan; Liu, Wei; Fu, Dongjing; Liu, Peiyu; Qiu, Hao; Tang, Guoqiang; Li, Qiuli; Gaines, Robert R.; Tao, Yuxin; Wang, Yinzhao; Li, Jinhua; Zhang, Xingliang (30 May 2024). "The Cambrian microfossil Qingjiangonema reveals the co-evolution of sulfate-reducing bacteria and the oxygenation of Earth's surface". Science Bulletin. 69 (10): 1486–1494. Bibcode:2024SciBu..69.1486C. doi: 10.1016/j.scib.2024.03.001 . PMID   38472019.
  7. ↑ Li, Rui-Yun; Fu, Dong-Jing; Zhang, Xing-Liang (March 2024). "Chuaria Walcott from the early Cambrian Qingjiang biota: a taxon persisted for billions of years". Palaeoworld. 33 (1): 11–21. Bibcode:2024Palae..33...11L. doi:10.1016/j.palwor.2022.12.008.
  8. ↑ Knaust, Dirk (August 2020). "Invertebrate coprolites and cololites revised". Papers in Palaeontology. 6 (3): 385–423. Bibcode:2020PPal....6..385K. doi:10.1002/spp2.1297.
  9. ↑ Li, Rui-Yun; Cui, Lin-Hao; Fu, Dong-Jing; Zhang, Xing-Liang (November 2023). "A new red alga preserved with possible reproductive bodies from the 518-million-year-old Qingjiang biota". Journal of Systematics and Evolution. 61 (6): 1091–1101. doi: 10.1111/jse.12942 .
  10. ↑ Wang, Ping-Li; LoDuca, Steven T.; Wu, Meng-Yin; Tang, Yong-Gang; Sun, Zhi-Xin (March 2022). "Benthic primary producers in exceptionally preserved Cambrian biotas of North China". Palaeoworld. 31 (1): 14–29. doi:10.1016/j.palwor.2021.01.009.
  11. ↑ Ling, Chenchen; Peng, Jin; Zhang, Hui; Wang, Yifan; Shao, Yunbin; Sun, Quanyi; Wang, Qiujun (September 2021). "Saetaspongia sponges from the Cambrian (Stage 4) Balang Formation of Guizhou, China". Journal of Paleontology. 95 (5): 944–956. Bibcode:2021JPal...95..944L. doi:10.1017/jpa.2021.29.
  12. ↑ Yun, Hao; Luo, Cui; Chang, Chao; Li, Luoyang; Reitner, Joachim; Zhang, Xingliang (29 June 2022). "Adaptive specialization of a unique sponge body from the Cambrian Qingjiang biota". Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 289 (1977). doi:10.1098/rspb.2022.0804. PMC   9198775 . PMID   35703053.
  13. ↑ Yun, Hao; Zhang, Xingliang; Brock, Glenn A.; Li, Luoyang; Li, Guoxiang (5 February 2021). "Biomineralization of the Cambrian chancelloriids". Geology. 49 (6): 623–628. Bibcode:2021Geo....49..623Y. doi:10.1130/G48428.1.
  14. 1 2 Zhao, Yang; Hou, Xian-guang; Cong, Pei-yun (2023). "Tentacular nature of the 'column' of the Cambrian diploblastic Xianguangia sinica". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 21 (1). Bibcode:2023JSPal..2115787Z. doi:10.1080/14772019.2023.2215787.
  15. ↑ Muscente, A. D.; Xiao, Shuhai (1 November 2015). "New occurrences of Sphenothallus in the lower Cambrian of South China: Implications for its affinities and taphonomic demineralization of shelly fossils". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 437: 141–164. Bibcode:2015PPP...437..141M. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2015.07.041.
  16. 1 2 3 Liu, Fan; Skovsted, Christian B.; Popper, Timothy P.; Zhang, Zhifei; Shu, Degan (February 2020). "Are hyoliths Palaeozoic lophophorates?". National Science Review. 7 (2): 453–469. doi:10.1093/nsr/nwz161. PMC   8289160 . PMID   34692060.
  17. ↑ Li, Luoyang; Skovsted, Christian B.; Dai, Tao; Yun, Hao; Fu, Dongjing; Zhang, Xingliang (1 August 2021). "Qingjianglepas from the Qingjiang biota, an evolutionary dead-end of Cambrian helcionelloid mollusks?". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 575. Bibcode:2021PPP...57510480L. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2021.110480.
  18. ↑ Liang, Yue; Holmer, Lars E.; Skovsted, Christian B.; Duan, Xiao-Lin; Zhang, Zhi-Fei (2020). "Shell structure, ornamentation and affinity of the problematic early Cambrian brachiopod Heliomedusa orienta". Lethaia. 53 (4): 574–587. Bibcode:2020Letha..53..574L. doi:10.1111/let.12379.
  19. ↑ Wang, H.-Z.; Zhang, Z.-F.; Holmer, L. E.; Zhang, Z.-L. (2022). "Redescription and systematic position of Diandongia pista from the Chengjiang Lagerstätte". Palaeoworld. 32 (3): 373–384. doi:10.1016/j.palwor.2022.10.001. S2CID   252945654.
  20. 1 2 Wu, Yu; Pates, Stephen; Zhang, Mingjing; Lin, Weiliang; Ma, Jiaxin; Liu, Cong; Wu, Yuheng; Zhang, Xingliang; Fu, Dongjing (2024). "Exceptionally preserved radiodont arthropods from the lower Cambrian (Stage 3) Qingjiang Lagerstätte of Hubei, South China and the biogeographic and diversification patterns of radiodonts". Papers in Palaeontology. 10 (4): e1583. doi:10.1002/spp2.1583. ISSN   2056-2802.
  21. ↑ Hughes, Christopher P. (15 July 1975). "Redescription of Burgessia bella from the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale, British Columbia". Fossils and Strata. 4 (1–13): 415–435. doi:10.18261/8200049639-1975-28. ISBN   82-00-04963-9.
  22. ↑ Zhang, Xingliang; Shu, Degan (November 2007). "Soft anatomy of sunellid arthropods from the Chengjiang Lagerstutte, Lower Cambrian of southwest China". Journal of Paleontology. 81 (6): 1412–1422. Bibcode:2007JPal...81.1412Z. doi:10.1666/06-031R.1.
  23. ↑ Ma, Jiaxin; Weiliang, Lin; Liu, Cong; Sun, Ao; Wu, Yu; Wu, Yuheng; Fu, Dongjing (January 2022). "A new bivalved arthropod from the Cambrian (Stage 3) Qingjiang biota expands the palaeogeographical distribution and increases the diversity of Tuzoiidae". Journal of the Geological Society. 179 (1). Bibcode:2022JGSoc.179..229M. doi:10.1144/jgs2020-229.
  24. ↑ Ma, Jiaxin; Pates, Stephen; Yu, Wu; Lin, Weiliang; Liu, Cong; Wu, Yuheng; Zhang, Mingjing; Fu, Dongjing (25 May 2023). "Ontogeny and brooding strategy of the early Cambrian arthropod Isoxys minor from the Qingjiang biota". Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. 11. doi: 10.3389/fevo.2023.1174564 .
  25. 1 2 Nanglu, Karma; Cole, Selina R.; Wright, David F.; Souto, Camilla (February 2023). "Worms and gills, plates and spines: the evolutionary origins and incredible disparity of deuterostomes revealed by fossils, genes, and development". Biology Reviews. 98 (1): 316–351. doi:10.1111/brv.12908. PMID   36257784.
  26. ↑ Kapli, Paschalia; Natsidis, Paschalis; Leite, Daniel J.; Fursman, Maximilian; Jefferie, Nadia; Rahman, Imran A.; Philippe, Herve; Copley, Richard R.; Telford, Maximilian J. (19 March 2021). "Lack of support for Deuterostomia prompts reinterpretation of the first Bilateria". Science Advances. 7 (12). Bibcode:2021SciA....7.2741K. doi:10.1126/sciadv.abe2741.
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