| Solza Temporal range: Ediacaran, around | |
|---|---|
 | |
| S. margarita | |
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| Reconstruction of Solza margarita | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| (unranked): | |
| Genus: | †Solza Ivantsov, 2004 |
| Type species | |
| †Solza margarita Ivantsov, 2004 | |
| Species | |
| |
Solza margarita is an extinct animal of uncertain phylogeny which lived about 555 mya in the Ediacaran period. [1] [2]
Fossils of the Solza margarita is found in the Verkhovka and Zimnegory formations on the Solza River and Zimnii Bereg (Winter Coast), White Sea area of the Arkhangelsk Region, Russia. [1] [3]
The generic name Solza comes from the Solza river on the Onega Peninsula, White Sea, where the holotype and first specimens were found. The specific name, margarita, derives from the Greek μαργαριτηζ (margarita), meaning "pearl". [3]
Solza was the shape of a low oblique cone with a base, which is egg-like in cross-section. Fossil impressions are covered by the meshwork of grooves, which is wide at the apex of the cone, narrowing and diverging towards the animal's edges. [1] [3] [4]
In the first description it was suggested that the grooves were formed postmortem above cavities inside the body or they covered the body surface during the animal’s life. [3]
Described specimens of Solza range from 7.2–10.5mm in length, and 5.3–8mm wide. Most specimens show slight distortion, but preserve the basic egg-shape, implying that Solza had at least some firmness. [3]
Fossil specimens easily demonstrate that Solza was a benthic, bilaterally symmetric organism: thus, it was likely a motile, mobile animal [1] [3] [4] that adhered to the substrate. [1]
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