A new priapulid assemblage from the early Cambrian Guanshan fossil Lagerstätte of SW China

 

Authors: Hu S, Steiner M, Zhu M, Luo H, Forchielli A, Keupp H, Zhao F , Liu Q

Published in: Bulletin of Geosciences, volume 87, issue 1; pages: 93 - 106; Received 29 September 2010; Accepted in revised form 10 October 2011; Online 24 February 2012

Keywords: priapulids, Guanshan Lagerstätte, infauna, Cambrian Stage 4, China,

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Abstract

A new priapulid assemblage, including 4 palaeoscolecidans and one corynetiid, is reported from the Guanshan fossil Lagerstätte (Cambrian Stage 4, Series 2) from East Yunnan, SW China. Three palaeoscolecidan new species, namely Yunnanoscolex magnus gen. et sp. nov., Wudingscolex sapushanensis gen. et sp. nov., Paramaotianshania zijunia gen. et sp. nov., and a new corynetiid species, Corynetis fortis sp. nov. are described. The lifestyles of these animals and their ecological significance are discussed. The occurrence of abundant and diverse priapulids from both the Chengjiang and Guanshan fossil Lagerstätten in East Yunnan indicates a possible radiation centre of this animal group on the soft-substratum shelf of the western part of the Yangtze Platform.

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