New macroalgal fossils of the Kaili Biota in Guizhou Province, China  

作　　者：WU MengYin ZHAO YuanLong TONG JinNan YANG RuiDong 

机构地区：[1]Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology of Ministry of Education, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China [2]Department of Political Education, Guiyang College, Guiyang 550005, China [3]College of Resource and Environment, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550004, China [4]Key Laboratory of Karst Environment and Geohazard Prevention of Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550004, China

出　　处：《Science China Earth Sciences》2011年第1期93-100,共8页中国科学（地球科学英文版）

基　　金：supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40762018);NSFC Innovation Research Group Program (Grant No. 40621002);Mobile Project of Science and Technology of Guizhou Province (Grant No. Gui Ji. 2007-4004);National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2006CB806401);Paleontological Museum of Shenzhen Xianhu Botanical Garden

摘　　要：The Kaili Biota of Jianhe County, Guizhou Province is found in a Burgess Shale type of deposits, and as such it provides a key fossil record for studying biotic differentiation following the Cambrian explosion. Macroalgae represent several important groups of primary producers and yet have not been well studied. Here, we report two new forms of macroalgae from the Kaili Biota, including a new genus and species and an indeterminate genus and species. The new genus and species, Parallelphyton tipica, is a heterotrichous alga with thalli composed of a prostrate cardinal axis, and parallel bundles of erect trichomes on the axis. The bifurcation of the trichomes is somewhat similar to the living heterotrichous Fritschiella （Chlorophyta）, representing ＂architectonic differentiation＂ only known in higher plants as an adaptation to terrestri~ conditions. The indeterminate genus and species consists of an arched, thick, cylindrical major shaft and irregularly spaced, curved lateral branches attached to the major shaft and subdivided into subbranches. The characteristics of the thick and strong major shaft and the lateral branch subdivided branches are analogous to the dichotomous branching of Psilophyton in Protopteridophyta. Thus, the differentiation of the thalli in these two algal forms represents the expression of properties of some higher metaphytes, indicating that the eco- logical differentiation of the macroalgae was well underway at the time of the Kaili Biota.The Kaili Biota of Jianhe County, Guizhou Province is found in a Burgess Shale type of deposits, and as such it provides a key fossil record for studying biotic differentiation following the Cambrian explosion. Macroalgae represent several important groups of primary producers and yet have not been well studied. Here, we report two new forms of macroalgae from the Kaili Biota, including a new genus and species and an indeterminate genus and species. The new genus and species, Parallelphyton tipica, is a heterotrichous alga with thalli composed of a prostrate cardinal axis, and parallel bundles of erect trichomes on the axis. The bifurcation of the trichomes is somewhat similar to the living heterotrichous Fritschiella (Chlorophyta), representing "architectonic differentiation" only known in higher plants as an adaptation to terrestrial conditions. The indeterminate genus and species consists of an arched, thick, cylindrical major shaft and irregularly spaced, curved lateral branches attached to the major shaft and subdivided into subbranches. The characteristics of the thick and strong major shaft and the lateral branch subdivided branches are analogous to the dichotomous branching of Psilophyton in Protopteridophyta. Thus, the differentiation of the thalli in these two algal forms represents the expression of properties of some higher metaphytes, indicating that the ecological differentiation of the macroalgae was well underway at the time of the Kaili Biota.

关 键 词：CAMBRIAN Kaili Biota MACROALGAE ecological differentiation GUIZHOU 

分 类 号：Q911.641[天文地球—古生物学与地层学] Q914.82[生物学—古生物学]