Xianguangia
sinica
Phylum
Cnidaria
Geological
Time: Early Cambrian (~525 million years ago)
Size: 19
mm long, 11 mm across on a 40 mm by 30 mm matrix.
Fossil
Site: Chengjiang Biota: Quiongzhusi Section, Yu’anshan Member,
Heilinpu Formation, Mafang, Anning, Kunming, Yunnan Province, China
While some researchers place this Xianguangia sinica in the
Ctenophora, the original describers believe it is an early Cnidaian,
a sea anemone much like those to come later; the striated stem
and rounded base are suggestive of such an assignment. This
specimen is the result of over 3 months of field work in an
attempt to locate an area preserving these ancient creatures.
Found only among the Chengjiang biota, Xianguangia is known
from less than 100 specimens, and is but one of two taxa thought
to represent the Phylum Cnidaria within this Early Cambrian
faunal assemblage.
Also
see: Chengjiang Fauna |
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