Shore, A.J., Wood, R.A., Butler, I.B. et al. (4 more authors) (2021) Ediacaran metazoan reveals lophotrochozoan affinity and deepens root of Cambrian Explosion. Science Advances, 7 (1). eabf2933. ISSN 2375-2548
Abstract
Through exceptional preservation, we establish a phylogenetic connection between Ediacaran and Cambrian metazoans. We describe the first three-dimensional, pyritized soft tissue in Namacalathus from the Ediacaran Nama Group, Namibia, which follows the underlying form of a stalked, cup-shaped, calcitic skeleton, with six radially arranged lobes projecting into an apical opening and lateral lumens. A thick body wall and probable J-shaped gut are present within the cup, and the middle layer of the often-spinose skeleton and skeletal pores are selectively pyritized, supporting an organic-rich composition and tripartite construction with possible sensory punctae. These features suggest a total group lophotrochozoan affinity. These morphological data support molecular phylogenies and demonstrates that the origin of modern lophotrochozoan phyla, and their ability to biomineralize, had deep roots in the Ediacaran.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2021 The Authors. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial License (CC-BY-NC 4.0). |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Environment (Leeds) > School of Earth and Environment (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 02 Jul 2025 10:15 |
Last Modified: | 02 Jul 2025 10:15 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | American Association for the Advancement of Science |
Identification Number: | 10.1126/sciadv.abf2933 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:228481 |