Neoproterozoic fossils in Mesoproterozoic rocks? Chemostratigraphic resolution of a biostratigraphic conundrum from the North China Platform

Xiao, Shuhai; Knoll, Andrew H.; Kaufman, Alan J.; Yin, Leiming; Zhang, Yun

doi:10.1016/s0301-9268(97)00029-6

Cited by 176 publications

(118 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…We observe the same type of substantial size variability in Dictyosphaera (in the total record 10-274 µm, and 28-240 µm, herein), in a comparable way as in the other genus, i.e. Shuiyousphaeridium, which is considered to be conspecific with Dictyosphaera (Xiao et al 1997;Kaufman and Xiao, 2003;Butterfield, 2005).…”

Section: Genus Gigantosphaeridium New Genussupporting

confidence: 81%

“…The Ruyang Group is un-metamorphosed and comprises a 380-429 m thick succession of siliciclastic and carbonate rocks, which (in ascending stratigraphic order) is divided into the Baicaoping and Beidajian formations. The Ruyang Group unconformably overlies the Archaean crystalline basement with metamorphic age of c. 2350 Ma (Xiao et al, 1997) and the volcanoclastics of the Paleoproterozoic Xionger Group, dated to c. 1760 Ma (Zhao et al, 2002). The succession is overlain disconformably by several other Proterozoic formations and then by Neoproterozoic tillites and Cambrian strata (Guan et al, 1988;Yin, 1997;Yin et al, 2005).…”

Section: Geological Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Beidajian Formation accumulated on a tidally influenced, shallow carbonate shelf with stromatolitic flats (Yin, 1997;Xiao et al, 1997;Yin et al, 2005). Fossiliferous beds are found in the upper grey and black shales of the Baicaoping Formation and the lower grey shales of the Beidajian Formation.…”

Section: Geological Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Genus Dictyosphaera Xing and Liu, 1973 Type species.-Dictyosphaera macroreticulata Xing and Liu, 1973, from northern China, Yenliao region, Chih County of Hopei, Chuanlingkou Formation, lower Sinian system (Xing and Liu, 1973), now attributed to the upper Mesoproterozoic Erathem (Xiao et al, 1997). 1973 Dictyosphaera, Xing andLiu, p. 22, 58.…”

Section: Genus Gigantosphaeridium New Genusmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Affinity, life cycle, and intracellular complexity of organic-walled microfossils from the Mesoproterozoic of Shanxi, China

Agić¹,

Moczydłowska²,

Yin

2015

J. Paleontol.

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Abstract.-Light microscope and scanning electron microscope observations on new material of unicellular microfossils Dictyosphaera macroreticulata and Shuiyousphaeridium macroreticulatum, from the Mesoproterozoic Ruyang Group in China, provide insights into the microorganisms' biological affinity, life cycle and cellular complexity. Gigantosphaeridium fibratum n. gen. et sp., is described and is one of the largest Mesoproterozoic microfossils recorded. Phenotypic characters of vesicle ornamentation and excystment structures, properties of resistance and cell wall structure in Dictyosphaera and Shuiyousphaeridium are all diagnostic of microalgal cysts. The wide size ranges of the various morphotypes indicate growth phases compatible with the development of reproductive cysts. Conspecific biologically, each morphotype represents an asexual (resting cyst) or sexual (zygotic cyst) stage in the life cycle, respectively. We reconstruct this hypothetical life cycle and infer that the organism demonstrates a reproductive strategy of alternation of heteromorphic generations. Similarly in Gigantosphaeridium, a metabolically expensive vesicle with processes suggests its protective role as a zygotic cyst. In combination with all these characters and from the resemblance to extant green algae, we propose the placement of these ancient microorganisms in the stem group of Chloroplastida (Viridiplantae). A cell wall composed of primary and secondary layers in Dictyosphaera and Shuiyouisphaeridium required a high cellular complexity for their synthesis and the presence of an endomembrane system and the Golgi apparatus. The plastid was also present, accepting the organism was photosynthetic. The biota reveals a high degree of morphological and cell structural complexity, and provides an insight into ongoing eukaryotic evolution and the development of complex life cycles with sexual reproduction by 1200 Ma.

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Section: Genus Gigantosphaeridium New Genussupporting

confidence: 81%

Section: Geological Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Geological Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Genus Gigantosphaeridium New Genusmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Affinity, life cycle, and intracellular complexity of organic-walled microfossils from the Mesoproterozoic of Shanxi, China

Agić¹,

Moczydłowska²,

Yin

2015

J. Paleontol.

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“…Formation from Siberia, the 1450 Ma Roper Group from Australia, the >1400 Ma Ruyang Group from North China, and the 1400 Ma Greyson Formation from United States (Xiao et al, 1997;Javaux et al, 2001;Javaux and Marshal, 2006;Peng et al, 2009;Vorob'eva et al, 2015;Adam et al, 2016). These strata (the Kotuikan Formation from Siberia is an exception) are comparable with each other for bearing the same microfossils.…”

Section: Shi Et Al-silicified Paleoproterozoic Microbiota From Chinamentioning

confidence: 89%

Silicified microbiota from the Paleoproterozoic Dahongyu Formation, Tianjin, China

et al. 2017

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Abstract.-Cherts and silicified dolostones of the ca. 1600 Ma Dahongyu Formation (uppermost Changcheng Group) from North China contain well-preserved microfossils. Cyanobacteria filaments and coccoids dominate the studied Dahongyu microbiota in the Jixian section. These microfossils show the characteristics of endobenthic, epibenthic, and allochthonous microfossils, which illustrated well a vertical distributional view of an intertidal microbiota. Large numbers and size of allochthonous microfossils are the distinguishing characteristics of this new microbiota. A few of these possess ornaments or odd morphology, which suggest their potential eukaryotic nature. Through regional comparisons, it is revealed that there was significant regional disparity within the Yanshan Basin of microbiotas during deposition of the Dahongyu Formation. The newly studied Dahongyu microbiota is similar to the microbiota from the underlying Changcheng Group, with only slight differences. The absence of typical eukaryotes and the emergence of unique microfossils (especially small fusiform microfossils) make the Dahongyu Formation and the subsequent strata of the Jixian Group distinct from contemporaneous eukaryote-bearing strata.In the Dahongyu assemblage, 19 species were recognized, six species were identified informally and seven species were identified in open nomenclature. One new taxon of microfossil was described: Xiaohongyuia sinica Shi and Feng new genus new species.

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Geobiology of the Proterozoic Eon

Lyons

Reinhard

Love

et al. 2012

Fundamentals of Geobiology

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Neoproterozoic fossils in Mesoproterozoic rocks? Chemostratigraphic resolution of a biostratigraphic conundrum from the North China Platform

Cited by 176 publications

References 33 publications

Affinity, life cycle, and intracellular complexity of organic-walled microfossils from the Mesoproterozoic of Shanxi, China

Affinity, life cycle, and intracellular complexity of organic-walled microfossils from the Mesoproterozoic of Shanxi, China

Silicified microbiota from the Paleoproterozoic Dahongyu Formation, Tianjin, China

Geobiology of the Proterozoic Eon

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