CHF92.00
Download est disponible immédiatement
The celebrated lower Cambrian Chengjiang biota of Yunnan Province, China, represents one of the most significant ever paleontological discoveries. Deposits of ancient mudstone, about 520 million years old, have yielded a spectacular variety of exquisitely preserved fossils that record the early diversification of animal life. Since the discovery of the first specimens in 1984, many thousands of fossils have been collected, exceptionally preserving not just the shells and carapaces of the animals, but also their soft tissues in fine detail. This special preservation has produced fossils of rare beauty; they are also of outstanding scientific importance as sources of evidence about the origins of animal groups that have sustained global biodiversity to the present day. Much of the scientific documentation of the Chengjiang biota is in Chinese, and the first edition of this book was the first in English to provide fossil enthusiasts with a comprehensive overview of the fauna. The second edition has been fully updated and includes a new chapter on other exceptionally preserved fossils of Cambrian age, exciting new fossil finds from Chengjiang, and a phylogenetic framework for the biota. Displaying some 250 figures of marvelous specimens, this book presents to professional and amateur paleontologists, and all those fascinated by evolutionary biology, the aesthetic and scientific quality of the Chengjiang fossils.
Auteur
Hou Xian-guang is former Director, Key Laboratory for Palaeobiology, Yunnan University, Kunming
David J. Siveter is Professor Emeritus of Paleontology, University of Leicester
Derek J. Siveter is Professor Emeritus of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford
Richard J. Aldridge was Professor Emeritus and F.W. Bennett Professor of Geology, University of Leicester
Cong Pei-yun is Professor of Paleobiology, Yunnan University, Kunming
Sarah E. Gabbott is Professor of Paleobiology, University of Leicester
Ma Xiao-ya is Professor of Paleobiology, Yunnan University, Kunming, and the Natural History Museum, London
Mark A. Purnell is Professor of Paleobiology, University of Leicester
Mark Williams is Professor of Paleobiology, University of Leicester
Contenu
Foreword ix
Preface xi
Part One Geological and Evolutionary Setting of the Biota 1
1 Geological time and the evolution of early life on Earth 3
2 The evolutionary significance of the Chengjiang biota 7
3 The discovery and study of the Chengjiang Lagerstätte 12
4 The distribution and geological setting of the Chengjiang Lagerstätte 20
5 The taphonomy and preservation of the Chengjiang fossils 26
6 The paleoecology of the Chengjiang biota 30
7 Cambrian Lagerstätten 35s
Part Two Chengjiang Fossils 39
8 Algae 40
Fuxianospira gyrata Chen & Zhou, 1997 40
Megaspirellus houi Chen & Erdtmann, 1991 42
Sinocylindra yunnanensis Chen & Erdtmann, 1991 44
Yuknessia sp. of Chen & Erdtmann, 1991 46
9 Ctenophora 48
Galeactena hemispherica Ou et al., 2015 49
Maotianoascus octonarius Chen & Zhou, 1997 50
Batofasciculus ramificans Hou et al., 1999 52
Yunnanoascus haikouensis Hu et al., 2007 54
10 Porifera 56
Paradiagoniella xiaolantianensis Chen et al., 2014 56
Triticispongia diagonata Mehl & Reitner, 1993 58
Saetaspongia densa Mehl & Reitner, 1993 60
Leptomitus teretiusculus Chen et al., 1989 62
Choiaella radiata Rigby & Hou, 1995 64
Choia xiaolantianensis Hou et al., 1999 66
Allantospongia mica Rigby & Hou, 1995 68
Leptomitella conica Chen et al., 1989 70
Paraleptomitella dictyodroma Chen et al., 1989 72
Paraleptomitella globula Chen et al., 1989 74
Quadrolaminiella diagonalis Chen et al., 1990 76
11 Cnidaria 78
Archisaccophyllia kunmingensis Hou et al., 2005 78
Xianguangia sinica Chen & Erdtmann, 1991 80
12 Entoprocta 82
Cotyledion tylodes Luo & Hu, 1999 82
13 Phoronida 84
Iotuba chengjiangensis Chen & Zhou, 1997 84
14 Brachiopoda 86
Yuganotheca elegans Zhang et al., 2014 86
Heliomedusa orienta Sun & Hou, 1987 88
Longtancunella chengjiangensis Hou et al., 1999 90
Diandongia pista Rong, 1974 92
Lingulellotreta malongensis (Rong, 1974) 94
Lingulella chengjiangensis Jin et al., 1993 96
15 Annelida 98
Cambrosipunculus tentaculatus Huang et al., 2004 99
Maotianchaeta fuxianella Chen, 2004 100
16 Trochozoa of uncertain affinity 102
Ambrolinevitus maximus Jiang, 1982 103
Ambrolinevitus ventricosus Qian, 1978 104
Burithes yunnanensis Hou et al., 1999 106
Linevitus opimus Yu, 1974 108
Nectocaris pteryx Conway Morris, 1976 110
Wiwaxia papilio Zhang et al., 2015 112
17 Priapulida and relatives 114
Mafangscolex sinensis (Hou & Sun, 1988) 114
Maotianshania cylindrica Sun & Hou, 1987 116
Cricocosmia jinningensis Hou & Sun, 1988 118
Paraselkirkia sinica (Luo & Hou, 1999) 120
Corynetis brevis Luo & Hu, 1999 122
Sicyophorus rarus Luo & Hu, 1999 124
Palaeopriapulites parvus Hou et al., 1999 126
Eximipriapulus globocaudatus Ma et al., 2014 128
Xiaoheiqingella peculiaris Hu, 2002 130
Omnidens amplus Hou et al., 2006 132
Acosmia maotiania Chen & Zhou, 1997 134
Archotuba elongata (Luo & Hou, 1999) 136
18 Lobopodians 138
Paucipodia inermis Chen et al., 1995 138
Diania cactiformis Liu et al., 2011 140
Microdictyon sinicum Chen et al., 1989 142
Onychodictyon ferox Hou et al., 1991 144
Cardiodictyon catenulum Hou et al., 1991 146 Hallucigenia fortis Hou & Bergströ...