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The Jinxian Biota revisited: taphonomy and body plan of the Neoproterozoic discoid fossils from the southern Liaodong Peninsula, North China

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Abstract

The fossil record indicates that complex multicellular organisms started to become dominant in the second half of the Neoproterozoic. However, many macroscopic fossils of this period are not yet well understood. As one example, the Jinxian Biota includes some affinity-unresolved, millimeter- to centimeter-sized discoid fossils of probable pre-Ediacaran age from the shales of the Xingmincun Formation, in southern Liaodong Peninsula, China. This paper presents new observations of these fossils based on new material. Three types of preservation were identified and analyzed. The organisms were probably transported by turbidity currents, rapidly buried in fine-grained deposits and then compacted to yield thin films. Pyrite- and carbonate-related mineralization may have been involved in their early diagenesis, but local-controlled late diagenesis altered the fossil-related mineral composition to that observed today. The concentric annular relief on the fossil surfaces exhibits a “half convex, half concave” pattern, which is interpreted to reflect the differentiated mechanical nature between adjacent annuli. New specimens have been found that support the existence of programmed fission and budding. In addition, another group of previously ignored discoid fossils are first described here. With the same preservation as the “normal” discs, these fossils lack any concentric relief and always occur in clusters. The relationship between the two types of discs remains unclear. Even with all of the new information, it remains impossible to indubitably correlate the Jinxian Biota to any known taxonomic group. However, it is quite probable that these fossils represent a group of eukaryotic organisms.

Kurzfassung

Der fossile Bericht zeigt, dass größere komplexe Organismen erst in der zweiten Hälfte des Neoproterozoikums (Cryogenium) erscheinen. Allerdings sind diese Fossilien nur schwer interpretierbar und es ist nicht möglich sie heutigen Metazoen zu zuordnen. Ein Beispiel dafür sind die bis einige Zentimeter großen scheibenförmigen Fossilien aus der Xingmincun Formation (südliche Liaodong Halbinsel, Nordchina). In der vorliegenden Arbeit werden neue Beobachtungen zur Paläobiologie dieser Fossilien beschrieben basierend auf drei unterschiedlichen Erhaltungsstadien. Die Organismen wurden sehr wahrscheinlich in Suspensionswolken von feinkörnigen Mikroturbiditen transportiert und durch diesen Prozess rasch im Sediment eingebettet. Durch diesen Vorgang wurden sie zu dünnen Scheiben kompaktiert. Es lassen sich drei unterschiedliche Erhaltungstypen, bedingt durch unterschiedliche diagenetische Bedingungen, unterscheiden. Die drei verschiedenen Diagenestypen unterscheiden sich in den assoziierten Mineralien und in der Dicke der Scheiben. Die Scheiben zeigen konzentrische, reliefartige Muster mit halb konvexen und halb konkaven Kompaktionsstrukturen. Neben diesen spezifischen Oberflächenstrukturen finden sich Teilungs- und Knospungsmuster. Es wird eine weitere Form dieser Scheiben-Fossilien beschrieben, die keine konzentrischen Strukturen aufweisen und stets zusammen mit vielen Individuen auftreten (Schwarm). Die vorgestellten Fossilien zeigen gute Übereinstimmungen mit den “Beltanelliformis” Fossilien der unterkambrischen Pusa Formation in Spanien. Eine engere taxonomische Zuordnung zu einem bekannten Taxon konnte bis dato nicht vorgenommen werden.

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Acknowledgments

We appreciate Prof. X. Zhang (Northwest University, China) for granting us access to his fossil collection; M. Wang, L. Na, and H. He for the assistance provided in the field; and X. Cheng, C. Wang, E. Zhuo, and Dr. N. Schäfer for the help provided with the laboratory work. The discussions with and suggestions from Dr. Z. Yin, Dr. S. Hu, Dr. M. Lü, Prof. D. Jackson, and Dr. B.A. MacGabhann were enlightening and beneficial. We are also grateful to the reviewers Dr. S. Jensen and Dr. J. Schiffbauer for their encouraging and constructive comments on the manuscripts. The project was supported by the Chinese Academy of Science (KZZD-EW-02-2), the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (2013CB835006), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China. The Courant Research Center of Geobiology—Göttingen (German Excellence Initiative, DFG) and the China Scholarship Council (CSC) are also acknowledged for the financial support provided.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Economic Stratigraphy and Palaeogeography, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 39 East Beijing Road, 210008, Nanjing, China

    Cui Luo

  2. State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 39 East Beijing Road, 210008, Nanjing, China

    Maoyan Zhu

  3. Department of Geobiology, Centre of Geosciences of the University of Göttingen, Goldschmidtstraße 3, 37077, Göttingen, Germany

    Cui Luo & Joachim Reitner

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  1. Cui Luo
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12542_2016_289_MOESM1_ESM.xlsx

Supp. 1 Size data used in Fig. 5d–f and Fig. 12 (XLSX 42 kb)

12542_2016_289_MOESM2_ESM.xlsx

Supp. 2 Fossil thickness used in the diagram shown in Fig. 5i (XLSX 10 kb)

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Luo, C., Zhu, M. & Reitner, J. The Jinxian Biota revisited: taphonomy and body plan of the Neoproterozoic discoid fossils from the southern Liaodong Peninsula, North China. PalZ 90, 205–224 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12542-016-0289-5

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