Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'Graptoloidea'.
-
Hello, here are two different specimens I bought 2 – 3 years ago from a trustworthy Chinese dealer via ebay; the specimens were labelled as lower Cambrian (Chengjiang biota): Quiongszhusi Section Heilinpu Formation Locality : Maotianshan They look like graptolites from the order Graptoloidea. However, the earliest graptoloidea are known from the lowermost ordovician. Meanwhile, a pterobranchia from the order Rhabdopleurida was described from the Atdabanian of the Chengjiang biota (Galeaplumosus) as the earliest pterobranchia; however, this is not a graptolite, only a close relative. Thus, it became clear that no real graptolites are known (described) from the Chengjiang biota. This rises several possibilities: (i) the fossils shown here are not graptolites, but something different (but what?) (ii) the fossils are the oldest graptolites/graptoloidea and so far undescribed. However, this seems extremely unlikely since several specimens of that kind were sold and (as is shown on one specimen) they don’t seem to be rare; so it’s very improbable that they were not noticed until now. (iii) the fossils are indeed graptoloid graptolites, but from younger strata (Ordovician, Silurian?) and locality and stratigraphic information are wrong. However, the seller seemed trustworthy to me with a lot of knowledge about the fossils from his area and hunts fossils in the field himself (though I don’t know whether he collected these two specimens himself). Mislabelling may happen more easily if fossils are sold second hand. I prefer (iii), but perhaps somebody may know more about these fossils or where they come from. Thanks! araucaria1959
- 17 replies
-
- Chengjiang
- Graptoloidea
-
(and 2 more)
Tagged with: