Precambrian animal diversity: Putative phosphatized embryos from the Doushantuo Formation of China
Year: 2000
Type: article
Abstract: Putative fossil embryos and larvae from the Precambrian phosphorite rocks of the Doushantuo Formation in Southwest China have been examined in thin section by bright field and polarized light microscopy. Although we cannot completely exclude a nonbiological or nonmetazoan origin, we identified what appear to be modern cnidarian developmental stages, including both anthozoan planula larvae and hydrozoan embryos. Most importantly, the sections contain a variety of small (</=200 microm) structures that greatly resemble gastrula stage embryos of modern bilaterian forms.
Authors: Jun-Yuan Chen, Paola Oliveri, Chia-Wei Li, Gui-Qing Zhou, Feng Gao, James W. Hagadorn, Kevin J. Peterson, Eric H. Davidson
Language: English
Subfield: Paleontology
Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2165010994