Disarticulated remains of an Ordovician metazoan from the Cedarberg Formation, South Africa: a re-interpretation of Eohostimella parva Kovacs

Date
1992
Authors
Chesselet, Pascale
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Bernard Price Institute for Palaeontological Research
Abstract
Small pointed axes previously described as a non-vascular Palaeozoic plant, Eohostimella parva Kovacs 1986, are assigned to Siphonacis parva (Kovacs) Chesselet 1990 n. comb. These carbonaceous compressions are indicator fossils for assemblages of Promissum pulchrum Kovacs 1986, which was initially interpreted as a land plant and is now thought to be a giant conodont. These fossils occur with invertebrates and algae in the Late Ashgillian Soom Shale Member of the Cedarberg Formation, in the Table Mountain Group. E. parva has a distinctive internal structure which invalidates its assignment to Eohostimella Schopf and casts doubt on its placement in the plant kingdom. Presently these small axes are of uncertain affinity although it seems likely that they are the disarticulated remains of a problematic Ordovician metazoan.
Description
Keywords
marine animal, Soft bodied, early life
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