Rutgersella
| Rutgersella Temporal range: Early Silurian | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Rutgersella truexi from the Early Silurian Shawangunk Formation of Delaware Water Gap, Pennsylvania | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | incertae sedis |
| Genus: | †Rutgersella |
| Species | |
| |
Rutgersella truexi is a form species for problematic fossils of Early Silurian age in Pennsylvania. It has been of special interest because of its morphological similarity with the iconic Ediacaran fossil Dickinsonia, and may have been a late surviving vendobiont.[1]
Petrographic thin section of Rutgersella truexi from Early Silurian Shawangunk Formation of Pennsylvania
Description
Rutgersella truexi is a flat segmented fossil, with both radial and bilateral symmetry like Dickinsonia, but with a shorter midline. The fossils are pyritized and with some internal chambers filled with chalcedony, so that internal chambers and basal rhizines are preserved. These observations suggest affinities with lichens, and perhaps the fungal phylum Glomeromycota.
References
- ↑ Retallack, G.J. (2015). "Reassessment of the problematic fossil Rutgersella as another post-Ediacaran vendobiont". Alcheringa. 39: 573–588. doi:10.1080/03115518.2015.1069483.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/24/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.