Discovery of an exceptionally preserved fossil assemblage in the Balang Formation (Cambrian Series 2, Stage 4) in Hunan, China

Abstract

Liu, Q. & Lei, Q.P., 2013. Discovery of an exceptionally preserved fossil assemblage in the Balang Formation (Cambrian Series 2, Stage 4) in Hunan, China. Alcheringa, 1–3. ISSN 0311-5518.

An exceptionally preserved fossil assemblage of algae, sponges, chancelloriids, cnidarians, worms, molluscs, brachiopods, trilobites and non-mineralized arthropods is documented from the lower part of the Balang Formation (Cambrian Series 2, Stage 4) in Paiwu, northwestern Hunan Province, China. The discovery extends the distribution of Cambrian Burgess Shale-type Lagerstätten in China.

本文记录了中国湖南省西北部Paiwu的Balang组下部 (寒武纪, 第二系列, 第四阶段) 的保存极好的化石组合, 包括藻类、海绵、开腔海绵、有刺胞类、蠕虫、软体动物、腕足动物、三叶虫和非矿化的节肢动物。该发现扩展了寒武纪布尔吉斯页岩型动物群在中国的分布。

Key words:

• Balang Formation
• Burgess Shale-type
• Lagerstätten
• Cambrian
• Hunan
• China

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Shanchi Peng, Haichun Zhang (Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, CAS), Qiang Ou (China University of Geosciences, Beijing, China), Jian Han and Zhifei Zhang (Northwest University, Xi'an, China) for providing constructive suggestions. We express great gratitude to Shuyao Liu and Huiying Liu (the parents of the lead author) for providing great support in this research.