Abstract
Morphologically diverse multicellular algae preserved with anatomical details are recovered from the chert nodules in the member II of the early Ediacaran Doushantuo Formation in the Yangtze Gorges area, South China. They are taxonomically identified as Archaeophycus yunnanensis, Sarcinophycus papilloformis, Thallophyca ramosa, Thallophyca sp., Thallophycoides phloeatus, Wengania exquisita, W. globosa, W. minuta and two unnamed species. An individual growth of spheroidal thallus is evidenced by a series of specimens of Wengania minuta. Archae-ophycus yunnanensis and Sarcinophycus papilloformis are possibly green algae, while the others are interpreted as red algae. The radiation of multicellular algae likely enhanced the efficiency of the biological pump, influencing the ocean ecology and environment during the early Ediacaran.
NSTL
Elsevier