Macroalgae in the Ediacaran Tongshan Biota of South China

Macroalgae are the earliest complex-structured organisms occurred on Earth, playing an important role in the evolution of early life. In the Mesoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic sedimentary strata of China, a few of macroalgae fossil fauna have been discovered, mostly from shales of onshore environments. In contrast, Precambrian macroalgae fossils from deep-water facies are relatively scarce. Here we study the macroalgae fossils in the black shales of the late Ediacaran Liuchapo Formation of the Tongshan biota. Through systematic paleontological description, Baculiphyca, Chuaria, Doushantuophyton, Enteromorphites, Gesinella, Liulingjitaenia, Longfengshania, Longifuniculum, Protoconites, Shouhsienia, Sinocylindra, Tawuia and Vendotaenia have been identified. The results show that the morphological composition and diversity composition of the study macroalgae fossils of the Tongshan biota are quite similar to those in the Wulingshan biota, representing the relative extensive distribution of macroalgae in offshore environments at the late Ediacara. There are significant differences in diversity and morphology compared with the Miaohe biota, Jiangchuan biota and Wenghui biota in the late Ediacaran macroalgae assemblages of onshore facies, indicating the unique palaeobiogeographical and palaeoecological adaptations of macroalgae at the dawn of Cambrian explosion.