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Cited by 138Paleontology and Evolutionary BiologyPaleontology and Stratigraphy of FossilsEvolution and Paleontology Studies

The first tunicate from the Early Cambrian of South China

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Chen, Jun-Yuan, Huang, Di-Ying, Peng, Qing-Qing, Chi, Hui-Mei, Wang, Xiu-Qiang, Feng, Man·2003·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
DOI 10.1073/pnas.1431177100PMC PMC166226
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Abstract

Here we report the discovery of eight specimens of an Early Cambrian fossil tunicate Shankouclava near Kunming (South China). The tunicate identity of this organism is supported by the presence of a large and perforated branchial basket, a sac-like peri-pharyngeal atrium, an oral siphon with apparent oral tentacles at the basal end of the siphonal chamber, perhaps a dorsal atrial pore, and an elongated endostyle on the mid-ventral floor of the pharynx. As in most modern tunicates, the gut is simple and U-shaped, and is connected with posterior end of the pharynx at one end and with an atrial siphon at the other, anal end. Shankouclava differs from Cheungkongella, which was previously called a tunicate. Based on new, more complete "Cheungkongella" specimens that show branching tentacles, this form may be a lophophorate, and in any case is not a tunicate.

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  • Tunicates may have existed at that time, and some of them may have produced biomineralized spicules.

    “Tunicates (Phylum Chordata) may have also existed at that time (Chengjiang fauna, Chen et al . 2003, but see Bergström, 2010), and some of them may have produced biomineralized spicules (see Bengtson et al . 1990).”

    From Chronology of early Cambrian biomineralization (2012) · cites this paper as Chen et al. 2003

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  1. [8]Burighel, P. & Cloney, R. A. (1997) in Microscopic Anatomy of Invertebrate Chordates , eds. Harison, F. W. & Ruppert, E. E. (Wiley-Liss, New York), Vol. 15, pp. 221-347.
  2. [11]Luo, H. L., Hu, S. X., Chen, L. Z., Zhang, S. S. & Tao, Y. H. (1999) Early Cambrian Chengjiang Fauna from Kunming Region, China (Yunnan Science & Technology Press, Kunming, China).
  3. [14]Conway Morris, S. (1998) The Crucible of Creation: The Burgess Shale and the Rise of Animals (Oxford Univ. Press, Oxford).
  4. [15]Briggs, D. E. G., Erwin, D. H. & Coillier, F. J. (1994) The Fossils of the Burgess Shale (Smithsonian Institute Press, Washington, DC).
  5. [16]Valentine, J. W., Jablonski, D. & Erwin, D. H. (1999) Development (Cambridge, U.K.) 126, 851-859.
  6. [17]Chen, J. Y., Oliverli, P., Li, C. W., Gao, F., Hagadom, J. W., Peterson, K. J. & Davidson, E. H. (2000) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 97, 4457-4462.

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Authors
Chen, J.-Y., Huang, D.-Y., Peng, Q.-Q., Chi, H.-M., Wang, X.-Q., & Feng, M.
Affiliations
  • Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Nanjing 210008, China
  • Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology (CN)
Venue
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Publisher
National Academy of Sciences
Published
2003-06-30
Volume
100
Issue
14
Pages
8314-8318
ISSN
  • 0027-8424 (ISSN-L)
  • 1091-6490
DOI
10.1073/pnas.1431177100
PMC
PMC166226
OpenAlex
W2095693097
Cited by
138
References
2
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 6
FWCI
6.46
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
National Natural Science Foundation of China
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Paleontology and Evolutionary Biology
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Evolution and Paleontology Studies
Keywords
tunicates, fossil identification, branchial basket, endostyle, lophophorates, pharynx, South China
MeSH terms
Animals, China, Fossils, Phylogeny, Urochordata

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