This is a list of fossils found at Maotianshan Shales, whose most famous assemblage of organisms are referred to as the Chengjiang biota.[1]
The Maotianshan Shales are a series of Early Cambriansedimentary deposits in the Chiungchussu Formation,[2] famous for their Konservat Lagerstätten, deposits known for the exceptional preservation of fossilized organisms or traces. The Maotianshan Shales form one of some forty Cambrian fossil locations worldwide exhibiting exquisite preservation of rarely preserved, non-mineralized soft tissue, comparable to the fossils of the Burgess Shale of British Columbia, Canada.
An ecdysozoan worm considered close to the priapulids, it has a spiny proboscis, an elliptical theca on the posterior part of the trunk, and a caudal appendage.
Known from two specimens, making the species very rare in the Chengjiang.
An unarmoured lobopodian, apparently closely related to Onychophora. The long, paired, cirriform structures at the end of the body could have been sensory, or perhaps represent viscera not externally present in life.
Microdictyon is known from sclerite microfossils around the globe, while fossils from the Chengjiang are the only in the world to preserve the soft anatomy.
Thirty specimens, one formerly assigned to “Xishania”
Derived Luolishaniid lobopodian with five setiferous sieving appendages, and lacking any walking limbs. Sometimes discovered living in constructed tubes, buried into the sediment.
Radiodonta are a group of highly successful panarthropods. The Chengjiang Fauna includes a large number of Radiodont species, primarily from the clade Amplectobeluidae. While hurdiids are poorly known from the formation and surrounding region, several specimens attributable to the family have been discovered, but remain unnamed. Some radiodonts from the Chengjiang defy easy classification, or are otherwise debated in their exact affinity.
An unusual radiodont seemingly transitional between anomalocaridids and amplectobeluids, with an oral cone similar to the former but gnathobase-like structures similar to the latter.
Hurdiids (peytoiids[3]) have historically been considered absent, or at least rare, from the Chengjiang Biota, an observation that researchers have found confusing given their regularity at other sites. In recent years, a number of fragmentary hurdiid fossils have been described, including 3 partial appendages belonging to a new species of Stanleycaris,[4] an isolated sclerite assigned to Cambroraster,[5] Zhenghecaris (the affinities of which, even its identity as a radiodont, remains questionable), and isolated lateral scelrites (also questionable).[6]
A large nektobenthic hurdiid, first known from the Burgess Shale. Fossils of Cambroraster are also known from Mantou Formation of North China,[7] making this a very widespread genus. This genus was the first definitive peytoiid known from China.
Large-sized arthropod carapace, originally described as bivalved arthropod close to Thylacocephala, later reinterpreted as hurdiid radiodont close to Cambroraster, its classification is still discussed. Some fossils, apparently the lateral scelrites of a radiodont, connected anteriorly by a "beak" and featuring two-pronged, wing-like processes posteriorly (similar to the lateral processes of Zhenghecaris's central head sclerite), have also been attributed to Zhenghecaris.[6]
An enigmatc bivalved arthropod originally considered close to Waptia. It was then discovered that it lacked mandibles and therefore does not belong to Hymenocarina, the Waptiidae family, and even the larger mandibulata clade.
An enigmatic arthropod that has been tentatively classified as a possible radiodont, although a position closely related to Erratus as the most primitive deuteropod is more likely.
A basal nektonic arthropod that possessed a bivalved carapace, and large circular eyes, related to Surusicaris from the Burgess Shale. Also found in various other Cambrian aged sites.
An early arthropod that may show the "missing link" between early stem-arthropods, and more advanced true arthropods. It possessed frontal appendages similar to radiodonts.
A predatory arthropod that had spiked frontal appendages similar to those of the megacheirans, and was previously thought to have belonged to that grouping
An arachnomorph arthropod of the group strabopida. Unlike the other members of strabopida, Parapaleomerus lacks dorsal eyes and only possesses ten trunk tergites. The telson has been described as trapezoidal in shape.
Also known in the Burgess Shale by B. pretiosa, B. yunnanensis is only known from isolated carapaces, although it is thought that this may be because in this species the carapace covered the entire body. It also has two morphotypes.
Reconstruction of the related Branchiocaris pretiosa
A hymenocarine arthropod, also known from the Burgess Shale by C. perfecta, although some authors believe that both species should be separated into different genera. They were mainly benthic animals.
A hymenocarine arthropod. The species in the genus are primarily distinguished by the presence of a serrated edge on the front of the carapace of C. serrata. C. serrata is noted for the modification of an anterior pair of limbs into spined grasping appendages, indicating a predatory lifestyle.
A hymenocarine arthropod that had a bivalved carapace which covered about a third of its total body-length, and had up to six serrations on its forward edge. The head had a pair of large uniramous antennae, as well as a smaller pair of secondary antennae, and a pair of mandibles and maxillae.
A bivalved arthropod of the hymenocarina grouping. The species P. spatiosa is regarded as a filter feeder, using the setae on the endites of their limbs to filter out matter from the water column
A hymenocarine notable for fossils showing a bizarre chain of multiple individuals. Although the purpose for this behavior is unknown, it may have served a reproductive, migratory, or defensive purpose, with the authors of the describing paper of this genus considering migration as its most likely function.
A hymenocarine arthropod. The carapace of the animal was around 28 to 37 millimetres (1.1 to 1.5 in) in length, with a pronounced ridge at the top of the carapace separating the two valves, which formed a fin-like structure raised above the carapace. The head had a pair of stalked eyes, as well as a dumbbell shaped medial eye between them. The head also bore a pair of mandibles as well as at least one and possibly two pairs of antennules.
a single specimen (NIGP 172765), which only preserves the carapace and trunk regions
A hymenocarine with no known head fossils. The material known show that the carapace had a pronounced pair of notches at its front, as well as a posterior notch at its rear. The body had at least 13 tergite-pleurite rings, which terminate in a pair of rounded caudal rami, which are fringed with setae.
A large arthropod named after Fuxian Lake. Some adult specimens are found closely associated with numerous juveniles, indicating a level of parental care.
Reconstruction of Fuxianhuia with associated juveniles
An arthropod that had segmentation which resembled that of a millipede, as well as head and tail shields with thorny spikes. Recently, it was recovered as the most basal artiopod.
An early craniate (an animal with a distinct notochord and head) of the Myllokunmingiida order. Some authors consider it potentially synonymous with the contemporary Myllokunmingia.[8]
Macroalgae rank fourth in species-level diversity behind arthropods, priapulids, and sponges, and account for 71.5% of total abundance from the biota, particularly dominated by unattached (floating, planktonic, and drifting) species.[9]
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