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Early Cambrian priapulid worms buried with their lined burrows

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 August 2006

XI-GUANG ZHANG ,
XIAN-GUANG HOU  and
JAN BERGSTRÖM
XI-GUANG ZHANG
Affiliation:
Key Laboratory for Paleobiology, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, 650091, China
XIAN-GUANG HOU
Affiliation:
Key Laboratory for Paleobiology, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, 650091, China
JAN BERGSTRÖM
Affiliation:
Swedish Museum of Natural History, Box 50007, SE-104 05, Stockholm, Sweden
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Abstract

Five specimens of the priapulid Maotianshania cylindrica preserved inside their lined burrows were described from the Lower Cambrian Chengjiang deposits near Kunming, southern China. The exceptional preservation suggests that this worm made a dwelling tube by lining within the uppermost sediment layers. This seems to be unique among priapulids in comparison with the Cambrian Selkirkia and Paraselkirkia, as well as some modern priapulid larvae and loriciferans. Taphonomic evidence indicates that the burrow-and-worm specimens are not buried in situ but were moved by storm, tsunami, or turbidity generated currents that are thought to have brought sedimentary material intermittently.

Keywords

priapulidslined burrowbehaviourtaphonomyearly Cambrian
Type
Rapid Communication
Information
Geological Magazine , Volume 143 , Issue 5 , September 2006 , pp. 743 - 748
Copyright
© 2006 Cambridge University Press

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