From Snowball Ice to the Cambrian explosion: toward better understanding of the linkage between earth's environmental dynamics and biotic evolution

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15H05214
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 海外学術
• Research Field: Stratigraphy/Paleontology
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: Oji Tatsuo 名古屋大学, 博物館, 教授 (50160487)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 井龍 康文 東北大学, 理学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (00250671) ; 高柳 栄子 東北大学, 理学研究科, 助教 (40729208) ; 長谷川 精 高知大学, 教育研究部自然科学系理学部門, 講師 (80551605)
• Research Collaborator: DORNBOS STEVEN Q. ウィスコンシン大学, ミルウォーキー校・地球惑星科学教室, 准教授 ; GONCHIGDORJ SERSMAA モンゴル科学技術大学, 石油地質学部, 准教授
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: エディアカラ紀 / カンブリア紀 / 生痕化石 / 藻類化石 / 左右相称動物 / 捕食動物 / 古生態学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Two species of fossil algae were discovered from the Ediacaran of Zuun Arts, western Mongolia. The beds that contained these algae were concluded as special type of sedimentary rock known as "Burgess-type deposit" based on the chemical analysis and the mode of preservation. In addition, vertical trace fossils were discovered from the Ediacaran of Bayan Gol gorge. These trace fossils show U-shape that penetrate down to 4cm below the uppermost opening, suggesting that the producer was a bilaterian animal that was elongate in form and could burrow deep into the sediment, thus possessed ample musculature. Also this burrow suggests existence of predatory animals. This discovery was contradictory to the existing interpretation about Ediacaran life, firstly giving possible evidence of the existence of bilaterian animals and also predatory animals.

Free Research Field

古生物学