Arthropod trace fossils from the Zhujiaqing Formation (Meishucunian, Yunnan) and their palaeobiological implications

作     者：Bernd WEBER 1* and ZHU Maoyan 2 (1. Freie Universitt Berlin, Institut für Geologische Wissenschaften, Fachrichtung Geologie, Ackerstraβe 71～76, D 13355 Berlin, Germany 2. LPS, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China) 

作者机构：Freie Universit Berlin Institut für Geologische Wissenschaften Fachrichtung Geologie Ackerstraβe 71～76 D-13355 Berlin Germany LPS Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology Chinese Academy of Sciences Nanjing 210008 China 

出 版 物：《Progress in Natural Science:Materials International》 (自然科学进展·国际材料(英文))

年 卷 期：2003年第10期

页      面：75-80页

学科分类：070903[理学-古生物学与地层学(含：古人类学)] 0709[理学-地质学] 07[理学] 

基　　金：SupportedbytheNationalNaturalScienceFoundationofChina (GrantNo .40 2 3 2 0 2 0 )andDFG (GrantNo .HE 2 418/ 2 1)andpartlysupportedbytheMinistryofScienceandTechnologyofChina (GrantNo .G2 0 0 0 0 7770 0 ) 

主　　题：Meishucunian Stage arthropods ichnofauna arthropod evolution Precambrian Cambrian Boundary Yangtze Platform. 

摘      要：Along with several non arthropod ichnotaxa and rather non specific scratchmarks, the Upper Phosphate of the Zhujiaqing Formation (Early Meishucunian Stage) in Eastern Yunnan yielded well preserved resting and digging traces of the Rusophycus type interpreted as resting traces of unknown large arthropods (ca. 3～6 cm in length). The discernible morphological details of these trace fossils enable a rough estimation of the body plan characteristics of the trace originators placing the latter doubtless into the early arthropods, if not euarthropods. The spectrum of the Meishucunian ichnoassemblage, especially the different types of arthropod repichnia point to the existence of a complex benthic ecosystem consisting of animals with different behavioural patterns and life styles already during the earliest Cambrian (Nemakit Daldyn), and demands the assumption of a longer evolutionary past history of the benthic life on earth before the so called “Cambrian Explosion of the metazoans.