New Data of Macrofossils in the Ediacaran Wenghui Biota from Guizhou, South China

The abundance and diversity of macrofossils in the Ediacaran have attracted much attention. The upper Doushantuo macrobiotas in South China, including the Miaohe biota from Hubei and the Wenghui biota from Guizhou, are mainly preserved as the carbonaceous compressions and dominated by macroscopic algae and metazoans. Here, we describe 10 genera and 10 species (including 6 new genera and species) of macrofossils from the Wenghui biota. At present, the Wenghui biota yields macrofossils in more than 31 genera and 33 species, excluding those given no image and established on a few unascertained specimens. Based on the occurrence and distribution of macrofossils in both Miaohe and Wenghui areas, the middle‐late Ediacaran (back shales of the upper Doushantuo Formation) in South China can be subdivided into two assemblage biozones in biostratigraphy: (i) the Protoconites–Linbotulitaenia–Eoandromeda–Anomalophton assemblage biozone characterized by abundant and diverse macrofossils and by the ranges of Protoconites, Linbotulitaenia and Anomalophton; and (ii) the Baculiphyca–Gesinella–Cucullus–Beltanelliformis assemblage biozone characterized by the acme of the longer macrofossils Baculiphyca and Gesinella, and by few shorter and discoidal macrofossils.

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