Discovery of Ediacaran fossils in the Avalon Peninsulaedit
Spindle shaped organism with primary and secondary branchesArtist's 3D reconstruction of Fractofusus misrai
In the summer of 1967, S.B. Misra, an Indian graduate student (1966–69) at Newfoundland's Memorial University discovered a rich assemblage of imprints of soft bodied organisms on the surface of large rock slabs, while mapping the Conception Group of Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland near Cape Race, at a place called Mistaken Point.[3]
These unusual impressions of previously unknown soft-bodied sea animals on the surfaces of argillites (mudstone) included coelenterates and other metazoa of the Ediacarian period, 575 to 560 million years ago.[4] These fossils are records of some of the oldest known complex life forms that existed anywhere on Earth. Misra was the first to prepare and present a systematic geological map of the region, to classify and describe the rock sequence of the area and to work out the depositional history of the rocks.
The description of the fossil assemblage together with their mode of occurrence, the cause of sudden death, ecological conditions and chronological position form part of Misra's detailed thesis submitted for a degree of Master of Science. The discovery was reported in a 1968 letter to Nature.[5] Misra described the Mistaken Point fauna in detail in 1969, in a paper published in the Bulletin of the Geological Society of America.[6] He sorted the fossil assemblage into five groups, namely spindle-shaped, leaf-shaped, round lobate, dendrite like, and radiating. Each group was defined in terms of distribution and form, sub-categories and biological affinity.[3]
The geological environment of the fossil-bearing rocks and the ecology of the animals that lived and died in the Conception Sea were described by Misra in two of his subsequent papers published in the Bulletin of the Geological Society of America in 1971[7] and in the Journal of the Geological Society of India in 1981.[8]Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve is a 5.7-square kilometer area of the coast that protects the fossils.[4]
Reproductive strategyedit
The distribution pattern of Fractofusus suggests that it had an effective reproductive strategy. This appears to have consisted of sending out a waterborne propagule to a distant area, and then spreading rapidly from there, very likely asexually, just as plants today spread by stolons or runners.[9][10]
^"Rare honour for Indian geologist". South Asia. BBC News. 18 September 2007. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
^Gehling, James G (2007). "Spindle-shaped Ediacara fossils from the Mistaken Point assemblage, Avalon Zone, Newfoundland". Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences. 44 (3): 367–387. doi:10.1139/e07-003.
^ ab"Mistaken Point, Newfoundland". www.ucmp.berkeley.edu. Retrieved 2017-07-16.
^ ab"Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve". Newfoundland and Labrador, Dept. of Environment and Conservation.
^Anderson, M. M.; Misra, S. B. (16 November 1968). "Fossils found in pre-Cambrian Conception Group of southeastern Newfoundland". Nature. 220 (5168): 680–681. doi:10.1038/220680a0.
^Misra, S.B. (April 1971). "Stratigraphy and Depositional History of Late Precambrian Coelenterate-Bearing Rocks, Southeastern Newfoundland". Geological Society of America Bulletin. 82 (4): 979–988. doi:10.1130/0016-7606(1971)82[979:SADHOL]2.0.CO;2.
^Misra, S.B. (August 1981). "Depositional Environment of the Late Precambrian Fossil-Bearing rocks of Southeastern Newfoundland, Canada". Journal of Geological Society of India. 22 (8).
^Mitchell, Emily G.; Kenchington, Charlotte G.; Liu, Alexander G.; Matthews, Jack J.; Butterfield, Nicholas J. (2015). "Reconstructing the reproductive mode of an Ediacaran macro-organism". Nature. 524 (7565): 343–346. doi:10.1038/nature14646. hdl:1983/93446a6e-8c30-4927-992b-1f7fea755961. PMID 26237408.
^Collins, Sarah. "Earliest evidence of reproduction in a complex organism". University of Cambridge. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
External linksedit
Mistaken Point Fauna Pioneering work by S.B.Misra
Localities of the Vendian:Mistaken Point, Newfoundland
April 14, 2024
fractofusus, misrai, ediacaran, fossil, discovered, 1967, misra, mistaken, point, newfoundland, labrador, canada, which, since, become, mistaken, point, ecological, reserve, named, after, professor, misra, 2007, represents, frondose, rangeomorph, fossil, newfo. Fractofusus misrai is an Ediacaran fossil discovered in 1967 by S B Misra at Mistaken Point Newfoundland and Labrador Canada which has since become the Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve 1 It was named after Professor Misra in 2007 2 It represents a frondose rangeomorph Fractofusus misraiFractofusus misrai fossil in Newfoundland Scientific classificationKingdom AnimaliaOrder RangeomorphaGenus FractofususGehling and Narbonne 2007Species F misraiBinomial nameFractofusus misraiGehling and Narbonne 2007 Contents 1 Discovery of Ediacaran fossils in the Avalon Peninsula 2 Reproductive strategy 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksDiscovery of Ediacaran fossils in the Avalon Peninsula edit nbsp Spindle shaped organism with primary and secondary branches nbsp Artist s 3D reconstruction of Fractofusus misraiIn the summer of 1967 S B Misra an Indian graduate student 1966 69 at Newfoundland s Memorial University discovered a rich assemblage of imprints of soft bodied organisms on the surface of large rock slabs while mapping the Conception Group of Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland near Cape Race at a place called Mistaken Point 3 These unusual impressions of previously unknown soft bodied sea animals on the surfaces of argillites mudstone included coelenterates and other metazoa of the Ediacarian period 575 to 560 million years ago 4 These fossils are records of some of the oldest known complex life forms that existed anywhere on Earth Misra was the first to prepare and present a systematic geological map of the region to classify and describe the rock sequence of the area and to work out the depositional history of the rocks The description of the fossil assemblage together with their mode of occurrence the cause of sudden death ecological conditions and chronological position form part of Misra s detailed thesis submitted for a degree of Master of Science The discovery was reported in a 1968 letter to Nature 5 Misra described the Mistaken Point fauna in detail in 1969 in a paper published in the Bulletin of the Geological Society of America 6 He sorted the fossil assemblage into five groups namely spindle shaped leaf shaped round lobate dendrite like and radiating Each group was defined in terms of distribution and form sub categories and biological affinity 3 The geological environment of the fossil bearing rocks and the ecology of the animals that lived and died in the Conception Sea were described by Misra in two of his subsequent papers published in the Bulletin of the Geological Society of America in 1971 7 and in the Journal of the Geological Society of India in 1981 8 Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve is a 5 7 square kilometer area of the coast that protects the fossils 4 Reproductive strategy editThe distribution pattern of Fractofusus suggests that it had an effective reproductive strategy This appears to have consisted of sending out a waterborne propagule to a distant area and then spreading rapidly from there very likely asexually just as plants today spread by stolons or runners 9 10 See also editList of Ediacaran generaReferences edit Rare honour for Indian geologist South Asia BBC News 18 September 2007 Retrieved 10 July 2011 Gehling James G 2007 Spindle shaped Ediacara fossils from the Mistaken Point assemblage Avalon Zone Newfoundland Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 44 3 367 387 doi 10 1139 e07 003 a b Mistaken Point Newfoundland www ucmp berkeley edu Retrieved 2017 07 16 a b Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve Newfoundland and Labrador Dept of Environment and Conservation Anderson M M Misra S B 16 November 1968 Fossils found in pre Cambrian Conception Group of southeastern Newfoundland Nature 220 5168 680 681 doi 10 1038 220680a0 Misra S B November 1969 Late Precambrian fossils from southeastern Newfoundland Geological Society of America Bulletin 80 11 2133 2140 doi 10 1130 0016 7606 1969 80 2133 LPFFSN 2 0 CO 2 Misra S B April 1971 Stratigraphy and Depositional History of Late Precambrian Coelenterate Bearing Rocks Southeastern Newfoundland Geological Society of America Bulletin 82 4 979 988 doi 10 1130 0016 7606 1971 82 979 SADHOL 2 0 CO 2 Misra S B August 1981 Depositional Environment of the Late Precambrian Fossil Bearing rocks of Southeastern Newfoundland Canada Journal of Geological Society of India 22 8 Mitchell Emily G Kenchington Charlotte G Liu Alexander G Matthews Jack J Butterfield Nicholas J 2015 Reconstructing the reproductive mode of an Ediacaran macro organism Nature 524 7565 343 346 doi 10 1038 nature14646 hdl 1983 93446a6e 8c30 4927 992b 1f7fea755961 PMID 26237408 Collins Sarah Earliest evidence of reproduction in a complex organism University of Cambridge Retrieved 3 August 2015 External links editMistaken Point Fauna Pioneering work by S B Misra Localities of the Vendian Mistaken Point Newfoundland Dawn of Animal Life Miller Museum of Geology Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Fractofusus misrai amp oldid 1134260737, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
