Current Science

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Triangular-Shaped Ediacaran Fossil Thectardis Avalonensis From the Sonia Sandstone, Jodhpur Group, Marwar Supergroup, Western India


Affiliations
1 Department of Geology, Jai Narain Vyas University, Jodhpur 342 005, India., India
 

The present study records the triangular-shaped Ediacaran fossil identified as Thectardis avalonensis from the Sonia Sandstone of Jodhpur Group, Marwar Supergroup, western India. These Ediacaran fossil specimens are preserved in convex (positive) relief, but one is in negative relief on the bedding planes of sandstone in the Sursagar mines area. T. avalonensis is well-preserved, unskeletonized, elongated and triangular in shape, with sharp, raised marginal rims or ridges that widen at the triangular base and taper towards the apex of the organism. This Ediacaran triangular-shaped T. avalonensis organism is recorded for the first time from India. The phylogenetic affinity of T. avalonensis is still uncertain, as some have interpreted it as a sponge based on a body plan consistent with the hydrodynamics of the sponge water-canal system, which lacked a mouth or movement and its length–width ratio of more than 1.6. As well as these, T. avalonensis may also belong to Diskagma-like lichen or living Cladonia-like lichen group and the Auroralumina-like cnidarian organisms of the Ediacaran crown group.

Keywords

Eukaryotic Organism, Fossil Specimens, Length– Width Ratio, Phylogenetic Affinity, Sandstone, Thectardis Avalonensis.
User
Notifications
Font Size

  • Narbonne, G. M., The Ediacara biota: Neoproterozoic origin of animals and their ecosystems. Annu. Rev. Earth Planet. Sci., 2005, 33, 421–442.

  • Xiao, S. and Laflamme, M., On the eve of animal radiation: phylogeny, ecology and evolution of the Ediacara biota. Trends Ecol. Evol., 2009, 24, 31–40.

  • Narbonne, G. M., The Ediacara biota: a terminal Neoproterozoic experiment in the evolution of life. Geol. Soc. Am. Today, 1998, 8, 1–6.

  • Fedonkin, M. A., Gehling, J. G., Grey, K., Narbonne, G. M. and Vickers-Rich, P., The Rise of Animals: Evolution and Diversification of the Kingdom Animalia, John Hopkins University Press, Balti-more, USA, 2007, p. 328.

  • Menon, L. R., McIlroy, D. and Brasier, M. D., Evidence for Cnidaria-like behavior in ca. 560 Ma Ediacaran Aspidella. Geology, 2013, 41, 895–898.

  • Narbonne, G. M., Laflamme, M., Trusler, P. W., Dalrymple, R. W. and Greentree, C., Deep-water Ediacaran fossils from northwestern Canada: taphonomy, ecology and evolution. J. Paleontol., 2014, 88, 207–223.

  • Peterson, K. J., Waggoner, B. and Hagadorn, J. W., A fungal analog for Newfoundland Ediacaran fossils? Integr. Comp. Biol., 2003, 43, 127–136.

  • Seilacher, A., Grazhdankin, D. V. and Leguota, A., Ediacaran biota: the dawn of animal life in the shadow of giant protists. Paleontol. Res., 2003, 7, 43–54.

  • Retallack, G. J., Were the Ediacaran fossils lichens? Paleobiology, 1994, 20, 523–544.

  • Steiner, M. and Reitner, J., Evidence of organic structures in Edia-cara-type fossils and associated microbial mats. Geology, 2001, 29, 1119–1122.

  • Grazhdankin, D. V., Balthasar, U., Nagovitsin, K. E. and Kochnev, B. B., Carbonate hosted Avalon-type fossils in arctic Siberia. Geology, 2008, 36, 803–806.

  • Grazhdankin, D. V., Patterns of evolution of the Ediacaran soft-bodied biota. J. Paleontol., 2014, 88(2), 269–283.

  • Waggoner, B., The Ediacaran biotas in space and time. Integr. Comp. Biol., 2003, 43, 104–113.

  • Shen, B., Dong, L., Xiao, S. and Kowalewski, M., The Avalon explo-sion: evolution of Ediacara morphospace. Science, 2008, 319, 81– 84.

  • Pareek, H. S., Pre-Quarternary geology and mineral resources of north-western Rajasthan. Geol. Soc. India Mem., 1984, 115, 99.

  • Chauhan, D. S., Mathur, K. M. and Ram, N., Geological nature of the Pokaran boulder bed: palaeoenvironment, palaeoclimatic and stratigraphic implication. J. Geol. Soc. India, 2001, 58, 425–433.

  • Chauhan, D. S., Ram, B. and Ram, N., Jodhpur sandstone: a gift of ancient beaches of western Rajasthan. J. Geol. Soc. India, 2004, 64, 265–276.

  • Crawford, A. R. and Compston, W., The age of the Vindhyan system of peninsular India. Q. J. Geol. Soc. London, 1970, 125, 251–371.

  • Rathore, S. S., Venkatesan, T. R. and Shrivastava, R. C., Rb–Sr isotope dating of Neoproterozoic (Malani group) magmatism from southwest Rajathan, India: evidence of younger Pan-African thermal event by 40 Ar– 39 Ar studies. Gondwana Res., 1999, 2(2), 271–281.

  • Gregory, L. C., Meert, J. G., Bingen, B. H., Pandit, M. K. and Torsvik, T. H., Paleomagnetic and geochronologic study of Malani Igneous suite, NW India: implications for the configuration of Rodinia and the assembly of Gondwana. Precamb. Res., 2009, 170, 13–26.

  • Raghav, K. S., De, C. and Jain, R. L., The first record of Vendian Medusoid and trace fossil-bearing algal mat-ground from the basal part of the Marwar Supergroup of Rajasthan. Indian Miner., 2005, 59, 23–30.

  • Sarkar, S., Bose, P. K., Samanta, P., Sengupta, P. and Erikssion, G., Microbial mediated structures in the Ediacaran Sonia sandstone, Rajasthan, India and their implications for Proterozoic sedimenta-tion. Precamb. Res., 2008, 162, 248–263.

  • Kumar, S. and Pandey, S. K., Note in the occurrence of Arumberia bankshi and associated fossils from the Jodhpur sandstone, Marwar Supergroup, western Rajasthan. J. Palaeontol. Soc. India, 2009, 4(2), 41–48.

  • Srivastava, P., Largest Ediacaran discs from the Jodhpur Sandstone, Marwar Supergroup, India: their palaeobiological significance. Geosci. Front., 2014, 5(2), 183–191.

  • Parihar, V. S., New record of Ediacaran Biota from the Jodhpur Sandstone of Marwar Supergroup, western Rajasthan, India. Estud. Geol. Madrid, 2019, 75(2), e108; ISSN-L:0367-0449.

  • Parihar, V. S., Ram, H., Nama, S. L. and Mathur, S. C., Aspidella: the Ediacaran body fossil from the Jodhpur Sandstone of Marwar Supoergroup, Sursagar area, Jodhpur, western Rajasthan, India. Estud. Geol. Madrid, 2019, 75(2), e109, ISSN-L: 0367-0449.

  • Parihar, V. S., Hukmaram, Kumar, P., Khichi, C. P. and Harsh, A., Hiemalora stellaris from Ediacaran Sonia Sandstone of Jodhpur Group of Marwar Supoergroup, western Rajasthan, India. J. Geol. Soc. India, 2021, 97, 1447–1453.

  • Ansari, A. H. and Pandey, S. K., Authigenitic δ 13 C-carb negative excursion in the late Ediacaran–early Cambrian Bilara Group, Marwar Supergroup, India. J. Geol. Soc. India, 2021, 97, 615–624.

  • Kumar, S. and Pandey, S. K., Discovery of trilobite trace fossils from the Nagaur sandstone, Marwar Supergroup, Dulmera Area, Bikaner district, Rajasthan, India. Curr. Sci., 2008, 94, 1081–1084.

  • Singh, B. P., Bhargava, O. N., Naval, K. and Ahluwalia, A. D., Arthro-pod from the Bikaner–Nagaur Basin, Peninsular India. Curr. Sci., 2013, 104(6), 706–707.

  • Clapham, M. E., Narbonne, G. M., Gehling, J. G., Greentree, C. and Anderson, M. M., Thectardis avalonensis: a new Ediacaran fossil from the Mistaken Point biota, Newfoundland. J. Paleontol., 2004, 78(6), 1031–1036.

  • Clapham, M. E., Narbonne, G. M. and Gehling, J. G., Paleoecology of the oldest-known animal communities: Ediacaran assemblages at Mistaken Point, Newfoundland. Paleobiology, 2003, 29, 527–544.

  • Narbonne, G. M. and Gehling, J. G., Life after snowball: the oldest complex Ediacaran fossils. Geology, 2003. 31, 27–30.

  • Clapham, M. E. and Narbonne, G. M., Ediacaran epifaunal tiering. Geology, 2002, 30, 627–630.

  • Wilby, P. R., Carney, J. N. and Howe, M. P., A rich Ediacaran assem-blage from eastern Avalonia: evidence of early widespread diversity in the deep ocean. Geology, 2011, 39(7), 655–658.

  • Narbonne, G. M., Dalrymple, R. W. and Gehling, J. G., Neoproterozoic fossils and environments of the Avalon Peninsula, Newfoundland. In Geological Association of Canada Fieldtrip Guidebook B5, 2001, p. 100.

  • Sperling, E. A., Peterson, K. J. and Laflamme, M., Rangeomorphs, Thectardis (Porifera?) and dissolved organic carbon in the Edia-caran oceans. Geobiology, 2011, 9(1), 24–33.

  • Retallack, G. J., Krull, E. S., Thackray, G. D. and Parkinson, D., Problematic urn-shaped fossils from a Paleoproterozoic (2.2 Ga) paleosol in South Africa. Precamb. Res., 2013, 235, 71–87.

  • Dunn, F. S., Kenchington, C. G., Parry, L. A., Clark, J. W., Kendall, R. S. and Wilby, P. R., A crown-group cnidarian from the Edia-caran of Charnwood Forest, UK. Nature Ecol. Evol., 2022, 6(8), 1095–1104.

  • Narbonne, G. M., The Ediacara biota: Neoproterozoic origin of animals and their ecosystems: Annu. Rev. Earth Plant. Sci., 1995, 23, 421–442.

  • Hofmann, H. J., O’Brien, S. J. and King, A. F., Ediacaran biota on Bonavista Peninsula, Newfoundland, Canada. J. Paleontol., 2008, 82, 1–36.

  • Bamforth, E. L. and Narbonne, G. M., New Ediacaran rangeo-morphs from Mistaken Point, Newfoundland, Canada. J. Paleontol., 2009, 83, 897–913; doi:10.1666/09-047.1.

  • Retallack, G. J., Volcanosedimentary paleoenvironments of Ediacaran fossils in Newfoundland. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull., 2014, 126(5–6), 619–638.

  • Retallack, G. J., Ediacaran sedimentology and paleoecology of Newfoundland reconsidered. Sediment. Geol., 2016, 333, 15–31.

  • Misra, S. B., Stratigraphy and depositional history of late Precam-brian coelenterate-bearing rocks, southeastern Newfoundland. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull., 1971, 82, 979–988.

  • Gardiner, S. and Hiscott, R. N., Deep water facies and depositional setting of the lower Conception Group (Hadrynian), southern Avalon Peninsula. Can. J. Earth Sci., 1988, 25, 1579–1594; doi:10.1139/ e88-151.

  • Wood, D. A., Dalrymple, R. W., Narbonne, G. M., Gehling, J. G. and Clapham, M. E., Paleoenvironmental analysis of the late Neo-proterozoic Mistaken Point and Trepassey formations, southeastern Newfoundland. Can. J. Earth Sci., 2003, 40, 1375–1391; doi:10. 1139/E03-048.

  • Ichaso, A. A., Dalrymple, R. W. and Narbonne, G. M., Paleoenvi-ronmental and basin analysis of the late Neoproterozoic (Edia-caran) upper Conception and St John’s groups, west Conception Bay, Newfoundland. Can. J. Earth Sci., 2007, 44, 25–41.

  • Parihar, V. S., Hukmaram, Kumar, P. and Harsh, A., Trilobozoans (Tribrachidium and Albumares) Ediacaran organisms from Marwar Supergroup, Western India. Curr. Sci., 2023, 124(4), 485–490.


Abstract Views: 92

PDF Views: 52




  • Triangular-Shaped Ediacaran Fossil Thectardis Avalonensis From the Sonia Sandstone, Jodhpur Group, Marwar Supergroup, Western India

Abstract Views: 92  |  PDF Views: 52

Authors

V. S. Parihar
Department of Geology, Jai Narain Vyas University, Jodhpur 342 005, India., India
Hukmaram
Department of Geology, Jai Narain Vyas University, Jodhpur 342 005, India., India
Pawan Kumar
Department of Geology, Jai Narain Vyas University, Jodhpur 342 005, India., India
Anshul Harsh
Department of Geology, Jai Narain Vyas University, Jodhpur 342 005, India., India

Abstract


The present study records the triangular-shaped Ediacaran fossil identified as Thectardis avalonensis from the Sonia Sandstone of Jodhpur Group, Marwar Supergroup, western India. These Ediacaran fossil specimens are preserved in convex (positive) relief, but one is in negative relief on the bedding planes of sandstone in the Sursagar mines area. T. avalonensis is well-preserved, unskeletonized, elongated and triangular in shape, with sharp, raised marginal rims or ridges that widen at the triangular base and taper towards the apex of the organism. This Ediacaran triangular-shaped T. avalonensis organism is recorded for the first time from India. The phylogenetic affinity of T. avalonensis is still uncertain, as some have interpreted it as a sponge based on a body plan consistent with the hydrodynamics of the sponge water-canal system, which lacked a mouth or movement and its length–width ratio of more than 1.6. As well as these, T. avalonensis may also belong to Diskagma-like lichen or living Cladonia-like lichen group and the Auroralumina-like cnidarian organisms of the Ediacaran crown group.

Keywords


Eukaryotic Organism, Fossil Specimens, Length– Width Ratio, Phylogenetic Affinity, Sandstone, Thectardis Avalonensis.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv124%2Fi9%2F1095-1100