Archisaccophyllia
kunmingensis
Phylum Cnidaria
Geological
Time: Early Cambrian (~525 million years ago)
Size (25.4
mm = 1 inch): Archisaccophyllia fossil is 10 mm and 15 mm long on a 60
mm by 40 mm matrix.
Fossil
Site: Chengjiang Maotianshan Shale, Quiongzhusi Section, Yu’anshan
Member, Heilinpu Formation, Mafang Village, Anning, Kunming, Yunnan Province,
China
Fossil Code:
CJF1237
Price: Sold
|  Description:
This is an example of the incredible diversity of early life known
from the Chengjiang Biota. The diversity of soft-tissue fossils
is astonishing: algae, medusiforms, sponges, priapulids, annelid-like
worms, echinoderms, arthropods (including trilobites), hemichordates,
chordates, and the first agnathan fish make up just a small fraction
of the total. Numerous problematic forms are known as well, some
of which  may
have represented failed attempts at diversity that did not persist
to the present day. The original describers
believe it is an early Cnidaian, a sea anemone much like those to
come later. The striated stem and rounded base are indeed evocative
of such an assignment. This specimen is known as Archisaccophyllia
kunmingensis, and differs from Xianguangia by virtue of less tentacles
(typically 12 vs 16) and a more flexible body. Indeed while both
have been considered Cnidarians, the describers of this taxon feel
Xianguagia is not an actinarian. Archisaccophyllia seemed to be
a gregarious animal; a single colony of 15 m2 was found to possess
over 350 individuals. This example shows two of these colonial animals.
Reference: Lethaia, Vol 38 pp 193-203 (2005).
Also
see: Chengjiang
Biota Chengjiang
Fossils
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