Middle Cambrian pterobranchs and the Question: What is a graptolite? |
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| Authors: | JÖ RG MALETZ,MICHAEL STEINER,OLDRICH FATKA |
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| Affiliation: | Department of Geology, State University of New York at Buffalo, SUNY, 772 Natural Sciences and Mathematics Complex, Buffalo, New York, 14260–3050, U.S.A., Jörg Maletz [];TU Berlin, ACK 14, Ackerstrasse 71–76, D-13355, Berlin, Germany, Michael Steiner [];Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Charles University of Prague, Albertov 6, 128 43, Praha 2, Czech Republic |
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| Abstract: | The presence of distinct fusellar structure is taken as evidence to include a number of fossils from the Middle Cambrian to the Lower Ordovician of North America and Europe with the Pterobranchia. The dome of the pterobranchs and the prosicula of the planktic graptolites are contrasted and evidence is given for the re‐assignment of a number of well known dendroid graptolites to the pterobranchs. A non‐destructive method is described to reveal fusellar development of delicate hemichordate exoskeletons from shales. Rhabdotubus robustus n. sp. from the Czech Republic and ? Cephalodiscus sp. from the Wheeler Shale of North America are described as new Middle Cambrian pterobranchs. |
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| Keywords: | Evolution fuselli graptolites preservation pterobranchs |
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