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''Kimberichnus'' is an
''Kimberichnus'' traces often occur alongside the death masks of ''
ichnofossil
A trace fossil, also known as an ichnofossil (; from el, ἴχνος ''ikhnos'' "trace, track"), is a fossil record of biological activity but not the preserved remains of the plant or animal itself. Trace fossils contrast with body fossils, ...
associated with the early bilaterian ''Kimberella
''Kimberella'' is an extinct genus of bilaterian known only from rocks of the Ediacaran period. The slug-like organism fed by scratching the microbial surface on which it dwelt in a manner similar to the gastropods, although its affinity with t ...
''. It is known mostly from shallow marine Ediacaran sediments, often occurring alongside its producer. ''Kimberichnus'' often occurs in Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...
and South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
, where it is most abundant in the shape of multiple arcuate sets of ridges with fan-shaped arrangements.
Description
''Kimberichnus'' traces often occur alongside the death masks of ''Kimberella
''Kimberella'' is an extinct genus of bilaterian known only from rocks of the Ediacaran period. The slug-like organism fed by scratching the microbial surface on which it dwelt in a manner similar to the gastropods, although its affinity with t ...
''; the traces represent possibly the oldest known evidence of trace fossils that are associated with a bilaterian maker. The traces occur in the Ediacaran sediments of the Russian White Sea
The White Sea (russian: Белое море, ''Béloye móre''; Karelian and fi, Vienanmeri, lit. Dvina Sea; yrk, Сэрако ямʼ, ''Serako yam'') is a southern inlet of the Barents Sea located on the northwest coast of Russia. It is s ...
and in South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
, ''Kimberichnus'' was described from Russia. They most often occur as simple arcuate ridges arranged in sets, with an arrangement similar to that of fans; it is thought that these traces came from ''Kimberella'' rasping the microbial mat underneath it with its teethed Proboscis
The feeding patterns that are seen in these traces exclude any Arthropod
Arthropods (, (gen. ποδός)) are invertebrate animals with an exoskeleton, a segmented body, and paired jointed appendages. Arthropods form the phylum Arthropoda. They are distinguished by their jointed limbs and cuticle made of chiti ...
al origin, they instead point to a creator that was most likely systematically excavating nutrients/food off of the microbial mats. Even though organisms at the time would move over the traces and slightly disturb them, it would not disturb them to the point that they will get deformed; this is because of the multiple layers of Microbes that made up the mats . The occurrence of both the traces maker and the trace itself in the Ediacaran period supports claims that bilaterians were already globally distributed and were able to make traces of grazing.
Theoretical importance
A sudden event around starting around had a huge influx of animal diversity in body plans that was named the Cambrian explosion. The rapid event finished before . Some mid-19th century scientists already knew about some Early Cambrian fossils,Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin ( ; 12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology. His proposition that all species of life have descended ...
noticed this sudden diversification of body plans and proposed that it could be a counter-argument against his theory of evolution.
''Kimberichnus'' seems to indicate an important step in this revolution of animals. ''Kimberella'' apparently grazed on the mats underneath its proboscis, and would often leave the ''Kimberichnus'' trace; it is also sometimes similar to Radulichnus from other Geological periods. It seems that, because ''Kimberichnus'' is the trace produced by a Radula or teeth, ''Kimberella'' may have been an early (or relative of) Mollusc. It is important to note that Radulae very rarely get preserved.
See also
*Kimberella
''Kimberella'' is an extinct genus of bilaterian known only from rocks of the Ediacaran period. The slug-like organism fed by scratching the microbial surface on which it dwelt in a manner similar to the gastropods, although its affinity with t ...
*List of Ediacaran genera
This is a list of all described Ediacaran genera, including the Ediacaran biota. It contains 227 genera.
References
{{reflist, 30em
*
Ediacaran
The Ediacaran Period ( ) is a geological period that spans 96 million years from the end ...
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q116223666 Ediacaran Ediacaran life Trace fossils Fossil taxa described in 2013