Ediacaran metazoan fossils with siliceous skeletons from the Digermulen Peninsula of Arctic Norway

Abstract In this study, a new assemblage of Ediacaran metazoan fossils is reported from the basal Stáhpogieddi Formation on Digermulen Peninsula Arctic Norway, including Anulitubus n. gen. Moczyd?owska in et al., formosus sp. Coniculus elegantis Fistula and crenulata al. The specimens are three-dimensionally preserved include tubular conical skeletons that morphologically distinguished by their body-wall constructions, radial symmetry, polarity, segmentation, annulation. interpreted to be biomineralized primary silica based computed micro-tomographic, petrographic, geochemical, spectroscopic evidence originally rigid body wall with layers constant thicknesses, composed opal, microcrystalline quartz, an admixture carbonaceous material, which differ host sediment mineralogy do not show replacement or encrustation. fossil-bearing interval immediately overlies strata Gaskiers age can bracketed within 580–541 Ma, but it estimated ca. 575 Ma basis averaged sedimentation rates biostratigraphic correlations biota found up-section deposits 558–555 Ma. Future findings such different preservation modes further multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, shows silicon fractionation traces its biogenic origin versus inorganic mineralization, may corroborate interpretation silicification these earliest skeletal fossils. UUID: https://zoobank.org/6bccada1-870e-47b0-b819-82685152ea54