The first edrioasteroid echinoderm from the lower Cambrian Chengjiang biota of Yunnan Province, China

Abstract Until now, the earliest fossil echinoderms have been predominantly known from early Cambrian of Laurentia and West Gondwana. Here, we describe Sprinkleoglobus extenuatus gen. et sp. nov. Chengjiang biota (Cambrian Series 2, Stage 3) Yunnan Province, China. The overall profile theca morphology ambulacra clearly establish it as an edrioasteroid echinoderm. This represents first discovery unequivocal echinoderm part South China is among oldest records globally. Our material shows that edrioasteroids were diverse widely distributed their occurrence in record, suggesting earlier origin for group. We infer other adapted attaching to hard substrates, implying so‐called substrate revolution was not a strong control on evolution attachment echinoderms.