Field Sites

Palaeontological Excursion in China with Sydney Grammar School 30/6/2002 to 15/7/2002

Highlights - The Chengjiang biota

The Chengjiang biota of east Yunnan with its exceptionally preserved fossils is one of the most exciting twentieth century discoveries in the field of palaeontology. It is a very unusual fossil lagerstutte (a deposit which produces fossils of particular note) known all over the world for providing a remarkable window into the diversification of life forms during the Early Cambrian. Similar to the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale of western Canada and other similar deposits found in recent years, the Chengjiang deposits yield fossils of the hard skeletal parts of organisms, as well as fossils of the non-mineralised skeletons and internal soft parts of organisms.

In the Chengjiang deposits, non-mineralised fossils greatly outnumber the fossils of shell-like organisms. Many of the earliest-known representatives of the major clades of life are recorded in the fauna, and they provide crucial information about the ecosystems, biodiversity of Early Cambrian marine communities, as well as the processes of fossilisation. They also provide extremely valuable evidence for understanding the mystery of the Cambrian explosion in evolutionary history.

Since the initial discovery by Dr. Hou at Maotianshan, in Chengjiang in 1984, more than 120 species have been recognised. More than ten animal phyla are represented, including sponges, coelenterates, priapulids, lobopods, brachiopods, molluscs, arthropods, echinoderms, and chordates, as well as some problematical taxa and algae.

On the trip to Chengjiang, Ms Zhou and Mr. Li, both from Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, showed the students and teachers the excellent exhibition at the Chengjiang Research Station near the top of the Maotianshan, and they also took their Australian visitors to the first discovery site at the Maotianshan. Ms Zhou is responsible for the preparation and curation of the collection of the Chengjiang biota with the NIGP, and she has so far prepared and registered over 40,000 specimens from Chengjiang. With a half hour of searching on the outcrop, everyone found at least a couple of specimens including the most commonly found Naraoia, bradoriids, and algae.

Copyright © Australian Museum 2002