The Gaoyuzhuang Formation is a geologic formation in China. It preserves fossils dating back to the Calymmian period of the Mesoproterozoic. It is one of the first formations to preserve definitive macroscopic eukaryotes, at almost 1.6 billion years old. In addition to this, the site preserves a diverse microbiota with various cyanobacteria and fungus-like fossils known, alongside possibly the earliest testate amoebae.
Paleobiota After Chen et al, 2023, Shi et al, 2017, Liu et al, 2015, Seong-Joo & Golubic, 1999 and Li et al., 2026
Paleobiota PaleobiotaGenusSpeciesNotesImagesGrandilingulataG. qianxiensisEnigmatic frond-like organismTuanshanziaT. linearis T. parva T. fasciataEnigmatic frond-like organism; possibly within ArchaeplastidaProterotainiaP. spEnigmatic filamentous organism, possibly within Vendotaenida.QingshaniaQ. kuanchengensisEnigmatic filamentous eukaryoteRamificansaR. moniliformis R. jianshanziensisEnigmatic filamentous alga, possibly a rhodophyteCycliocyrilliumC. simplex C. torquataVase-shaped microfossil, possible testate amoebaBonnieaB. pytinaiaVase-shaped microfossil, possible testate amoebaLimetaL. lagenifprmisVase-shaped microfossil, possible testate amoebaSiphonophycusS. thulenema S. robustum S. typicum S. solidum S. inornatum S. kestronCyanobacteriaOscillatoriopsisO. obtusa O. amadeus O. longa O. princeps O. gigasCyanobacteriaVeteronostocaleV. majusculus V. grandisCyanobacteriaCyanonemaC. attenuate C. grandisCyanobacteriaPalaeolyngbyaP. catenata P. maxima P. barghoornianaCyanobacteriaCoccostratusC. dispergensCyanobacteriaEoentophysalisE. belcherensisCyanobacteriaEoschizothrixE. compositaCyanobacteriaArctacellulariaA. ellipsoideaCyanobacteriaChlorogloeaopsisC. contextaCyanobacteriaArchaeoellipsoidesA. obesusCyanobacteriaObruchevellaO. pussila O. spCyanobacteria, commonly found in Neoproterozoic sedimentsChangchengonemaC. yamenziensisCyanobacteriaEoaphanocapsaE. sp.CyanobacteriaEosynechococcusE. moorei E. brevisCyanobacteriaMyxococcoidesM. grandis M. distolaCyanobacteriaPalaeoanacystisP. spCyanobacteriaSphaerophycusS. parvumCyanobacteriaTetraphycusT. spCyanobacteriaSaccolyngbyaS. qingshanensisCyanobacteriaCephalophytarionC. spCyanobacteriaConiunctiophycusC. sp C. majorinumAcritarchClonophycusC. spAcritarchLeiosphaeridiaL. spAcritarchLeioarachnitumL. spAcritarchTrachysphaeridiumT. aperturumAcritarchMicroconcentricaM. testudinariusAcritarchBaltisphaeridiumB. bulbosumAcritarchCornutosphaeraC. triquetrusAcritarchPaleamorphaP. squaniferaAcritarch
In addition to these fossils, five unnamed forms are also known. Forms A and B are only known from one specimen, Form C is too fragmentary to be named, and Forms D and E bear no resemblance to any plant, prokaryote, animal or protist. However, various hyphomycetous fungi do form similar structures to forms D and E, thus they may be within this group. Alongside this, a possibly new VSM (vase-shaped microfossil) genus is also known, however it remains indeterminate due to limited material and similarities in shape to Limeta.
References