The Kaili Formation (simplified Chinese: 凯里组; traditional Chinese: 凱里組; pinyin: Kǎilǐ zǔ) is a stratigraphic formation which was deposited during the Lower and Middle Cambrian (~513 to 506 million years ago). The formation is approximately 200 metres (660 ft) thick and was named after the city Kaili in the Guizhou province of southwest China.
| Kaili Formation | |
|---|---|
| Stratigraphic range: Cambrian | |
| Type | Geological formation |
| Thickness | ~200 m (660 ft) |
| Lithology | |
| Primary | Claystone, mudstone, shale |
| Other | Siltstone, marl, limestone |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 24°54′N 102°30′E / 24.9°N 102.5°E |
| Approximate paleocoordinates | 35°06′N 161°18′E / 35.1°N 161.3°E |
| Region | Guizhou |
| Country |  China |
| Type section | |
| Named for | Kaili |
  Kaili Formation (China)  Kaili Formation (Guizhou) | |
The depositional environment of the Kaili Formation is not entirely known, and there are two hypotheses for its formation. It may have been a nearshore marine environment with 'normal' levels of oxygenation; or it may have been a deeper water environment further from the shore, on the open continental shelf; in this setting oxygen would not be available below the surface layers of the deposited sediment.[1] The trace fossil assemblages in the formation suggest that it was below the wave base and was reasonably well-oxygenated.[1]
Fossils
editThe faunal assemblage is highly diverse, comprising some 110 genera among 11 phyla; of these, some 40 genera are also found in the Burgess Shale, and some 30 are also found in the Maotianshan Shale. Trilobites and eocrinoids with hard parts that are easily preserved are the most common fossils, but many animals with only soft tissues are also preserved. For example, the arthropod Skania similar to the Ediacaran Parvancorina of the Neoproterozoic age Ediacara Hills of South Australia has been found at the Kaili site.[2]
The middle part of the Kaili Formation, the Oryctocephalus indicus Zone, contains a Burgess Shale-type Lagerstätte with many well-preserved fossils known collectively as the Kaili Biota. In terms of age, this biota is located between the two most important and famous Cambrian Lagerstätten: the middle Lower Cambrian Maotianshan Shale (containing the Chengjiang Biota), also from China: and the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale, known from Canada.[3][4]
Some other notable fossils discovered at Kaili are putative invertebrate eggs and embryos,[5] trace fossils of the genus Gordia (not to be confused with the Gordian worms),[1] as well as Naraoia, chancellorids, Microdictyon, Wiwaxia, and Marrella.[4]
The Kaili Formation is subdivided into three trilobite zones:
- Bathynotus holopygous–Ovatoryctocara granulata Zone
- Oryctocephalus indicus Zone
- Olenoides jialaoensis Zone[6]
GSSP for the Cambrian Series 3
editAn outcrop of the Kaili Formation, the Wuliu-Zengjiayan section, was a candidate for the GSSP for the beginning of the 5th stage of the Cambrian. The FAD of two trilobites from the formation are proposed to be the official stage boundary, Oryctocephalus indicus and Ovatoryctocara granulata. Both can be correlated with formations of similar age in Siberia and China.[7] In 2018, GSSP for the Miaolingian series (Cambrian Series 3, "Middle" Cambrian[8]) as well as the Wuliuan stage was finally defined in this formation.[9]
References
edit- ^ a b c Wang, Y.; Lin, J. P.; Zhao, Y. L.; Orr, P. J. (2009). "Palaeoecology of the trace fossil Gordia and its interaction with nonmineralizing taxa from the early Middle Cambrian Kaili Biota, Guizhou Province, South China". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 277 (1–2): 141–148. Bibcode:2009PPP...277..141W. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2009.02.017.
- ^ Lin, J. P.; Gon, S. M.; Gehling, J. G.; Babcock, L. E.; Zhao, Y. L.; Zhang, X. L.; Hu, S. X.; Yuan, J. L.; Yu, M. Y.; Peng, J. (2006). "A Parvancorina-like arthropod from the Cambrian of South China". Historical Biology. 18 (1): 33–45. Bibcode:2006HBio...18...33L. doi:10.1080/08912960500508689. S2CID 85821717.
- ^ Zhang, Xingliang; Wei Liu; Yuanlong Zhao (2008). "Cambrian Burgess Shale-type Lagerstätten in South China: Distribution and significance" (PDF). Gondwana Research. 14 (1–2): 255–262. Bibcode:2008GondR..14..255Z. doi:10.1016/j.gr.2007.06.008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-07-14.
- ^ a b ZHAO Yuanlong; YUAN Jinliang; ZHU Maoyan; YANG Ruidong; GUO Qingjun; PENG Jin; YANG Xinglian (2002). "Progress and significance in research on the early Middle Cambrian Kaili Biota, Guizhou Province,China". Progress in Natural Science. 12 (9): 649–654.
- ^ Lin, J.; et al. (2006). "Silicified egg clusters from a Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale–type deposit, Guizhou, south China". Geology. 34 (12): 1037–1040. Bibcode:2006Geo....34.1037L. doi:10.1130/G23006A.1.
- ^ Parsley, Ronald L.; Zhao Yuanlong (2006). "Long stalked eocriuoids in basal Middle Cambrian Kaili Biota, Taijiang County, Guizhou Province, China". Journal of Paleontology. 80 (6): 1058–1071. doi:10.1666/0022-3360(2006)80[1058:LSEITB]2.0.CO;2. ISSN 0022-3360. S2CID 128645059.
- ^ Rozanov, A. Yu.; Maoyan Zhu; K. L. Pak; P. Yu. Parkhaev (2008). "The 2nd Sino-Russian Symposium on the Lower Cambrian Subdivision". Paleontological Journal. 42 (4): 441–446. Bibcode:2008PalJ...42..441R. doi:10.1134/S0031030108040151. S2CID 129626166.
- ^ Arne Thorshøj Nielsen, Per Ahlberg (2019). "The Miaolingian, a new name for the 'Middle' Cambrian (Cambrian Series 3): identification of lower and upper boundaries in Baltoscandia". GFF. 141 (2): 162-173. Bibcode:2019GFF...141..162N. doi:10.1080/11035897.2019.1621374.
- ^ Yuanlong Zhao; Jinliang Yuan; Loren E. Babcock; Qingjun Guo; Jin Peng; Leiming Yin; Xinglian Yang; Shanchi Peng; Chunjiang Wang; Robert R. Gaines; Jorge Esteve; Tongsu Tai; Ruidong Yang; Yue Wang; Haijing Sun; Yuning Yang (June 2019). "Global Standard Stratotype-Section and Point (GSSP) for the conterminous base of the Miaolingian Series and Wuliuan Stage (Cambrian) at Balang, Jianhe, Guizhou, China" (PDF). Episodes. 42 (2): 165–184. doi:10.18814/epiiugs/2019/019013. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-03-04. Retrieved 19 March 2024.