Abstract
A critical review of earlier references to Precambrian fossils in South Australia shows that Radiolaria could be present but that other animal remains listed or described by earlier authors have been wrongly interpreted. There is no evidence for the presence of Arthropods in this material.
The fauna described bySprigg from the “early Cambrian” sandstone and quartzite of Ediacara consists not only of “Medusae”. Recent studies have shown that it includes specimens resembling the types ofPteridinium andRangea from the Nama Series of Southwest Africa. They are now considered as related to living Pennatulacea. In addition, there are present the annelidSpriggina, possibly Siphonophora, and at least two entirely new forms of invertebrates.
This assemblage is followed by a sequence of undoubted Lower Cambrian faunas from the lowest Archaeocyatha horizon up to theProtolenus-Zone. The Ediacara fauna which consists only of soft-bodied animals is entirely unlike any known Cambrian fauna. This fact supports the view that it is Precambrian.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bedford, R., andBedford J., 1936: Further notes on Cyathospongia (Archaeocyathi) and other organisms. Mem. Kyancutta Mus. S. Aust., no. 3, pp. 21–26.
—, 1937: Further notes on Archaeos (Pleospongia). Mem. Kyancutta Mus. S. Aust., no. 4, pp. 27–38.
—, 1939: Development and Classification of Archaeos (Pleospongia). Mem. Kyancutta Mus. S. Aust., no. 6, pp. 67–82.
Bedford, R., andBedford W. R., 1934: New species of Archaeocyathinae and other organisms from the Lower Cambrian of Beltana, South Australia. Mem. Kyancutta Mus. S. Aust., no. 1, pp. 1–7.
—, 1936: Further note on Archaeocyatha (Cyathospongia) and other organisms. Mem. Kyancutta Mus. S. Aust., no. 2, pp. 9–20.
Chapman, F., 1929: Some fossil remains from the Adelaide Series of South Australia. Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Aust., vol. 53, pp. 5–6.
Daily, B., 1956: The Cambrian in South Australia. XX Cong. Geol. Intern. Mexico, El Sistemo Cambrico, etc. Sympos., Pt. II, pp. 91–147.
David, T. W. E., 1922: Occurrence of remains of small Crustacea in the Proterozoic (?) or Lower Cambrian (?) rocks of Reynella near Adelaide. Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Aust., vol. 46, pp 6–8.
—, 1928: Notes on newly-discovered fossils in the Adelaide Series (Lipalian?) South Australia. Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Aust., vol. 52, pp. 191–209.
ed.Browne, W. R., 1950: The Geology of the Commonwealth of Australia. London.
— andHowchin, W., 1896: Note on the occurrence of casts of Radiolaria in Pre-Cambrian (?) rocks, S. Aust. Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W., vol. 21 (4), pp. 571–583.
- andTillyard, R. J., 1936: Memoir on fossils of the later pre-Cambrian (Newer Proterozoic) from the Adelaide Series, S. Aust. Sydney.
Glaessner, M. F., 1955: Time-Stratigraphy of the Late Pre-Cambrian. Proc. Pan Ind. Ocean Sci. Cong., Perth, W. Aust.
—, 1958: New fossils from the base of the Cambrian in South Australia. Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Aust. vol. 81, pp. 185–188, pl. 1.
Hupé, Pierre, 1952: Contribution a l'Étude du Cambrien inférieur et du Précambrian III de l'Anti-atlas Marocain. Service Géol. du Maroc. Notes et Mém. 103.
Lermontova, E. V., 1951: Lower Cambrian Trilobites and Brachiopods of Eastern Siberia, Moscow, Gosgeolisdat. (Fide: L. L.Khalfin, Atlas index fossils W. Siberia, Moscow 1955.)
Mawson, D., andSprigg, R. C., 1950: Subdivision of the Adelaide System. Aust. J. Sci., vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 69–72.
Schindewolf, O. H., 1955: Die Körperfossilien des Unterkambriums, in: O. H.Schindewolf and A.Seilacher, Beiträge zur Kenntnis des Kambriums in der Salt Range (Pakistan). Akad. Wiss. Lit. Mainz. Abh. (1955), no. 10, pp. 25–85.
- 1956: Über präkambrische Fossilien. Geotekt. Symp. H.Stille, ed. F.Lotze, Stuttgart, pp. 455–480.
Sprigg, R. C., 1947: Early Cambrian (?) Jellyfishes from the Flinders Ranges, South Australia. Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Aust., vol. 71, pt. 2, pp. 212–224.
—, 1949: Early Cambrian “Jellyfishes” of Ediacara South Australia and Mount John, Kimberley District, Western Australia. Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Aust., vol. 73, pt. 1, pp. 72–99.
Taylor, R., 1910: The Archaeocyathinae from the Cambrian of South Australia with an account of the morphology and affinities of the whole class. Mem. Roy. Soc. S. Aust., vol. 2, pt. 2, pp. 55–118, pls. I–XVI.
Whittard, W. F., 1953: The enigma of the earliest fossils. Proc. Bristol Natural. Soc., vol. 28, pt. 4.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Glaessner, M.F. The oldest fossil faunas of South Australia. Geol Rundsch 47, 522–531 (1959). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01800671
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01800671