Marocella is a conical shelly fossil of uncertain affinity (probably a mollusc) known from Cambrian strata of Europe, Morocco, Australia and Antarctica.[2]
| Marocella Temporal range: Early-Middle Cambrian
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| Marocella source: Evans, 1992 | |
| Scientific classification | |
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| Binomial name | |
| Marocella Geyer 1986[1]
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| Type species | |
| Marocella mira | |
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Morphology
editLimpet-like Marocella is a low conical shell with concentric ridges that grew to a couple of centimetres in length.[3]
Affinity
editMarocella is thought to be a mollusc, although its position within this phylum is undetermined.[3] Relationship to the halkieriids has also been considered.[2]
Ecology
editSome specimens show evidence of repairing damage caused by predators.[3] It probably moved around on the sea floor.[3] It was geographically widespread.[3]
Distribution
editFossils of Marocella have been found in:[4]
- Shackleton Limestone, Antarctica
- Mernmerna Formation and Parara Limestone, Australia
- Jbel Wawrmast Formation, Morocco
- Sparagmite Formation, Norway
- Láncara Formation, Spain
References
edit- ^ Geyer, G. (1986). "Mittelkambrische Mollusken aus Marokko und Spanien". Senckenbergiana Lethaea (in German). 67: 55–118.
- ^ a b Evans, K. R. (1992). "Marocella: Antarctic Specimens of an Enigmatic Cambrian Animal". Journal of Paleontology. 66 (4): 558–562. Bibcode:1992JPal...66..558E. doi:10.1017/s0022336000024422. JSTOR 1305841. S2CID 132749268.
- ^ a b c d e Skovsted, C. B.; Brock, G. A.; Lindström, A.; Peel, J. S.; Paterson, J. R.; Fuller, M. K. (2007). "Early Cambrian record of failed durophagy and shell repair in an epibenthic mollusc". Biology Letters. 3 (3): 314–317. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2007.0006. PMC 2464687. PMID 17412671.
- ^ Marocella at Fossilworks.org