Vendotaenid

Vendotaenids are Precambrian macrofossils of uncertain nature originally interpreted as brown algae. Little studies are available on vendotaenids as they are rare.

Vendotaenid Temporal range:
Fossil of a Vendotaenid at Musee d'Histoire Naturelle, Brussels.
Scientific classification
Genera
†Aataenia Gnilovskaya, 1976 †Harlaniella Sokolov,1972 †Laminarites Eichwald 1854 †Sinotaenia Chen & Zheng, 1986 †Tyrasotaenia Gnilovskaya, 1971 †Vendotaenia Gnilovskaya, 1971 †Vidhyania Tewari, 1988 †Kroloataenia Tewari, 1988

Morphology

Vendotaenids typically are 1 millimeter (0.039 in) in width and characteristically are commonly preserved as unbranched red or black ribbons. The remains are often curved and have been found twisted or untwisted. Vendotaenia tends to be untwisted whereas Tyrasotaenia tends to be twisted. Specimens of the vendotaenid Krolotaenia possess lateral branching, however it is not common to find a branch that branches into lateral ribbons. Tyrostaenia is unbranching and crumpled.

Classification

The classification of these fossils has been problematic. Originally interpreted as brown algae, the fossils have also been argued to represent sulfide-reducing bacteria. They have more recently been suggested to represent red or green algae. There are potentially other taxa within Vendophyceae, listed in Tewari, 1999 as "synonyms". These synonyms are listed as: "Vendotaenia, Aataenia, Katnia, Laminarites, Proterotainia, Sinotaenia, Tyrasotaenia, Vidhyania, and Krolotaenia." There is little information on the fossils so it is difficult to reconstruct a full Phylogenetic tree of Vendotaenids.

Occurrence

Vendotaenids are able to be extracted from the surrounding sediments by HF dissolution and are found within Ediacaran rocks dating to 650 to 530 million years ago.

See also

• List of Ediacaran genera