Swartpuntia

Taxobox
fossil_range = Ediacaran: 543 to 542 Ma

---

image_caption = A reconstruction of Swartpuntia. For simplicity, only three fronds are shown.
regnum = "incertae sedis"
ordo = Rangeomorpha?
genus = Swartpuntia
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision =
* "S. germsi"

"Swartpuntia" is a monospecific genus of rangeomorph from the terminal Ediacaran period, with at least three quilted, leaf-shaped petaloids — probably five or six. The petaloids comprise vertical sheets of tubes filled with sand. "Swartpuntia" specimens range in length from 12 to 19 cm, and in width from 11.5 to 140 cm. The margin is serrated, with a 1 mm wide groove. A 14 mm wide stem extends down the middle, tapering towards the top, and stopping 25 mm from the tip. The stem has a V shaped ornamentation on it. The original fossils were found at and named after, the Swartpunt farm between Aus and Rosh Pinah in Namibia. The name "Swartpunt" means "black point" referring to the colour of the rocks. The "germsi" species name honours Gerard Germs, who studied the Nama formation of geological beds.

They are preserved in sandstone beds in the Spitzkopf Member from the Nama formation, which lie above an ash bed dated at 543±1 million years old, and occur until the very end of the Ediacaran beds in this locality (Narbonne "et al." 1997): the start of the Cambrian period is dated Ma|542. Whilst "Swartpuntia" has since been found in south-western North America, it does not appear to have had a global distribution — indeed, its seemingly limited range has been used to provide palæogeographical reconstruction (Hagadorn & Waggonner 2000).

The shape of Swartpuntia resembles other rangeomorphs "Pteridinium" and "Charniodiscus", both fronds with alternating segments; interestingly, the segments' microstructure resembles that of "Dickinsonia". This combination of features suggests close relationships between the Ediacaran biota, and lends credence to their membership of a separate phylum (Seilacher's Vendobionta).

References

*cite journal
author = Hagadorn, James W.
coauthors = Waggoner, Ben
date = 2000-03-01
title = Ediacaran Fossils From The Southwestern Great Basin, United States
journal = Journal of Paleontology
volume = 74
issue = 2
pages = 349
doi = 10.1666/0022-3360(2000)074

*cite journal
author = Narbonne, G.M.
coauthors = Saylor, B.Z.; Grotzinger, J.P.
year = 1997
title = The Youngest Ediacaran Fossils from Southern Africa
journal = Journal of Paleontology
volume = 71
issue = 6
pages = 953–967
issn = 0022-3360
url = http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3790/is_199711/ai_n8766793/print
accessdate = 2007-08-19 Free access.