Rugoconites

taxobox
fossil_range=Ediacaran


image_caption=Line drawing of Rugoconites fossils, not illustrating the rare "frills".
regnum=Animalia
subregnum=Epitheliozoa
subregnum_authority=Axe
phylum=Cnidaria
classis=Medusae
classis_authority=Sepkoski 2002
genus="Rugoconites"
subdivision_ranks=Species
subdivision=
*"R. enigmaticus":Glaessner & Wade 1966
*"R. tenuirugosus":Wade 1972

A member of the Ediacaran biota which takes the form of a circular to oval impression preserved in hyporelief, six or more centimeters in diameter. They are surrounded by a frill that has been interpreted (Wade 1972) as a set of tentacles. The bifurcating radial ribs, spreading from a central dome, serve to distinguish this genus from the very similar "Paleophragmodictya", and may represent the channels of the gastrovascular system (Fedonkin & Cope 1985). Speculation that they may represent sponges (Gehling 1996) is not accepted by Sepkoski "et al." (2002), who interpret it as a jellyfish-like cnidarian; it's believes that, in common with "Ovatoscutum", they were free-swimming (Waggonner 1995). Cnidarian affinities are not necessarily refuted by Ivantstov & Fedonkin (2002), who suggest that "Rugoconites" may possess tri-radial symmetry and be a member of the Trilobozoa.

Fossil "Rugoconites" have been reported in clusters; this may represent a social/colonial way of life, or simply accumulation by the action of currents, sea-floor processes, or possibly preservational conditions (Droser 2007).

External links

http://www.yuzonakano-secretmemory.com/life3.c.html contains a low-quality image.

References

*cite web|url=http://paleodb.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?action=checkTaxonInfo&taxon_no=4703|title=The Paleobiology database|accessdate=2007-08-13
*cite journal
author = Droser, M.L.
year = 2007
title = Anchors Away: Anatomy Of An Ediacaran Sea Floor Dominated By Parvancorina
journal = 2007 GSA Denver Annual Meeting
url = http://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2007AM/finalprogram/abstract_131751.htm
accessdate = 2007-08-13
*cite journal
author = Fedonkin, M.A.
coauthors = Cope, J.C.W.
year = 1985
title = Precambrian Metazoans: The Problems of Preservation, Systematics and Evolution [and Discussion]
journal = Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences
volume = 311
issue = 1148
pages = 27–45
url = http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0080-4622(19851017)311%3A1148%3C27%3APMTPOP%3E2.0.CO%3B2-J
accessdate = 2007-08-13
doi = 10.1098/rstb.1985.0136
*cite journal
author = Gehling, J.G.
coauthors = Rigby, J.K.
date = 1996-03-01
title = Long expected sponges from the Neoproterozoic Ediacara fauna of South Australia
journal = Journal of Paleontology
volume = 70
issue = 2
pages = 185–195
url = http://jpaleontol.geoscienceworld.org/cgi/content/abstract/70/2/185
accessdate = 2007-08-13
*cite journal
author = Ivantstov, A.Y.
coauthors = Fedonkin, M.A.
year = 2002
title = Conulariid-like Fossil From The Vendian Of Russia: A Metazoan Clade Across The Proterozoic/palaeozoic Boundary
journal = Palaeontology
volume = 45
pages = 1219–1229
doi = 10.1111/1475-4983 ]
*cite journal
author = Sepkoski, J.J.
coauthors = Jablonski, D.; Foote, M.
year = 2002
title = A Compendium of Fossil Marine Animal Genera
journal = Bulletins of American Paleontology
volume=363
issue=1
pages=560
type=serial monograph
publisher = Paleontological Research Institution
doi=
*cite journal
author = Waggoner, B.M.
year = 1995
title = Ediacaran Lichens: A Critique
journal = Paleobiology
volume = 21
issue = 3
pages = 393–397
url = http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0094-8373(199522)21%3A3%3C393%3AELAC%3E2.0.CO%3B2-R
accessdate = 2007-08-13