A poorly preserved fish-like animal from the Chengjiang Lagerstätte (Cambrian Series 2, Stage 3)

Abstract

Specimens of a poorly preserved animal, including individuals and body parts, have been discovered from the Chengjiang Lagerstätte. These specimens are interpreted to be a fish-like animal and are described as an unnamed myllokunmingiid. The morphologies and preservation of individuals and body parts are described, and the relative decay patterns are briefly discussed. These specimens are from the event mudstone beds of the Maotianshan Shale Member, but exhibit the classic preservation of organisms in the background mudstone beds: slow accumulation, and this might indicate that different preservation modes of organisms co-exist in the event mudstone beds. Based on the facts that lenses cannot be discerned on all the specimens of myllokunmingiids, their visual organs may have been more like eyespots than true eyes.