First report of Halkieria and enigmatic globular fossils from the Central European Marianian (Lower Cambrian, Gorlitz Syncline, Germany)

Abstract

Some non-trilobite faunal elements from Marianian strata of eastern Germany ("Gorlitz Fauna" Lusatia) are presented from this region for the first time. One of these is the Burgess type fossil Halkieria Poulsen, 1967. The extremely low frequency of halkieriids in the Garlitz fauna and, in contrast, the very large amount of chancelloriids in the same found horizon point to different habitats for these two coeloscleritophoran groups and support the assumption of different modes of life of these fossils. Furthermore, a new report is made on six enigmatic and poorly preserved globular individuals assigned to Aetholicopalla adnata Conway Morris, 1990b. Nearly all of these globules show adaptions to a sessile benthic and/or to an encrusting mode of life. Based on a portrayal of the present knowledge on higher Lower Cambrian small shelly faunas from central and southern Europe (Germany, Czechia, Poland, France, Spain, Italy) the utility of these fossil groups for biostratigraphy, palaeoecology and related topics are discussed. A prospect of the further tasks in the higher Lower Cambrian small shelly palaeontology of the western Mediterranean and especially the importance and the capability of related investigations in different regions of the Gondwanan European shelf is given.