Eldonia

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Eldonia
Temporal range: Cambrian Stage 3–Middle Ordovician
File:Eldonia ludwigii.png
Eldonia ludwigii from the middle Cambrian Burgess Shale.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Superphylum:
Ambulacraria
(unranked):
Cambroernida
(unranked):
Paropsonemida
Family:
Eldoniidae

Walcott 1911
Genus:
Eldonia
Species:
  • E. ludwigii Walcott 1911
  • E. eumorpha Sun & Hou 1987
  • E. berbera ALESSANDRELLO 2003[1]
Synonyms
  • Yunnanomedusa[2]
  • Stellostomites[2]

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Eldonia is an extinct soft-bodied animal of unknown affinity,[3] best known from the Fossil Ridge outcrops of the Burgess Shale, particularly in the 'Great Eldonia layer' in the Walcott Quarry.[4] In addition to the 550 collected by Walcott,[5] 224 specimens of Eldonia are known from the Greater Phyllopod bed, where they comprise 0.43% of the community.[6] Species also occur in the Chengjiang biota,[2] and in Upper Ordovician strata of Morocco.

Walcott's original interpretation as a holothurian was rapidly disputed.[7] Alternative affinities to be suggested, which did not stand the test of time, included the siphonophores[8][9][10] and a coelenterate medusa.[11]

It takes the form of a round, medusoid disk (which originally led to suggestions of a jellyfish affinity)[12] with a C-shaped gut trace. The gut is recalcitrant and can be extracted using HF acid.[13] The organism is frequently found in association with the lobopod Microdictyon, which is presumed to have fed on Eldonia.[14]

The eldoniids form a clade that also includes Paropsonema, Rotadiscus, and Stellostomites.[15]

  • Eldonia berbera.jpg

    Eldonia berbera

  • Eldonia ludwigi, Burgess Shale.jpg

    Eldonia ludwigii, Wolcott Quarry. About 4 cm long

External links

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References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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