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IRMNG taxon detailsTianzhushania L.M. Yin & Z.P. Li, 1978 †
marine,
fossil only
Not documented
Taxonomic remark Assigned to Protozoa in IRMNG at this time (as per Megasphaera), although this assignment could change. Yin et al., 2004...
Taxonomic remark Assigned to Protozoa in IRMNG at this time (as per Megasphaera), although this assignment could change. Yin et al., 2004 considered that Tianzhushania should be viewed as a senior synonym of Megasphaera, an argument developed further by Cunningham et al., 2017, who extended the definition of Tianzhushania to include not only Megasphaera but also Yinitianzhushania, Parapandorina and Megaclonophycus; however other workers continue to refer to e.g. Megasphaera as an accepted name. Regarding potential animal affinities, Cunningham et al., 2017 state: The genus Tianzhushania and its type species T. spinosa were described in 1978 for acanthomorphic acritarchs ... Weng’an fossils that have been interpreted as the embryos of early animals (Xiao et al. 1998) have been the focus of most attention and debate (Fig. 2a–f). They have been interpreted as metazoans (Xiao et al. 1998) including bilaterians (Chen & Chi 2005; J. Chen et al. 2006, 2009a,b; Yin et al. 2013), as stem-group metazoans (Hagadorn et al. 2006; Schiffbauer et al. 2012; L. Chen et al. 2014) or as members of non-metazoan clades (Bailey et al. 2007a,b; Butterfield 2011b; Huldtgren et al. 2011, 2012; L. Chen et al. 2014; Zhang & Pratt 2014). ... None of the characters that have been used to justify an animal interpretation are exclusive to animals (see Fig. 4). Features such as palintomic cleavage, Y-shaped cell junctions and an ornate envelope are found in non-animal groups (Huldtgren et al. 2011, 2012). They are therefore consistent with an animal interpretation, but they are not diagnostic characters. They are insufficient, either in isolation or in combination, to justify an animal affinity. [details]
IRMNG (2025). Tianzhushania L.M. Yin & Z.P. Li, 1978 †. Accessed at: https://www.irmng.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1078703 on 2025-03-31
Date action by
basis of record
Farr, E. R.; Zijlstra, G. (eds). (1996-current). Index Nominum Genericorum (ING). A compilation of generic names published for organisms covered by the ICN: International Code of Nomenclature for Algae, Fungi, and Plants. [previously: organisms covered by the International Code for Botanical Nomenclature] (2007 version). , available online at https://naturalhistory2.si.edu/botany/ing/
note: as "algae" [details] additional source Yin, C.; Bengtson, S.; Yue, Z. (2004). Silicified and phosphatized Tianzhushania, spheroidal microfossils of possible animal origin from the Neoproterozoic of South China. <em>Acta Palaeontologica Polonica.</em> 49(1): 1-12., available online at https://agro.icm.edu.pl/agro/element/bwmeta1.element.agro-article-924797ac-03c0-4817-958f-9483f85177c0/c/app49-001.pdf note: refer note [details] verified source for family Cunningham, J. A.; Vargas, K.; Yin, Z.; Bengtson, S.; Donoghue, P. C. J. (2017). The Weng'an Biota (Doushantuo Formation): an Ediacaran window on soft-bodied and multicellular microorganisms. <em>Journal of the Geological Society.</em> 174(5): 793-802., available online at https://doi.org/10.1144/jgs2016-142 note: refer note [details] name verified source Farr, E. R.; Zijlstra, G. (eds). (1996-current). Index Nominum Genericorum (ING). A compilation of generic names published for organisms covered by the ICN: International Code of Nomenclature for Algae, Fungi, and Plants. [previously: organisms covered by the International Code for Botanical Nomenclature] (2007 version). , available online at https://naturalhistory2.si.edu/botany/ing/ [details] current name source Zhang, Y.; Yin, L.; Xiao, S.; Knoll, A. H. (1998). Permineralized fossils from the terminal Proterozoic Doushantuo Formation, South China. <em>Journal of Paleontology.</em> 72(S50): 1-52., available online at https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022336000059977 [details] extant flag source Farr, E. R.; Zijlstra, G. (eds). (1996-current). Index Nominum Genericorum (ING). A compilation of generic names published for organisms covered by the ICN: International Code of Nomenclature for Algae, Fungi, and Plants. [previously: organisms covered by the International Code for Botanical Nomenclature] (2007 version). , available online at https://naturalhistory2.si.edu/botany/ing/ [details] Unreviewed
Descriptive info Precambrian; Mt. Tianzhushan, Changyang district, W. Hubei, SW China. (Index Nominum Genericorum) [details]Taxonomic remark Assigned to Protozoa in IRMNG at this time (as per Megasphaera), although this assignment could change. Yin et al., 2004 considered that Tianzhushania should be viewed as a senior synonym of Megasphaera, an argument developed further by Cunningham et al., 2017, who extended the definition of Tianzhushania to include not only Megasphaera but also Yinitianzhushania, Parapandorina and Megaclonophycus; however other workers continue to refer to e.g. Megasphaera as an accepted name. Regarding potential animal affinities, Cunningham et al., 2017 state: The genus Tianzhushania and its type species T. spinosa were described in 1978 for acanthomorphic acritarchs ... Weng’an fossils that have been interpreted as the embryos of early animals (Xiao et al. 1998) have been the focus of most attention and debate (Fig. 2a–f). They have been interpreted as metazoans (Xiao et al. 1998) including bilaterians (Chen & Chi 2005; J. Chen et al. 2006, 2009a,b; Yin et al. 2013), as stem-group metazoans (Hagadorn et al. 2006; Schiffbauer et al. 2012; L. Chen et al. 2014) or as members of non-metazoan clades (Bailey et al. 2007a,b; Butterfield 2011b; Huldtgren et al. 2011, 2012; L. Chen et al. 2014; Zhang & Pratt 2014). ... None of the characters that have been used to justify an animal interpretation are exclusive to animals (see Fig. 4). Features such as palintomic cleavage, Y-shaped cell junctions and an ornate envelope are found in non-animal groups (Huldtgren et al. 2011, 2012). They are therefore consistent with an animal interpretation, but they are not diagnostic characters. They are insufficient, either in isolation or in combination, to justify an animal affinity. [details] |
