The Emu Bay Shale Cambrian Konservat-Lagerstätte

The Emu Bay Shale Konservat-Lagerstätte: a view of Cambrian life from East Gondwana

Authors:

Paterson et al

Abstract:

Recent fossil discoveries from the lower Cambrian Emu Bay Shale (EBS) on Kangaroo Island, South Australia, have provided critical insights into the tempo of the Cambrian explosion of animals, such as the origin and seemingly rapid evolution of arthropod compound eyes, as well as extending the geographical ranges of several groups to the East Gondwa-nan margin, supporting close faunal affinities with South China. The EBS also holds great potential for broadening knowl-edge on taphonomic pathways involved in the exceptional preservation of fossils in Cambrian Konservat-Lagerstätten. EBS fossils display a range of taphonomic modes for a variety of soft tissues, especially phosphatization and pyritization, in some cases recording a level of anatomical detail that is absent from most Cambrian Konservat-Lagerstätten.