Rebuilding Earth's first skeletal animals: the original morphology of Corumbella (Ediacaran, Brazil)

Autor(es)

Becker-Kerber, Bruno ; Ortega-Hernandez, Javier ; Schiffbauer, James D. ; Lerosey-Aubril, Rudy ; Warren, Lucas Verissimo ; Simoes, Marcello Guimaraes ; del Mouro, Lucas ; Rodella, Cristiane Barbieri ; Basei, Miguel Angelo Stipp ; Archilha, Nathaly Lopes

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE; v. 12, n. 5, p. 14-pg., 2025-05-21.

Resumo

The evolutionary onset of animal biomineralization in the late Ediacaran (ca 555-538 Ma) is marked by the global appearance of enigmatic tubular fossils with unresolved phylogenetic relationships. Among these, Corumbella werneri from the Tamengo Formation (Corumb & aacute; Group, Brazil) has been variously interpreted as affiliated with cnidarians or bilaterians. Using synchrotron imaging and machine learning, we analysed new specimens of C. werneri to reconstruct their original skeletal organization. Our findings reveal that Corumbella's tubes were originally conico-cylindrical. Large individuals of Corumbella, including less compacted specimens, and compression experiments with modern annelid tubes all indicate that previous reconstructions of a quadrate outline and midline features were misled by taphonomic artefacts. We also show that the wall of Corumbella is composed of a single layer of ring-shaped elements. Unlike the fourfold symmetry of scyphozoans or the complex cataphract-like structures of Cambrian bilaterians (e.g. halkieriids, tommotiids and wiwaxiids), Corumbella displays structural similarities with other late Ediacaran corumbellomorphs, such as Costatubus. These taxa exhibit a distinctive barrel-on-barrel tube construction, with modular elements stacked on each other rather than nested. Our findings redefine Corumbella's morphology and phylogenetic affinities, contributing to a broader understanding of early biomineralizing metazoans and their ecological roles in the Ediacaran biosphere. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 23/14578-6 - Origem dos substratos marinhos Fanerozoicos e controles paleoambientais da Revolução Agronômica na transição Ediacarano-Cambriano
• Beneficiário: Lucas Verissimo Warren
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular
• Processo FAPESP: 20/11320-0 - Revelando o oculto: investigando os primeiros animais através de síncrotron MicroCT e aprendizado de máquina profundo
• Beneficiário: Bruno Becker Kerber
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Pós-Doutorado
• Processo FAPESP: 15/03737-0 - O Cráton Rio de la Plata e o Gondwana Ocidental
• Beneficiário: Miguel Angelo Stipp Basei
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Temático
• Processo FAPESP: 22/06133-1 - Tomografia por difração de raios-x e tomografia por função de distribuição de pares: novas ferramentas para investigações paleontológicas
• Beneficiário: Bruno Becker Kerber
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Exterior - Estágio de Pesquisa - Pós-Doutorado