Nasepia

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}} {{Speciesbox | fossil_range = {{fossilrange|545|540}} | image = Nasepia paratype fossil.png | image_caption = The paratype fossil of ''Nasepia altae''. | genus = Nasepia | parent_authority = Germs, 1973 | species = altae | authority = Germs, 1973 }}

'''''Nasepia altae''''' is a species of Ediacaran erniettomorph which was described in 1973 from the farms of Vrede and Chamis, Namibia.<ref name="TRA">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KsFFIrJ8IxEC&dq=Nasepia&pg=PA278|title=The Rise of Animals: Evolution and Diversification of the Kingdom Animalia|first1=Mikhail A.|last1=Fedonkin|first2=James G.|last2=Gehling|first3=Kathleen|last3=Grey|first4=Guy M.|last4=Narbonne|first5=Patricia|last5=Vickers-Rich|date=Mar 16, 2007|publisher=JHU Press|isbn=9780801886799|access-date=May 11, 2022|via=Google Books}}</ref> ''Nasepia'' has an appearance similar to that of most other erniettomorphs from Namibia, with it having a leaf-like body with thin ribs and spindle-shaped bodies, however it differentiates itself from other taxa such as ''Pteridinium'' and ''Rangea'' in the sense that it has smaller petaloids and with the configuration of the ribs being sub-parallel to its axis.<ref name="TDAL">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VGo5AAAAIAAJ&dq=Nasepia&pg=PA77 | isbn=9780521312165 | title=The Dawn of Animal Life: A Biohistorical Study | date=20 June 1985 | publisher=CUP Archive }}</ref><ref name="TRA"/>

== Description == ''Nasepia altae'' represents an erniettomorph with a morphology similar to that of a tiny leaf-like being, with it being made up of a bundle of spindle-shaped bodies, as well as fine ribs that are sub-parallel to a long axis that possess clearly marked margins on its sides. Germs (1973) also noted the appearance of transverse ribs on the body that only appear in some parts of ''Nasepia''. The body fossils of it also share a similarity between ''Pteridinium simplex'' and ''Rangea schneiderhoehni'' with ''Nasepia'' also being made up of the same bundles of sprindle-shaped structures.<ref name="TRA"/> Although, it contradictorily also differentiates from those two taxa because of its petaloids (structures which make up the signature leaf-like shape of petalonamids) being much smaller than those seen in ''Pteridinium'' and ''Rangea''. <ref name="CGS">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YDRSAQAAMAAJ&q=Nasepia | title=Communications of the Geological Survey of South West Africa/Namibia | year=1995 | publisher=The Survey }}</ref><ref name="TRA"/> ''Nasepia'' is difficult to reconstruct as a living organism.<ref name="TDAL"/>

== Occurrence == Fossils of ''Nasepia'' occurred within the Nasep Quartzite Member that is within both the farms of Vrede and Chamis, Namibia and were found more specifically within the Kuibis and Schwarzrand subgroups enclosed by the Nama group.<ref name="TRA"/>

== See also == * List of Ediacaran genera * Erniettomorpha

== References == {{Reflist}}

Category:Ediacaran Category:Ediacaran life Category:Enigmatic prehistoric animal genera Category:Monotypic prehistoric animal genera Category:Fossil taxa described in 1973 Category:Fossils of Namibia Category:Petalonamae