Posongchong Formation
Geological formation
AgePragian
PeriodPragian
RegionYunnan
CountryChina
UnderliesPojiao Formation
OverliesMeitan Formation

The Posongchong Formation is an early Devonian formation from China. It preserves a wide range of plant and fish fossils, many being only known from this formation.[1]

Paleobiota

Plants

Plants
GenusSpeciesHigher taxonNotesImages
AdoketophytonA. subverticillatum, A. parvulum,[1] A. pingyipuensis[2]Lycophyta?Formerly placed within Zosterophyllum
AmplectosporangiumA. jiangyouense, A. unilaterale, A. unilaterale forma minor[2]incertae sedisA. unilaterale was formerly placed within Oricilla[1]
BaragwanathiaB. sp.DrepanophycalesOnly known from leafy stems, cannot be placed in a species[1]
CatenalisC. digitata[1]Tracheophyta incertae sedisIntermediate between algae and vascular plants[3]
Celatheca[4]C. beckiiLyginopteridales?One of the earliest known seed plants[1]
Cervicornus[5]C. wenshanensisSphenopsida?[1]Sporangia unknown, may be synonymous with Estinnophyton
DemersathecaD. contiguaZosterophylls[6]Only known from fertile axes[1]
Dibracophyton[7]D. acrovatumBarinophytopsida incertae sedis[1]Relatively unusual with dichotomous branching "leaves"
DiscalisD. longistipaZosterophyllales[8]Bears spines on its main axes, somewhat resembles Sawdonia[1]
DistichophytumD. sp.ZosterophyllalesOnly known from a fragmentary specimen[1]
Estinnophyton[9]E. yunnanenseSphenopsida?Possibly a stem-sphenopsid[1]
Eophyllophyton[10]E. bellumEophyllophytopsida (Euphyllophytes)[1]Oldest plant with megaphyllous leaves
GuangnaniaG. cuneataZosterophyllopsida?[11]Unclear whether it truly is a zosterophyll, somewhat similar to Yunia[1]
Gumuia[12]G. zyzzataZosterophyllalesOne of the most well-known Posongchong plants[1]
Halleophyton[13]H. zhichangenseDrepanophycalesAnother possible species also known from the formation[1]
Hedeia[14]H. sinicaProgymnospermopsida?Resembles both seed plants and trimerophytes[1]
Hicklingiacf. Hicklingia sp.ZosterophyllalesResembles the type species of the genus, but bears a few differences from it[1]
HueberiaH. zhichangensis[15]Drepanophycales?[16]Also resembles Leclercqia, however lack of anatomy means its position is unclear.[1]
Huia[17]H. recurvataRhyniopsida?Likely related to Renalia[1]
Ornicephalum[2]O. sichuanenseZosterophyllopsidaFormerly classed within Zosterophyllum
PauthecophytonP. gracileTrimerophyta[18]Related to Psilophyton[1]
PolythecophytonP. demissumProgymnospermopsida?Likely related to Hedeia and Aneurophytales[1][19]
PsilophytonP. primitivum[14]TrimerophytaOne of the most widespread basal vascular plants[1]
RamoferisR. amaliaZosterophyllalesClosely resembles Zosterophyllum[20][1]
RiccardiothallusR. devonicusAneuraceaeEarliest simple thalloid liverwort known[21]
Stachyophyton[22]S. yunnanenseTracheophyta incertae sedisDivergent from other plants due to its leaf-like branches and other features[1]
WenshaniaW. zhichangensisZosterophyllalesClosely resembles Zosterophyllum[23][1]
Yunia[24]Y. dichotoma, Y. guangnania[1]Zosterophyllopsida?Possibly closer to euphyllophytes than zosterophylls?
ZhengliaZ. radiataProtolepidodendrales?[25]May preserve the earliest lycophyte ligulae[1]
ZosterophyllumZ. australianum, Z. ramosum, Z. minifertillum, Z. tenerum[1]ZosterophyllalesKnown from numerous other localities

Animals

Animals
GenusSpeciesHigher taxonNotesImages
ArquatichthysA. porosusDipnomorphaOnly known from scales and skull material[26]
BrevipetalichthysB. gracilisPetalichthyida
EuporosteusE. yunnanensisActinistiaEarliest known anatomically modern coelacanth[27]
Gantarostrataspis[28]G. gengiGantarostrataspidae (Galeaspida)Bears an unusual sensory system
Gumuaspis[28]G. rostrataHuananaspidaeResembles Laxaspis
Huananaspis[29]H. wudinensisHuananaspidaeAlso known from the Nagaoling Formation[30]
LungmenshanaspisL. yunnanensisHuananaspidae (Galeaspida)From a different locality to the "main" Posongchong Formation, yet correlates with it in age[31]
MacrothyraspisM. longicornis, M. longilanceusMacrothyraspidae (Galeaspida)Bears unusually long cornual and rostral processes[32]
Osteolepiformes indet.UnapplicableOsteolepiformesCannot be placed within a genus[31]
PaleolophusP. yunnanensisDipnoiOne of the earliest lungfish, shows rapid evolution of various skull characteristics[33]
Panjiangosteus[34]P. eurycephalaAntarctaspidae
Qingmenaspis[35]Q. microculusGaleaspida incertae sedisBears similar unornamented regions to osteostracan "lateral fields"
QingmenodusQ. yuiOnychodontidaeThe first onychodont to preserve the otoccipital region of the skull[36]
RhegmaspisR. xiphoideaGantarostrataspidae (Galeaspida)Likely quite active as shown by its streamlined head shield[37]
SanqiaspisS. rostrata, S. zhaotongensisSanqiaspididae (Galeaspida)Species also known from Vietnam[38]
TungseniaT. paradoxaTetrapodomorphaMost basal and earliest known tetrapodomorph[39]
WenshanaspisW. zhichangensis[40]Zhaotongaspididae (Galeaspida)[41]Differentiated by its cornual processes
YiminaspisY. shenmeWuttagoonaspidaeSuggests a Chinese origin of the family[42]
ZhaotongaspisZ. janvieriZhaotongaspididae (Galeaspida)Bears the highest quantity of branchial fossae known in agnathans[43]

References

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