Charnia
Fossil of Charnia
- Charnia masoni
- Charnia wardi
- Charnia antecedens
Charnia is a genus of extinct organisms from the geological age of Ediacarian. This farnblattähnlichen beings, their systematic assignment is controversial, are among the earliest representatives of the so-called Ediacaran fauna. Their fossilized remains are among the oldest macrofossils at all. The name comes from the Charnwood Forest in England Charnia of origin of the first fossil finds.
Features
The representatives of the genus Charnia similar in appearance to an elongated fern leaf. They also come with a disk-shaped foot, which probably served as the holder on the seabed. They reached a length of up to two meters.
Their representatives Charnia masoni, Charnia wardi and Charnia antecedens differ in shape and size.
System
The systematic classification of Charnia is controversial in science. Originally Charnia was interpreted as an algal genus. Mostly Charnia will be allocated to the kingdom of multicellular animals. Similarities with today's sea pens are striking, although a direct relationship probably does not exist. One alternative hypothesis is that Charnia belongs to the extinct tribe of Vendobionten, which are interpreted as a giant single-celled organisms, among others, and are attributed to the protozoa or to a designated as Rangeomorpha taxon of sessile organisms that were characterized by a fractal-like growth.
Discovery history
As a discoverer of Charnia is usually called Roger Mason, who was 16 years old when mountain climbing in Charwood Forest along with two friends found fossil remains of these creatures in 1957. Roger Mason showed them the geologist Trevor Ford and its publication in the Journal of the Yorkshire Geological Society attracted international attention. However, Roger Mason was not the first to discover these fossils. A year earlier, they were from the student Tina Negus discovered without that she found more recognition.