Overview
- The newly described fossil assemblage from a Huayuan County quarry dates to about 512 million years ago and captures a thriving outer‑shelf ecosystem shortly after the Sinsk extinction.
- Researchers collected more than 50,000 specimens overall and formally analyzed 8,681, identifying 153 species across 16 major groups, with roughly 59% new to science.
- Soft tissues including gills, guts, eyes, nerves, and even cellular structures are preserved, enabling detailed reconstructions of anatomy and ecology.
- Comparisons show shared taxa with Canada’s Burgess Shale, such as Helmetia and Surusicaris, supporting long‑distance dispersal of early animal larvae via ocean currents.
- The fauna includes radiodont apex predators and the world’s oldest known pelagic tunicate, pointing to complex food webs and a functioning biological carbon pump in deep waters; thousands of additional specimens await description.