Olgunidae
| Olgunidae Temporal range: Ediacaran
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Porifera (?) |
| Family: | †Olgunidae Luzhnaya, 2025 |
| Genera | |
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Olgunidae is an extinct family from the Ediacaran, with possible relations to the phylum Porifera. They lived from around 557 to 551 Ma, with the type species being Olgunia.
Description
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Olgunids have tubular to sac-like bodies, with sizes ranging from 5 cm (2.0 in) to 30 cm (11.8 in) in height,[1][2] which are made up of segments/paritions, ranging from regularly spaced to irregular spacing and sizes, and stand tall from the seafloor, with some genera having dichotomous branching. They also all bear small disks at their bases, allowing them to attach to the surface of the substrate. They are also noted be colonial in nature, being found in small to large groups, although one of the members, Vaveliksia, is more commonly solitary than colonial.[1] Another member, Funisia, is noted to also show signs of sexual reproduction, making it the oldest known example.[3][2]
It has been noted that Olgunids have similar body-plans to sponges, but also to coelenterates, the phylum that includes genera such as comb jellies.[1]
Distribution
[edit]Genera of the family Olgunidae are found within the White Sea area of Russia, as well as the Flinders Ranges of South Australia.[1][4][5][6]
Taxonomy
[edit]Olgunidae includes the following genera:
- † Olgunia Luzhnaya, 2025 (Type species)
- † Olgunia bondarenkoae Luzhnaya, 2025
- † Funisia Droser & Gehling, 2008
- † Funisia dorothea Droser & Gehling, 2008
- † Vaveliksia Fedonkin, 1983
- † Vaveliksia velikanovi Fedonkin, 1983
- † Vaveliksia vana Serezhnikova, 2004
See also
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References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Luzhnaya, E. A. (April 2025). "New Vendian Metazoa with Colonial Organization". Paleontological Journal. 59 (2): 113–118. doi:10.1134/S0031030125600027.
- ^ a b Droser, Mary L.; Gehling, James G. (21 March 2008). "Synchronous Aggregate Growth in an Abundant New Ediacaran Tubular Organism". Science. 319 (5870): 1660–1662. doi:10.1126/science.1152595.
- ^ "Research shows Earth's earliest animal ecosystem was complex and included sexual reproduction". March 20, 2008. Source: University of California - Riverside via physorg.com
- ^ Droser, Mary L.; Gehling, James G. (21 March 2008). "Synchronous Aggregate Growth in an Abundant New Ediacaran Tubular Organism". Science. 319 (5870): 1660–1662. doi:10.1126/science.1152595.
- ^ Fedonkin, M. A. (1983). "Non-skeletal fauna of Podolia, Dniester River valley". In Velikanov, V. A.; Asseeva, E. A.; Fedonkin, M. A. (eds.). The Vendian of the Ukraine (in Russian). Kiev: Naukova Dumka. pp. 128–139.
- ^ Ivantsov, A.Y.; Malakhovskaya, Y.E.; Serezhnikova, E.A. (2004). "Some Problematic Fossils from the Vendian of the Southeastern White Sea Region" (PDF). Paleontological Journal. 38 (1): 1–9. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-07-04. Retrieved 2007-03-08.