Burgess Shale in 1990
The Burgess Shale is a Miolingian Cambrian aged fossil formation located in Canada. It is named after Mount Burgess, a mountain within Yoho National Park in British Columbia. Several outcroppings of the formation are found within Yoho National Park and Kootenay National Park, which is also within British Columbia.
Geology[]
The Burgess Shale is closely tied the Stephen Formation[1], with it sometimes being treated as a unit of the Stephen Formation and other times as a distinct Formation. Geologically, the Burgess Shale is primarily composed of marine shales, which were deposited at the base of a steep cliff formed by the reefs of the older Cathedral Formation. It was original thought that the lagerstätten conditions of the Burgess Shale were due to it being deposited in anoxic conditions, but more recent evidence points against this hypothesis.[2] Brine seeps have also been proposed as a possible reason for the preservation conditions of the Burgess Shale.
Paleobiota[]
A reconstruction of the Burgess Shale as it was during the Cambrian Perio
Sponges[]
- Capsospongia
- Choia
- Crumillospongia
- Diagoniella
- Eiffelia
- Eiffelospongia
- Falospongia
- Fieldospongia
- Halichondrites
- Hamptonia
- Hamptoniella
- Hazelia
- Leptomitella
- Leptomitus
- Petaloptyon
- Pirania
- Protoprisma
- Protospongia
- Stephenospongia
- Takakkawia
- Ulospongiella
- Vauxia
- Wapkia
Ctenophores[]
- Ctenorhabdotus
- Dinomischus
- Fasciculus
- Siphusauctum
- Xanioascus
Cnidarians[]
- Burgessomedusa
- Byronia
- Cambrorhytium
- Sphenothallus
- Tubulella
Arthopods & Stem-Arthropods[]
Opabiniids[]
Radiodonts[]
- Amplectobelua
- Anomalocaris
- Cambroraster
- Hurdia
- Mosura
- Peytoia
- Stanleycaris
- Titanokorys
Stem-Arthropods of uncertain affinities[]
Hymenocarina[]
- Balhuticaris
- Branchiocaris
- Canadaspis
- Fibulacaris
- Loricicaris
- Nereocaris
- Odaraia
- Pakucaris
- Perspicaris
- Plenocaris
- Tokummia
- Tuzoia
- Waptia
Megacheira[]
- Actaeus
- Alalcomenaeus
- Kootenchela
- Leanchoilia
- Worthenella
- Yawunik
- Yohoia
Bradoriids[]
- Liangshanella
Marrellomorpha[]
- Marrella
- Primicaris
- Skania
Isoxyids[]
- Isoxys
- Surusicaris
Vicissicaudatans[]
- Emeraldella
- Molaria
- Sidneyia
Concilitergans[]
- Helmetia
- Tegopelte
Nektaspids[]
- Naraoia
Trilobites[]
- Bathyuriscus
- Chancia
- Ehmaniella
- Elrathia
- Elrathina
- Hanburia
- Kootenia
- Ogygopsis
- Olenoides
- Oryctocephalus
- Pagetia
- Parkaspis
- Peronopsis
- Ptychagnostus
- Spencella
- Zacanthoides
Chelicerates & Stem-chelicerates[]
- Habelia
- Mollisonia
- Sanctacaris
- Thelxiope
Arthropods of uncertain affinities[]
- Burgessia
- Carnarvonia
- Sarotrocercus
Lobopodians[]
- Aysheaia
- Collinsovermis
- Entothyreos
- Hallucigenia
- Ovatiovermis
- Redoubtia
Hemichordates[]
- Chaunograptus
- Dalyia
- Gyaltsenglossus
- Oesia
- Spartobranchus
- Yuknessia
Annelids[]
- Burgessochaeta
- Canadia
- Insolicorypha
- Kootenayscolex
- Peronochaeta
- Stephenoscolex
- Ursactis
Priapulids[]
Molluscs[]
Brachiopods[]
- Acanthotretella
- Acrothyra
- Diraphora
- Dictyonina
- Lingulella
- Linnarssonia
- Micromitra
- Nisusia
- Paterina
Echinoderms[]
- Gogia
- Lyracystis
- Walcottidiscus
Chordates[]
- Banffia
- Metaspriggina
- Pikaia
Gnathiferans[]
- Amiskwia
- Capinatator
- Nectocaris
Chancellorids[]
- Allonia
- Archiasterella
- Chancelloria
Cambroernids[]
- Eldonia
- Herpetogaster
Hyoliths[]
- Haplophrentis
Animals with unclear affinities[]
- Echmatocrinus
- Mackenzia
- Margaretia
- Platydendron
- Pollingeria
- Portalia
- Priscansermarinus
- Scathascolex
- Thaumaptilon
Cyanobacteria[]
- Marpolia
- Morania
Red Algae[]
- Bosworthia
- Dictyophycus
- Wahpia
- Waputikia