Scientists have described a new group of early animal fossils, Cambrowania ovata Tang and Xiao, from the lower-middle Hetang Formation. The Hetang Formation is located in South China and contains the earliest known fossils of articulated sponges. However, the formation also contains a number of animal fossils that have not been described, and that could help researchers better understand the evolution of animals on Earth.

Fossils examined in the recent study originate from the early Cambrian and represent a new genus and species. The fossils were collected in the Lantian area of China’s southern Anhui Province. The paper describes features of fossil specimens identified through a comprehensive study using reflected light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and micro-CT. The researchers believe that Cambrowania ovata Tang and Xiao could be either the fossilized remains of carapaces (or shells) from bivalved arthropods, or examples of sponges in early life stages.

The study, “A problematic animal fossil from the early Cambrian Hetang Formation, South China,” was published in the journal Journal of Paleontology. The work was supported by NASA Astrobiology through the Exobiology Program.