YNU research team discovers new species through fossils

A research team at the Yunnan University Institute of Paleontology made an extraordinary discovery of a new genus and species of the family Leanchoiliidae in the Ordovician Beecher's Trilobite Bed biota in New York, the United States. The team, led by Liu Yu, collaborated with scientists from the University of Oxford, Yale University, and the University of California, Berkeley,

Their findings, published on Oct 29 in Current Biology, present the first instance of this family in the Ordovician period, along with intricate 3D soft-tissue structures. Current Biology is a general journal that publishes original research across all areas of biology, with an extensive and varied set of editorial sections.

The team utilized high-resolution micro-CT imaging equipment at Yunnan University to conduct precision scans of these newly identified fossils. Advanced techniques like 3D reconstruction and virtual dissection allowed the researchers to analyze the fossilized soft tissue in great detail. The team discovered that the animals in this biota lived in low-oxygen environments, which enabled remarkable preservation through pyritization. A process where pyrite replaces the organic components of the animals' bodies, giving the fossils a distinctive golden appearance.

Phylogenetic analysis using Bayesian methods based on detailed 3D morphological data revealed that the newly discovered species forms a sister group to Leanchoilia, positioned near the end of its evolutionary branch. This placement supports the hypothesis that the new species shows significant trait variation compared to other megacheirans (large-limbed arthropods).

The morphology of this new species suggests it may have occupied a benthic ecological niche, with adaptations such as sensory rather than predatory appendages and the absence of eyes. This discovery sheds light on the evolutionary trajectory of Cambrian apex predators, contributing valuable new insights into the early evolution of arthropods and their adaptation strategies.