The Gaoyuzhuang Formation is a geologic formation in China. It preserves fossils dating back to the Calymmianperiod of the Mesoproterozoic. It is one of the first formations to preserve definitive macroscopic eukaryotes, at almost 1.6 billion years old.[2] In addition to this, the site preserves a diverse microbiota with various cyanobacteria and fungus-like fossils known.[3]
Paleobiota
After Chen et al, 2023,[2] Shi et al, 2017,[3] Liu et al, 2015[4] and Seong-Joo & Golubic, 1999[5]
In addition to these fossils, five unnamed forms are also known. Forms A and B are only known from one specimen, Form C is too fragmentary to be named, and Forms D and E bear no resemblance to any plant, prokaryote, animal or protist. However, various hyphomycetousfungi do form similar structures to forms D and E, thus they may be within this group.[3]
^ abChen, Kai; Miao, Lanyun; Zhao, Fangchen; Zhu, Maoyan (July 2023). "Carbonaceous macrofossils from the early Mesoproterozoic Gaoyuzhuang Formation in the Yanshan Range, North China". Precambrian Research. 392 107074. Bibcode:2023PreR..39207074C. doi:10.1016/j.precamres.2023.107074.
^ abcShi, Min; Feng, Qinglai; Khan, Maliha Zareen; Zhu, Shixing (December 2017). "An eukaryote-bearing microbiota from the early mesoproterozoic Gaoyuzhuang Formation, Tianjin, China and its significance". Precambrian Research. 303: 709–726. Bibcode:2017PreR..303..709S. doi:10.1016/j.precamres.2017.09.013.