Fractofusus
Encyclopedia
Fractofusus misrai is a fossil discovered in Newfoundland
, Canada
.
In the summer of 1967, S.D.Misra an Indian
graduate student (1966–69) at Newfoundland
's Memorial University
discovered a rich assemblage of imprints of soft bodied organisms on the surface of large rock slabs, while mapping the Conception Group of Avalon Peninsula
of Newfoundland near Cape Race
, at a place called Mistaken Point.
These unusual impressions of previously unknown soft-bodied sea animals on the surfaces of argillites (mudstone) included coelenterates and other metazoa of the Ediacarian period, more than 560 million years ago. Misra was the first to prepare and present a systematic geological map of the region, to classify and describe the rock sequence of the area and to work out the depositional history of the rocks.
The description of the fossil
assemblage together with their mode of occurrence, cause of sudden death, ecological conditions and chronological position form part of Misra's detailed thesis
submitted for the degree of Master of Science. The discovery was reported in 1968 in Nature
. Misra described the Mistaken Point fauna in detail in 1969, in a paper published in the Bulletin of the Geological Society of America
. He described the fossil assemblage into five groups, namely:
Each group was defined in terms of distribution and form, sub-categories and biological affinity. The paper was acclaimed by geoscientists throughout the World.
Geological environment of the fossil-bearing rocks and ecology of the animals that lived and died in the Conception Sea, were described by Misra in two of his subsequent papers published in the Bulletin of the Geological Society of America in 1971 and in the Journal of the Geological Society of India in 1981 respectively. He intends to publish his thesis of historical importance in the near future. He still has the original fossil bearing rock samples and numerous casts of the fossils with him. Those interested are free to contact regarding meaningful academic use of the specimens.In 1987, a five kilometer stretch of the coast was declared an ecological reserve to protect the fossils.
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Discovery of vendian fossils in the Avalon Peninsula
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
graduate student (1966–69) at Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
's Memorial University
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Memorial University of Newfoundland, is a comprehensive university located primarily in St...
discovered a rich assemblage of imprints of soft bodied organisms on the surface of large rock slabs, while mapping the Conception Group of Avalon Peninsula
Avalon Peninsula
The Avalon Peninsula is a large peninsula that makes up the southeast portion of the island of Newfoundland.The peninsula is home to 257,223 people, which is approximately 51% of Newfoundland's population in 2009, and is the location of the provincial capital, St. John's. It is connected to the...
of Newfoundland near Cape Race
Cape Race
Cape Race is a point of land located at the southeastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland, Canada. Its name is thought to come from the original Portuguese name for this cape, "Raso", or "bare"...
, at a place called Mistaken Point.
These unusual impressions of previously unknown soft-bodied sea animals on the surfaces of argillites (mudstone) included coelenterates and other metazoa of the Ediacarian period, more than 560 million years ago. Misra was the first to prepare and present a systematic geological map of the region, to classify and describe the rock sequence of the area and to work out the depositional history of the rocks.
The description of the fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
assemblage together with their mode of occurrence, cause of sudden death, ecological conditions and chronological position form part of Misra's detailed thesis
Thesis
A dissertation or thesis is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings...
submitted for the degree of Master of Science. The discovery was reported in 1968 in Nature
Nature
Nature, in the broadest sense, is equivalent to the natural world, physical world, or material world. "Nature" refers to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general...
. Misra described the Mistaken Point fauna in detail in 1969, in a paper published in the Bulletin of the Geological Society of America
Geological Society of America
The Geological Society of America is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of the geosciences. The society was founded in New York in 1888 by Alexander Winchell, John J. Stevenson, Charles H. Hitchcock, John R. Proctor and Edward Orton and has been headquartered at 3300 Penrose...
. He described the fossil assemblage into five groups, namely:
- Spindle-shaped
- Leaf-shaped
- Round lobate
- Dendrite like
- Radiating
Each group was defined in terms of distribution and form, sub-categories and biological affinity. The paper was acclaimed by geoscientists throughout the World.
Geological environment of the fossil-bearing rocks and ecology of the animals that lived and died in the Conception Sea, were described by Misra in two of his subsequent papers published in the Bulletin of the Geological Society of America in 1971 and in the Journal of the Geological Society of India in 1981 respectively. He intends to publish his thesis of historical importance in the near future. He still has the original fossil bearing rock samples and numerous casts of the fossils with him. Those interested are free to contact regarding meaningful academic use of the specimens.In 1987, a five kilometer stretch of the coast was declared an ecological reserve to protect the fossils.