Tuanshanzia Temporal range:
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Genus: | Tuanshanzia Yan, 1995
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Type species | |
Tuanshanzia lanceolata Yan, 1995
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Tuanshanzia is a genus of Proterozoic eukaryote, known from several locations across China and India, including the Gaoyuzhuang and Chuanlinggou formations,[1] as well as the Vindhya Basin.[2] It is probably an alga, although its exact classification is currently unclear. Tuanshanzia seems to be part of a wider group of elongate Proterozoic algae, alongside Changchengia and Eopalmaria.[3]
Tuanshanzia specimens range from 4 to 30 cm (1.6 to 11.8 in) long, and are often preserved as carbonaceous films with a wide range of shapes, varying by species. The type, T. lanceolata has a lanceolate shape, whereas other species have shapes ranging from oval to elongated. As a form taxon, Tuanshanzia is likely paraphyletic, although as no practical alternative exists it remains a valid genus. The genus is named after the Tuanshanzi Formation, where it was first discovered, while the various species are named after their morphology.[1][3][2]