Pre-Cambrian and Early Paleozoic Algae
Fenton CL. 1943. Pre-Cambrian and Early Paleozoic Algae. The American Midland Naturalist. 30(1):83-111
Algae of Pre-Cambrian and early Paleozoic (Cambrian and Ordovician) formations present problems that range from recognition of their organic origin to nomenclature, and from preservation or loss of microstructure to the interpetation of polyspecific complexes and their role in sedimentation. This paper undertakes to survey these problems and contribute to their solution, as well as to suggest possibilities for future investigation. It also seeks to supplement the summaries of information upon early algae published by Pis (1927) and Seward (1931), stressing more recent discoveries and others whose full importance is not indicated by those authors. A large part of the paper is devoted to stromatolites, which outrank all other Pre-Silurian plant fossils in abundance, variety and importance as rock-builders. Sections devoted to the origin and naming of these structures, and their possible value as index fossils, are frankly controversial in form. No other treatment seems to be consistent with the need for answering objections and disproving conclusions which the writer deems unsound.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Fenton, Carroll
- Units
- GLAC
- Keywords
- algal, cells, Fossils, Sediment, Stromatolites