Composition and preservation of the Chengjiang fauna –a Lower Cambrian soft‐bodied biota

The Lower Cambrian Chengjiang fauna is reviewed and shown to be closely comparable with the younger Burgess Shale fauna. but with various differences in detail. A diverse group of more or less annulated lobopod animals including ‘armoured lobopods’ are regarded as representatives of the phylum Onychophora. ‘Trilobitomorphs’ include several new types. Probable protaspides of the trilobitomorph Naraoia are described. No molluses or deuterostomes have been identified. The preservational orientations of the various taxa are reviewed and compared with orientations of the Burgess Shale taxa. Orientation in the sediment is found to be closely correlated to the original shape of individuals. Several new genera and species are described: the segmented. worm‐shaped Yunnanozoon lividum gen. et sp.n., the ‘armoured lobopods’ Onychodictyon ferox gen. et sp.n. and Cardiodictyon catenulum gen. et sp.n. and the arthropods Saperion glumaceum gen. et sp.n., Sinoburius Iunaris gen. et sp.n., and Xandarella spectaculum gen. et sp.n.