Gotland enigma
The "Gotland enigma" ( „Gotländer Mysterium“ or "Gotland mystery") is an enigmatic organism from the Neoproterozoic sediments of Gotland.[1] Its fossils were at first interpreted as Lower Cambrian jellyfish, although after more subsequent research it was twice as old as when it was first predicted. It has been compared to the Cretaceous alga, Cheracea.[1]
Description
The "Gotland enigma" has been compared with the aforementioned Cretaceous alga Cheracea, which is similar in appearance to the Gotland enigma. The fossils of the organism are roughly around 2 centimeters (0.79 in) in diameter, and often show a radial form with a central element and unnamed structures by the edge of its body. These structures are dotted in a circle pattern at the edge of its much larger central part that is more clearly defined.[1]
The Geologist Dr Zdenek Gába from Šumperk, Czech Republic studied these forms and stated that they certainly contain organic structures in them and was probably an alga or Ichnofossil. He later added that the possibility of it being an inorganic trace (e.g. discolouration of the sediment the organism was preserved within) was ruled out since the traces of the Gotland enigma clearly had structures that were too regular and had a morphological similarity to a plant; later also comparing it with the microscopic Pachytheca or Ordovician algae.[1]
Affinities
The fossils of the Gotländer Mysterium were thought to have been either Pseudofossils or Dubiofossils. They were later assumed to be the Lower Cambrian remains of some kind of jellyfish.[1] The interpretation of the mysterious remains as being jellyfish was instantly questioned and challenged with multiple ideas. Geological preparator David Schmälzle (1971-2018) from Freie Universität, Berlin was astonished at the remains: he had thought at first that it was a discolouration spot on the Bedrock, although he never saw such a structure with a dotted circle around it.[1] Multiple discussions with international scientists proved the suspicion of an organic origin, and soon it turned out to be plant-related.
See also
References
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