Vendia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Vendia is an Ediacaran oval-shaped fossil with a distinctive branch pattern on the axis. Its size ranges from 4.5 to 12.5 mm. It is composed of alternating segments that decrease in size, with the larger overlapping the smaller ones. Down the centre of the organism are alternating lobes attached to a central axis.
Vendia has been found in Onega Peninsula, Arkhangelsk Oblast of Russia.
The species of Vendia are V. rachata, V. janae, and V. sokolovi. The differences between the species are:
- V. rachata - 5 segemnts per side, the lobes are quite short.
- V. sokolovi - 7 segments per side
- V. janae - distal ends of segments curve around and meet at the tail point. Larger segments cover the smaller segments. V. janae has been recommended to be a separate genus called Paravendia by Ivantsov.
Vendia was named by Keller in 1969.
Vendia may be an early arthropod. Vendia resembles the Ediacaran fossil, Cyanorus. There are also similarities to Spriggina floundersi and Marywadea ovata. Vendia has been suggested to be the ancestor of Skania from the Cambrian period.
