Burgess Shale-type fossils in Cambrian sandstones of the Holy Cross Mountains

Abstract

Impressions of a U-shaped gut are identified in discs of Velumbrella czarnockii from the Slowiec Sandstone Formation of the Middle Cambrian of the Holy Cross Mts. Associated discs devoid of radial ribs belonged to different species attributed to Rotadiscus. Fossils of both Velumbrella and Rotadiscus are sclerotized discs and are preserved randomly oriented within coarse grained sandstones. Anomalocaridid jaw apparatus has been found on the lower surface of a sandstone bed in the Late Cambrian Klon6wka Shale Formation. These organisms, typical for the Burgess Shale and Chengjiang soft-bodied faunas are thus not restricted ecologically to fine clastic facies of the Cambrian.