Torellella sp.

Wrona, Ryszard, 2004, Cambrian microfossils from glacial erratics of King George Island, Antarctica, Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 49 (1), pp. 13-56 : 50

Torellella sp.

Fig. 25F, G.

Material.—Ten well−preserved specimens from erratic boulders Me32, 33, 52, and 66. Figured specimens, ZPAL V. VI /32S11; 103S13.

Description.—Phosphatic steinkerns of slightly tapering tubes, up to 2mm long, gently curved in initial part but straighter at distal end. Subcircular to oval in cross−section, up to 0.3 mm in diameter. No apical end has been observed, because it is always broken off and missing. The smooth surface does not bear any trace of original shell sculpture. No opercula closing the aperture were observed.

Remarks.—These tubes show some resemblance to steinkerns representing diverse species of Cambrotubulus Missarzhevsky, 1969 (in Rozanov et al. 1969) or Circotheca Syssoiev, 1958 ( Hinz 1987; Kerber 1988), but with broken and missing initial end, they are difficult to designate more certainly. Torellellid tubes, similarly as hyolithelminths may be considered as having lacked a mineralized operculum.

Occurrence.—Allochthonous Early Cambrian (Botomian) boulders (Me32, 33, 52, 66), King George Island, Antarctica.

Problematica

Phylum, order, and family uncertain

Genus Aetholicopalla Conway Morris, 1990 in Bengtson et al. 1990

Type species: Aetholicopalla adnata Conway Morris, 1990 in Bengtson et al. 1990.

Remarks.—These calcareous (secondarily phosphatized) globular fossils with a double wall perforated by tubes that enter its central cavity, appear similar to Archaeooides when poorly preserved, with the external wall destroyed. They often occur attached to or encrusting objects.