Skip to main content
Fig. 5 | BMC Biology

Fig. 5

From: A stem group Codium alga from the latest Ediacaran of South China provides taxonomic insight into the early diversification of the plant kingdom

Fig. 5

Similarity in external morphology between Codium, Chuaria, and Megasphaera at the Megaclonophycus stage. a Bryopsidales alga Protocodium sinense gen. et sp. nov., holotype NWULJG 10,034, scanning electron microscopy (SEM). b “Multicellular aggregate” form of Chuaria circularis, backscattered-electron SEM at 25 keV, from the Tonian Liulaobei Formation. Modified from Tang et al. [18]. c Megaclonophycus stage of the Megasphaera inornata embryo from the Ediacaran Weng’an biota of the Doushantuo Formation. Preserved without enclosing envelope. Note that only early Megaclonophycus developmental stages of Megasphaera, such as the one represented here, which possess the adequate number of cells, are directly comparable to Protocodium and Chuaria. Modified from Xiao et al. [13]. Contrary to the embryo in c, the form of Chuaria in b cannot yet be accurately distinguished from Protocodium based on internal anatomy. b, c Images courtesy of Qing Tang, Shuhai Xiao and Xunlai Yuan. Scale bars: 200 μm

Back to article page