EdiacariumFaunen

EdiacariumFaunen is a term used in paleontological discussion to describe the assemblages of soft-bodied organisms known from the Ediacaran period, preserved as surface impressions in sedimentary rocks. The concept emphasizes the diversity and geographic clustering of Ediacaran life that existed before the rise of modern animal groups during the Cambrian.

The faunen comprises a range of morphotypes commonly associated with Ediacaran biota, including frond-like rangeomorphs, flat to quilted disk- and vase-shaped forms, and other large, sessile structures. Taxonomic affinities for many of these forms remain debated, with some interpreted as early animals and others as distinct early multicellular organisms that do not fit neatly into later animal lineages. Preservation is typically as negative or positive imprints within microbial-mat–rich facies in sandstone or shale.

Geographically, EdiacariumFaunen is known from several well-studied late Precambrian localities, spanning regions such as Avalon-type terrains, the White Sea, and parts of Australia’s Kimberley, among others. Stratigraphically, the associated rocks are dated to roughly 635 to 541 million years ago, placing them close to the transition from the Precambrian to the Cambrian.

Ecologically, the EdiacariumFaunen is interpreted as dominated by benthic, often sessile communities that lived on or just above microbial mats. Feeding methods are inferred from morphology and taphonomy, but are not definitively understood. The study of this faunen informs debates about early multicellularity, the structure of pre-Cambrian ecosystems, and the evolutionary pathways that led to later animal life.