Mistaken Point - Fossil Ecosystems of North America: A Guide to the Sites and their Extraordinary Biotas - page 23

on a single bedding plane, usually cast by
the volcanic ash) is an unusual spindle-
shaped fossil consisting of a bipolar array of
branches emanating from a zigzag midline
( 25, 26 ) and up to 30 cm (12 in) long. The
branches may be opposite or alternating
along the midline and there are at least two
distinct forms. Their lifestyle was probably
sessile, but their exact affinities are

unknown. These characteristic fossils, so
common in Newfoundland, have not been
recorded in Ediacaran assemblages
anywhere else in the world (Gehling and
Narbonne, 2007).

Triforillonia
This interesting fossil, described by
Gehling et al . (2000) from the Fermeuse

25

25 The spindle-shaped fossil,
Fractofususfrom the Mistaken
Point Formation at Mistaken
Point. Coin 30 mm 1.2 in in
diameter.

26

26 Reconstruction of
Fractofusus.