Discovery of Trace Fossils from the Sinian—Cambrian Boundary Beds in Eastern Yunnan and Their Significance for Global Correlation1

Abstract There are abundant and highly varied trace fossils in the Sinian—Cambrian boundary beds in eastern Yunnan. Collections from 27 sections and their study give altogether 45 ichnogenera and 87 ichnospecies. Among them, 2 ichnogenera and 7 ichnospecies are new, and 31 known ichnogenera and 38 known ichnospecies first found in the region. According to their order of appearance in the boundary beds and their assemblage features, the trace fossils in the Sinian—Cambrian boundary beds in the region may fall into 4 trace fossil assemblage zones in ascending order. In the paper they are correlated with those in the equivalent horizons abroad and their geological significance is discussed preliminarily.