Early Cambrian metazoan fossil record of South China: Generic diversity and radiation patterns

South China with its rich fossil record is an important region for studying Early Cambrian metazoan diversity patterns. Compilation of a database of metazoan genera from the traditional Lower Cambrian (Cambrian Series 1–2) of South China allows a quantitative analysis of biodiversity changes. The dataset shows that about 876 genus names have been reported from the Lower Cambrian of South China. Of these only about 582 genera are now considered valid after taxonomic scrutiny. Plotting generic diversity shows a two-part, first-order trend: 1, diversity increase through the most of the Meishucunian and Qiongzhusian stages (South China usage), but punctuated by a modest decline during the upper Meishucunian; followed by 2, diversity decline in the Canglangpuan and Longwangmiaoan stages (South China usage). About 155 genera of small shelly fossils (SSFs) occur in Meishucunian rocks. The Meishucunian fauna is dominated by helcionellids, orthothecimorph hyoliths and other enigmatic fossils and is very consistent with the pretrilobitic ‘Tommotian Fauna’. Diversity increases in the Qiongzhusian stage, reaching 304 genera, the peak value known for the Cambrian. The Qiongzhusian fauna is characterized mainly by the occurrence of dominant pan-arthropods and crown-group brachiopods, representing an initial phase of the Cambrian Evolutionary Fauna. A substantial decline in generic diversity through the Canglangpuan (ca 153 genera) and Longwangmiaoan (ca 69 genera) stages is due partly to a eustatic regression, and it approximates the global pattern, reflecting an extinction event at the end of the Lower Cambrian. The observed regional biodiversity through this interval has both evolutionary and taphonomic influences: the decline in SSF diversity beginning in the upper Meishucunian was not only related to the decimation of SSFs, but also to a reduction in phosphogenesis. An apparent peak in diversity during the Qiongzhusian was somewhat exaggerated by the exceptional Chengjiang Biota.