First occurrences of the early Cambrian armoured lobopodian Quadratapora from South Australia and Kazakhstan

Isolated trunk plates of the early Cambrian armoured lobopodian Quadratapora are described from new locations in South Australia and Kazakhstan. The South Australian material is represented by Quadratapora cf. zhenbaensis, and is described from outcrop locations in both the Arrowie Basin and subsurface core samples from the Stansbury Basin (Micrina etheridgei Zone, Cambrian Series 2, Stage 3). The specimens from Kazakhstan are identified as Quadratapora zhenbaensis from the Cambroclavus antis - Rhombocorniculm cancellatum Assemblage Zone (Cambrian Series 2, Stages 3–4). These occurrences represent the first time Quadratapora has been recorded outside of South China and Siberia. Description of the new Australian specimens expands knowledge of the distribution and diversity of armoured lobopodians during the early Cambrian. Comparisons with known material from South China and Siberia demonstrates that Quadratapora may be useful for palaeobiogeographic and biostratigraphic correlations.Eleanor VY. Beidatsch* [ebeidats@myune.edu.au], Palaeoscience Research Centre, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales 2351, Australia; Nicolás E. Campione [ncampion@une.edu.au], Palaeoscience Research Centre, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales 2351, Australia; Michael Steiner [michael.steiner@FU-Berlin.de], Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China; Jack Castle-Jones [jack.jones1@hdr.mq.edu.au], School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia; Glenn A. Brock [glenn.brock@mq.edu.au], School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia; Emil B. Herbert [eherber4@myune.edu.au], Palaeoscience Research Centre, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales 2351, Australia; Marissa J. Betts [mbetts7@une.edu.au], Palaeoscience Research Centre, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales 2351, Australia.