Gender: Female

Born: 02/12/82

University: Northwest University

Major: Palaeontology & Stratigraphy

Address: Taibaibeilu 229, Xian 710069, P. R. China

Telephone: +86(0)29-81779396

Email: eli_djfu@yahoo.com.cn

Education:

2000-2004 Biotechnology, Department of Biology, NWU, B.S.

2004-2007 Animal ecology, Department of Biology, NWU, M.S.

Complete the dissertation in Fudan University

2007-2011 Palaeontology & Stratigraphy, Department of Geology, NWU, D.E.

Publications:

1. Fu D. J. and Zhang X. L. 2011. A new arthropod Jugatacaris agilis n. gen. and n. sp. from the Early Cambrian Chengjiang biota, South China. Journal of Paleontology. 85(3):567-586.

2. Fu D. J., Zhang X. L. and Shu D. G. 2011a. A Venomous Arthropod in the Early Cambrian Sea. Chinese Science Bulletin, 56 (15): 1532-1534.

3. Fu D. J., Zhang X. L. and Shu D. G. 2011b. Soft anatomy of the Early Cambrian arthropod Isoxys curvirostratus from the Chengjiang biota of South China with a discussion on the origination of great appendages. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. available online 09 Feb 2011 doi:10.4202/app.2010.0090

4. Zhang X. L., Fu D. J. and Dai T. 2011. A new species of Kangacaris (Arthropoda) from the Chengjiang lagerstätte, lower Cambrian, southwest China. Alcheringa. available online doi:10.1080/03115518.2011.576532

5. Zhang X. L., Fu D. J. and Dai T. 2011. A new xandarellid arthropod from the Chengjiang Lagerstätte, Lower Cambrian of Southwest China. Geobios. Accepted.

Research Interests

My principal research interests revolve around the so-called ‘Cambrian explosion’ of some 545 million years ago. The origin and early evolution of the arthropods, largely based on the study of exceptionally preserved Cambrian fossils from the Chengjiang, Sirius Passet, Emu Bay Shale and Burgess Shale Lagerstätten etc.

The work is focused at the moment on the following questions:

1. The evolution of great-appendage arthropod, with particular reference to the origin of the cephalic grasping structure – Many arthropods share the raptorial ‘great appendage’ functionally, but their homology assumption is disputable. We are convinced that Isoxys curvirostratus has only one pair of frontal great appendage immediately following the ocular segment and thus is presumably innervated from the deutocerebrum. On the contrary, Occacaris and Forfexicaris share two pre-oral appendages, thus their great appendages (corresponding to the second antenna) might have originated from the tritocerebral segment. The great appendages of anomalocaridids were considered to be deutocerebral in origin because the second appendage might be modified into a labrum (Zhang, 2009). Therefore, the great appendage itself is a functional adaptation rather than a synapomorphic character for a monophylogenic group.

2. The origin and evolution of the carapace/shield of the bivalved arthropod – The ‘bivalved’ carapace are common in Cambrian arthropods, even the middle-size shield of Fuxianhuia Hou, 1987 is reinterpreted as bivalved carapace (Budd, 2002). Superficial resemblances in these carapaces/shields are, however, probably due to convergent evolution. We found that the body of Jugatacaris agilis Fu and Zhang, 2011 was attached to its carapace through the pronounced adductor muscle at the maxillary (the fifth/sixth) segment. It is essentially similar to the recent crustaceans whose carapace comprising cephalic shield and fold of integument that arises from posterior border of maxillary somite extending over trunk. In Branchiocaris, however, muscle scars locate near (not posterior to) the base of second antenna (Briggs, 1976), implying the carapace derived from the third segment or more anteriorly. Another bivalved arthropod Ercaicunia multinodosa Luo and Hu, 1999 was stated that the carapace was fused into antennal (second head) segment (Chen, 2004). In other arthropods, including Fuxianhuia protensa Hou, 1987b, Chengjiangocaris longiformis Hou and Bergström, 1991 and Shankouia zhenghei Chen et al., 2004 (Waloszek et al., 2005), their carapace were recognized as the expanded tergite of the second head segment and its posterior fold free from other segments (Waloszek et al. 2005). Cases above indicate that the carapace may be derived from different segment and be of various segmental fusions. Furthermore, the ‘bivalved’ carapace, in fact, varies from two separated valves to united carapace of Jugatacaris, and even to a single carapace like some Isoxy species (Fu et al., 2011b).

3. The morphology, ontogeny and phylogeny of the Waptiids – Waptiid arthropods are important elements of Early-Middle Cambrian marine fauna. However, neither Waptia fieldensis nor the Chengjiang Waptiid, e.g., Chuandianella ovate has yet been described in detail. In addition, several waptiid-like arthropods have been recognized by us from Chengjiang fauna recently. The tagmosis of Chuandianella ovate is quite similar to Waptia fieldensis (a pair of antenna followed by ten appendages, five abdomen somites without limbs by our observation), but the appendage, such as extropod is remarkably different.

4. How diverse was the array of functionalities among early arthropods? – Early arthropods were obvious complex animals in terms of anatomy and behavior. It is very likely that almost all the life styles known in present-day ecosystems probably existed in the Early Cambrian and organs adapted for these purpose had already reached a high level of diversity and anatomical sophistication. For example, venom gland (Fu et al., 2011a), vascular integumental network (Fu et al., 2011b) and probable book gills (Fu and Zhang, 2011 manuscript) have been found in arthropods from the Chengjiang fauna.

Hobbies

Drawing and tennis

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