A New Noncalcified Thallophytic Alga from the Lower Silurian of Anticosti Island, Eastern Canada

A newly discovered noncalcified thallophytic alga, Menieria minuta, from the Lower Silurian of Anticosti Island, provides rare fossil evidence of soft algal meadows that may have been widespread in Early Paleozoic deepwater subtidal environments. This delicate alga, characterized by a central axis with lateral branches and helically arranged appendages, formed significant biomass alongside brachiopods, suggesting parallels to modern sea grass meadows. The discovery sheds light on the ecological dynamics of photic-zone paleocommunities during this geological period.

Wang, Y., Jin, J., & Zhan, R. (2014). A New Noncalcified Thallophytic Alga from the Lower Silurian of Anticosti Island, Eastern Canada. International Journal of Plant Sciences, 175(3), 359–368. https://doi.org/10.1086/674451