Over 80 ancient reef organisms discovered in Guizhou

Chinese and British paleontologists have recently found a number of ancient marine organisms in a patch reef in Southwest China's Guizhou province.

The Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, said fossils of 83 species of reef organisms, dating back 385 million years, were identified in the patch reef in Jiwozhai, Dushan county.

The new findings represent the palaeobiodiversity and the complex ecological relationships between different organisms in the area, according to the institute.

Paleontologists said the main reef builders are stromatoporoids, tabulate corals and chaetetids.

The research results have been published in the journal Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology.