Nematophytes |
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| Authors: | Marcelina Kondas |
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| Institution: | Faculty of Earth Sciences, University of Silesia, Poland |
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| Abstract: | The Nematophyta is an enigmatic group of organisms, probably with a varied origin, that achieved world‐wide distribution during Ordovician–Devonian times. Nematophytes differ in size, from only a few millimetre‐sized structures, to giants, several metres long. Their morphology is very specific. Generally, they consist of tubes and cuticles of various size and shapes. The complexity of these organisms varies, from single tubes (with or without internal ornamentation) to very complex forms. Until now, these organisms have remained a very mysterious group. We do not know much about their biology, affinity and the role they played in ecological systems, but we suspect that they were an important component of environments before the colonization of land by higher plants. |
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