Nanoscale Characterization of Ediacaran Microfossils from Lower Doushantuo Formation Chert Nodules

HAADF-STEM imaging and STEM-EDXS mapping analyses on the FIB ultrathin section reveal that the filaments of <i>Polytrichoides lineatus</i> are filled with numerous spherical or irregular silica particles, which are surrounded by fragments of organic matter and loosely packed. By comparison, the silica particles within the cell wall generally are nano-scale with an average size of 120 ± 40 nm (<i>n</i> = 44, ranging from 60–210 nm) , while those in the cytoplasm are larger with an average size of 1,150 ± 260 nm (<i>n</i> = 46, ranging from 720–1,980 nm) .