Data from: Palaeobiology and taphonomy of the rangeomorph (Culmofrons plumosa)

The deep marine Ediacaran fossil record of Avalonia is dominated by the
Rangeomorpha, a clade characterized by up to four orders of fractal-like
branching. Despite their abundance and morphological diversity, little is
known about their palaeobiology, palaeoecology and phylogenetic position
in the tree of life. The clade has traditionally been interpreted as
consisting of organisms that lived erect in the water column and tethered
to the seafloor, based on the intuitive interpretation of their frondose
body plan. However, recent work has challenged this view and instead
proposes a reclining mode of life for several rangeomorph, possibly in
symbiosis with chemoautotrophic bacteria. In this manuscript, we offer a
detailed description of exceptionally preserved specimens of Culmofrons
plumosa from the Discovery Unesco Geopoark in Newfoundland, CA. We suggest
that Culmofrons plumosa should be reinterpreted as a reclining organism
based on taphonomic and morphological evidence. Additionally, reproductive
modes and a growth model of the species are here inferred, and they appear
to be most consistent with a reclining mode of life, offering a novel
palaeobiological reconstruction of the species.