Avalofractus
# Avalofractus

Avalofractus abaculus is a frond-like rangeomorph fossil described from the Ediacaran of the Trepassey Formation, Spaniard's Bay, Newfoundland.

## Morphology

Avalofractus displays a strongly fractal body shape, with four levels of nearly perfectly self-similar, pinnate, alternate branches. It was about 5 cm long on average, with a 1 cm-diameter holdfast at the base of the frond. The stem length is from 1/3 to 1/2 that of the whole frond. It is quite similar to Rangea, even if with distinct morphological differences that justify the creation of a new genus (e.g. absence of subsidiary quilts, frond elements free to rotate independently instead of being attached to each other by a membrane).

## Distribution

In contrast with other rangeomorphs, which have wide distributions, Avalofractus seems to have been an endemic species, being known only from the Spaniard's Bay deposits.

## Reproduction

It has been suggested that Avalofractus could have been capable of vegetative reproduction: loose fronds could have detached and grow, rather like a plant cutting. This could explain the mysterious lack of independent rangeomorph fronds smaller than 10 mm in the fossil record.

A previous suggestion that Avalofractus younger individuals were encased in a sheath-like structure has been later dismissed.

