New data on Late Vendian problematic fossils from the genus Harlaniella

The morphology and stratigraphic distribution of Harlaniella podolica Sokolov, 1972 and H. ingriana Ivantsov, sp. nov. were investigated using the collection of impressions sampled recently in Upper Vendian sections of Russia (southeastern White Sea region) and Ukraine (Podoliya). These fossils, which were previously considered as representing coprolites or grazing or locomotion traces, are interpreted as internal casts and impressions of fragments of tubes of initially organic composition. Streptichnus narbonnei Jensen et Runnegar, 2005 from Vendian-Cambrian boundary strata of Namibia are also attributed to this group. It is assumed that the tubes are similar to remains of the algal genera Vendotaenia Gnilovskaya, 1971 from Vendian deposits of the East European Platform and Liulingjitaenia Chen et Xiao, 1992 from Sinian sections of China.