Both the macroscopic feature and the sequence-stratigraphic position of the molar-tooth structure developed in the third member of the Gaoyuzhuang （高于庄） Formation at the Jixian （蓟县） Section in Tianjin （天津） can provide some useful information about its origin and can reveal some problems to be further researched in the future. The Mesoproterozoic Gaoyuzhuang Formation is a set of 1 600 m thick carbonate strata. This formation can be divided into four members. The first member is mainly made up of stromatolitic dolomites; the second is marked by a set of manganese dolomites; the third is mainly composed of lamina limestones with the development of molar-tooth strcutures; the fourth is a set of stromatolitic-lithoherm dolomites. According to lithofacies and its succession, several types of meter-scale cycles can be discerned in the Gaoyuzhuang Formation： the L-M type, the subtidal type and the peritidal type. There is a regularly vertical stacking pattern for meter-scale cycles in the third-order sequence. Therefore, the Mesoproterozoic Gaoyuzhuang Formation can be divided into 13 third-order sequences （SQ1 to SQ13 ） and can further be grouped into 4 second-order sequences. The third member is marked by lamina limestones and can be grouped into three third-order sequences （SQ9 to SQ11 ）. The molar-tooth structure is developed in the middle part of the third sequence, i.e. SQH , in the third member. Several features of this kind of molar-tooth structure reflect some features of carbonate sedimentation in the Precambrian, such as the particular configuration, abundant organic matter, and easy silication. Stromatolites are chiefly formed in a shallow tidal-flat environment; lamina are mainly formed in the shallow ramp and molar-tooth structures are mainly generated in a relatively more deep-water environment from the middle to the deep ramp. Therefore, similar to stromatolite and lamina, the molartooth structure might also be a kind of bio-sedimentation structure. This suggestion is
在漫长的前寒武纪,存在若干谜一样的问题,如叠层石的生长机理、臼齿状构造的成因、白云岩的形成机制和宏观藻类化石的生物学属性及其分类归属等。宏观藻类化石是指那些肉眼可见的低等植物化石,因为与现代藻类的亲缘关系尚未完全确定,它们的生物学属性及其分类位置还存在较多的争议,所以宏观藻类化石成为一个"前寒武纪谜"。发现于天津蓟县剖面高于庄组第三段非叠层石灰岩(均一石灰岩)中的可能的实体宏观藻类化石,与成因还存在争议的臼齿状构造共生,包括球状丘尔藻、椭球状寿县藻、带状塔乌藻和豆荚状荚藻等4种类型,尤其以前两种居多,组成一个丘尔藻-寿县藻组合;这些多为球状体的化石,曾经被认为是臼齿状构造的一种,称为"球状臼齿状构造",但是,由于这些宏观藻类化石具有规则的形态、较为明显的可能的细胞显微结构,与充填臼齿状构造的方解石微亮晶形成明显的区别,不属于臼齿状构造;而且以实体化石产出,与多年来所描述的碳质压型化石又存在较大的区别;同时,该球状化石的中心部位硅化而边部为钙化体,也明显区别于一般的钙质结核、燧石结核、凝灰岩结核和气泡构造等。这些球状实体化石,要比H.J.Hofmann所报道的加拿大麦肯齐山小达尔群(Little Dal Group)的臼齿状构造灰岩中的实体宏观藻类化石的形成时代要老得多,有可能是最为古老的实体宏观藻类化石。高于庄组臼齿状构造灰岩中的实体宏观藻类化石,成为思考若干前寒武纪谜的重要现象。
