Abstract
The evolutionary processes of speciation during the Cambrian radiation and their potential extrinsic drivers, such as episodic oceanic oxygenation events, remain unconfirmed. High-resolution temporal and spatial distribution of reef-associated archaeocyath sponge species on the Siberian Craton during the early Cambrian [ca. 528 to 510 million years ago] shows that speciation was driven by increased endemism particularly ca. 521 million years (59.7% endemic species) and 514.5 million years (65.25% endemic species) ago. These mark rapid speciation events after dispersal of ancestors from the Aldan-Lena center of origin to other regions. These speciation events coincided with major sea-level lowstands, which we hypothesize were intervals when relative deepening of the shallow redoxcline permitted extensive oxygenation of shallow waters over the entire craton. This provided oxic corridors for dispersal and allowed the formation of new founder communities. Thus, shallow marine oxygen expansion driven by sea-level oscillations provides an evolutionary driver for sucessive speciation events during the Cambrian radiation.