Anomalocaris
sp.
Phylum Uncertain,
Anomalocarididae
Geological
Time: Early Cambrian (~525 million years ago)
Size (25.4
mm = 1 inch): Fossil is 88 mm long (curve measure) on a 105 mm by 60
mm matrix
Fossil
Site: Chengjiang Maotianshan Shales - Guanshan Fauna, Lower most
part of Wulongqing Formation, Caijiachong Valley, Yieyatoung, Gangtoucun
Village, Xiamacun Town, Kunming City, Yunnan
Fossil Code:
CJF1288
Price: $395.00
- sold
Description:
The discovery of the Chengjiang Biota by Hou Xian-guang in 1984
opened a window onto a remarkable array of lifeforms from what
is termed the Cambrian Explosion. The diversity of soft-tissue
fossils is astonishing: algae, medusiforms, sponges, priapulids,
annelid-like worms, echinoderms, arthropods (including trilobites),
hemichordates, chordates, and the first agnathan fish make up
just a small fraction of the total. Numerous problematic forms
are known as well, some of which may have represented failed
attempts at diversity that did not persist to the present day.
This
is the grasping arm of the “Terror Of The Cambrian”,
Anomalocaris, and it comes from what has been termed the “Guanshan
Fauna”, found in the Wulongqing Formation. The Guanshan
Fauna shares many genera with the slightly older Chengjiang Biota,
but differs at the species level. The members of this group of
enigmatic creatures are known from Asia, Australia, Europe, and
North America, and are thought by many to be closely allied with
the Arthropoda, as position not held by all researchers. The
spiniferous grasping appendages are strongly suggestive of its
carnivorous habits; some trilobites from Utah bear evidence of
bite marks that have been attributed to Anaomalocaris. The genus
derives its name from “anomalous shrimp” which was
what the describer thought the appendage was.
Also
see: Chengjiang
Biota Fauna List Chengjiang
Fossils
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