Museum Quality Leanchoilia Opabinid Arthropod from Chengjiang
"part and counterpart"

Arthropoda; Leanchoilia illecebrosa

Geological Time: Early Cambrian (~525 million years ago)

Size: 26 mm long

Fossil Site: Chengjiang Maotianshan Shales, Quiongzhusi Section, Yu’anshan Member, Heilinpu Formation Yuxi, Chengjiang County, Yunnan Province, China


Leanchoilia illecebrosaDescription: This unusual arthropod is known as Leanchoilia. The taxon is known from a number of locations within the Chengjiang region. 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.

The specimen is a member of the “great appendage arthropods” known as the opabinids after Opabinia from the Burgess Shale Fauna. LeanchoiliaOther members from Chengjiang are Jianfengia and Alalcomenaeus (see my other offerings for examples). The exceptional detail of the appendages are readily apparent in this fine specimen, and are indicative of the fact that this was a strong swimmer. This is a truly exceptional specimen, showing a portion of the flagellate antennae believed to have performed a sensory function (seen here tucked under the body pointed anteriorly), and as such is quite uncommon. I have included a reconstruction of the taxon showing what they looked like in life.

click to enlarge


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