Tuzoia, A Decorated Phyllocarid Fossil from the Guanshan Biota
"fossils of the Cambrian Explosion"

Description: This unusual fossil is an example of a rarely seen Phyllocarid known as Tuzoia sinensis. It is a bivalved crustacean, most well known for its distinctively reticulated carapace. This specimen comes from the strata immediately above the Chengjiang Boita, and is thus slightly younger, more closely contemporary with the Burgess Shale Fauna of British Columbia.

The genus Tuzoia is known from the Burgess Shale and from Early/Middle Cambrian deposits of Utah. Those are largely distinguished by the presence and placement of spines on the carapace. Few examples of the genus are known from more than the carapace, as seen here. Notice that there are also a few partial Redlichiid trilobites embedded in one end of the piece, making for a nice association piece. I’ve included an artist’s rendering of what this one looked like in life. This is the first and only example of this rare taxon I have been able to obtain.