Burgess Shale Burgessia bella Arthropod

Description: Bugessia bella derives its genus name from the location that also lent it name to this spectacular window on early life. It was presumably a benthic organism that made a living crawling on the seafloor. It falls within the arachnomrphs, and so is related to both the chelicerates and trilobites. Note the entral gut, complete telson, and partial legs seen extending from the carapace. This wonderful example shows all the major features of the taxon in incredible detail for a specimen more than a HALF BILLION years of age. Coming from the famous Burgess Shale Fauna, this is a highly-desirable member which will make a fine addition to any collection of Cambrian Explosion fossils. Only specimens such as this one from an old collection are available.