Newly discovered ancient arthropod lived hundreds of millions of years ago
The Burgess Shale Formation, in the Canadian Rockies of British Columbia, is one of the most famous fossil locations in the world. A recent Palaeontology study introduces a 508 million year old (middle Cambrian) arthropod鈥攃alled Yawunik kootenayi鈥攆rom exceptionally preserved specimens of the new Marble Canyon locality within the Burgess Shale Formation.
Its frontal appendage鈥攖he "megacheiran great appendage"鈥攊s remarkably adorned with teeth, emphasizing an advanced predatory function. The appendage also had long hair-like flagella at the end that likely served a sensory function.
"Yawunik illustrates unique attributes in the early evolution of the most successful group of animals on Earth - the arthropods. It shows that the combination of functions on a single, frontal-most appendage was a type of strategy selected for before the grasping and sensory roles were ensured by different head limbs," said lead author and PhD candite C茅dric Aria.
More information: Aria, C., Caron, J.-B., Gaines, R. (2015), A large new leanchoiliid from the Burgess Shale and the influence of inapplicable states on stem arthropod phylogeny. Palaeontology.
Journal information: Palaeontology
Provided by Wiley
