Fuxianhuia
protensa
Phylum
Arthropoda
Geological
Time: Early Cambrian (~525 million years ago)
Size: 43
mm long on a 90 mm by 80 mm and 90 mm by 50 mm matrix
Fossil
Site: Chengjiang Maotianshan Shale, Qiongzhusi Section, Yu'anshan
Member, Heilinpu Formation, Maotianshan Hill, Yuxi, Chengjiang County,
Yunnan Province, China
|  The
systematic position of this taxon is still in debate, with some
considering it a basal euarthropod. The discoverer of the Chengjiang
Biota and a co-worker erected a new family and a new superclass
called Proschizoramia which was characterized as a group at  any
early stage in the evolution of arthropods with biramous limbs.
The taxon is unknown outside the Chengjiang Biota. Chen,
et. al. (1995) noted that displays displays primitive characteristics
of cephalic segmentation and trunk limb morphology supporting its
basal position within Arthropoda. Specifically, the cephalon consists
has eye-bearing sclerite with a head shield bearing antennules and
subchelate appendages. The anterior position of the eye-bearing
sclerite is similar to arthropod embryo eye lobes.
Also see: Cambrian Explosion |
|
