| Arrakiscolex Temporal range:
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|---|---|
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Class: | †Palaeoscolecida |
| Genus: | †Arrakiscolex Leibach et al., 2021 |
| Species: | †A. aasei
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| Binomial name | |
| †Arrakiscolex aasei Leibach et al., 2021
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Arrakiscolex is a genus of Cambrian palaeoscolecid, the first known from the Marjum Formation in Utah; some specimens from the Weeks Formation could be tentatively assigned to this genus. The holotype has a width of 3.95 millimetres (0.16 in) and a length of 38.14 millimetres (1.50 in). The only species is Arrakiscolex aasei. The genus name is inspired by the fictional planet of Arrakis in Frank Herbert novel Dune, inhabited by giant sandworms.[1]
Arrakiscolex is distinguished by small, discoid plates distributed over the surface of the preserved cuticle fragments. The plates are smooth with a well-differentiated marginal rim, differentiating them from other genera with larger or differently shaped plates.[1]
- ^ a b Leibach, Wade; Lerosey-Aubril, Rudy; Whitaker, Anna; Schiffbauer, James; Kimmig, Julien (2021). "First palaeoscolecid from the Cambrian (Miaolingian, Drumian) Marjum Formation of western Utah". Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 66. doi:10.4202/app.00875.2021. S2CID 239731912.