Opabiniidae

Opabiniidae
Temporal range: Middle Cambrian - Middle Ordovician, 507–475 Ma
Opabinia (top) and Utaurora (bottom)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Stem group: Dinocaridida
Family: Opabiniidae
Walcott, 1912
Genera

Opabiniidae is an extinct family of marine stem-arthropods.[1] Its type and best-known genus is Opabinia. It also contains Utaurora, and Mieridduryn. Opabiniids closely resemble radiodonts, but their frontal appendages were basally fused into a proboscis. Opabiniids also distinguishable from radiodonts by setal blades covering at least part of the body flaps and serrated caudal rami.[2]

Cross section
Size comparison
  1. ^ Tamisiea, Jack (8 February 2022). "One of Evolution's Oddest Creatures Finds a Fossilized Family Member - Opabinia, which swam the seas of Earth's Cambrian era some 500 million years ago, was not just a one hit wonder". The New York Times. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  2. ^ Pates et al. 2022.