Zhenghecaris

Zhenghecaris
Temporal range: Cambrian Stage 3
Fossil specimens of Zhenghecaris
Head sclerite of Zhenghecaris
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: incertae sedis
Genus: †Zhenghecaris
Vannier et al., 2006
Species:
†Z. shankouensis
Binomial name
†Zhenghecaris shankouensis
Vannier et al., 2006

Zhenghecaris shankouensis is an enigmatic arthropod from the Lower Cambrian Maotianshan Shales, tentatively classified as a hurdiid (peytoiid) radiodont,[1][2][3] and originally as a thylacocephalan.[4] It is known from several specimens mostly preserving the carapace and eyes measuring roughly 15 cm (5.9 in) in width, which would have marked it as one of the largest thylacocephalans, behind Ostenocaris, Dollocaris and Ainiktozoon, as well as the earliest since all other thylacocephalans are Ordovician or younger. Better preserved fossils show that it was more similar to the domed sclerites of radiodonts such as Cambroraster, with two lateral spine processes on either side of the carapace, the eyes apparently fitting into the posterior notches.[3] Additional isolated sclerites from the Chengjiang have been described as the lateral sclerites of Zhenghecaris due to their broad similarity to the P-elements of hurdiids (peytoiids), and because of their similar construction, ornamentation, and possession of two-pronged lateral spine processes.[1] It has also been classified conservatively as Arthropoda incertae sedis, as the fragmentary remains cannot confidently be classified further due to the lack of associated appendages of trunk elements.[5]

Reconstruction of Zhenghecaris shankouensis as a hurdiid (peytoiid) radiodont, with missing anatomy drawn from Cambroraster.
Outdated reconstruction as a thylacocephalan.
  1. ^ a b Zeng, Han; Zhao, Fangchen; Yin, Zongjun; Zhu, Maoyan (4 January 2017). "Morphology of diverse radiodontan head sclerites from the early Cambrian Chengjiang Lagerstätte, south-west China". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 16 (1): 1–37. doi:10.1080/14772019.2016.1263685. ISSN 1477-2019.
  2. ^ Moysiuk, J.; Caron, J.-B. (14 August 2019). "A new hurdiid radiodont from the Burgess Shale evinces the exploitation of Cambrian infaunal food sources". Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 286 (1908): 20191079. doi:10.1098/rspb.2019.1079. ISSN 0962-8452.
  3. ^ a b Caron, Jean-Bernard; Moysiuk, Joe (2021). "A giant nektobenthic radiodont from the Burgess Shale and the significance of hurdiid carapace diversity". R. Soc. Open Sci. 8 (210664): 210664. Bibcode:2021RSOS....810664C. doi:10.1098/rsos.210664. PMC 8424305. PMID 34527273.
  4. ^ Vannier, Jean; Huang, Diying; Charbonnier, Sylvain; Xiu-Qiang, Wang; Chen, Jun-Yuan (June 2006). "The Early Cambrian origin of thylacocephalan arthropods". Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 51 (2): 201–214.
  5. ^ Pates, Stephen; Lerosey-Aubril, Rudy; Daley, Allison C.; Kier, Carlo; Bonino, Enrico; Ortega-Hernández, Javier (19 January 2021). "The diverse radiodont fauna from the Marjum Formation of Utah, USA (Cambrian: Drumian)". Palaeontology and Evolutionary Science. 9: e10509. doi:10.7717/peerj.10509. PMC 7821760. PMID 33552709.