Abstract
A new bivalved arthropod Erjiecaris minusculo gen. et sp. nov. is described from the Lower Cambrian Chengjiang Lagerstätte, Yunnan, southwest China. It possesses mosaic features, such as the reduced shield that is dorsoventrally flattened, dorsally positioned eyes, ring-shaped somites and broad furcal rami. These provide an important link for assessing the evolutionary morphological gap between two distinctive Cambrian arthropod groups, crustaceanomorph and trilobite-like taxa. Thus, the new finding reported here in turn improves the understanding of the body plan of early arthropods and provides fresh insight into the evolution of the carapace/head shield and visual system.
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