The LobopodOnychodictyonfrom the Lower Cambrian Chengjiang Lagerstätte Revisited

Jianni Liu,Xingliang Zhang,Degan Shu,Jian Han,Zhifei Zhang

doi:10.4202/app.2008.0209

Abstract

Onychodictyon ferox, from the Lower Cambrian Chengjiang Lagerstatte, is a worm-like armored lobopod with 10 pairs of dorsal plates and a pair of probable sensory appendages (“antennae”). Newly discovered complete specimens show that Onychodictyon is represented by two species: O. ferox with a “head” bearing a pair of dorsal “antennae” and a trunk with 11 pairs of limbs, whereas O. gracilis has a blunt anterior end without any appendages and a trunk with 12 pairs of limbs. Because of the close resemblance of the “antennae” of O. ferox and those of the lobopod Miraluolishania, they are considered to be homologous structures. The “antennae” of Cambrian lobopodians are proposed to be homologous with the arthropod antennulae.

Highlights

Onychodictyon ferox, from the Lower Cambrian Chengjiang Lagerstätte, is a worm−like armored lobopod with pairs of dorsal plates and a pair of probable sensory appendages (“antennae”)
Discovered complete specimens show that Onychodictyon is represented by two species: O. ferox with a “head” bearing a pair of dorsal “antennae” and a trunk with pairs of limbs, whereas O. gracilis has a blunt anterior end without any appendages and a trunk with pairs of limbs
The “antennae” of Cambrian lobopodians are proposed to be homologous with the arthropod antennulae

Summary

Introduction

Onychodictyon ferox, from the Lower Cambrian Chengjiang Lagerstätte, is a worm−like armored lobopod with pairs of dorsal plates and a pair of probable sensory appendages (“antennae”).

Results

Conclusion