Anomalocaris

E779332

Anomalocaris was a large, predatory marine arthropod-like creature from the Cambrian period, notable for its grasping frontal appendages and circular, toothed mouth.

All labels observed (2)

Label Occurrences
Anomalocaris canonical 4
Anomalocaris canadensis 1

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf extinct genus
radiodont
species
stem-group arthropod
approximateAgeInMillionsOfYearsAgo about 521–485 Ma
bodyLength up to about 1 meter
bodyPlan elongate segmented body with lateral lobes
clade Radiodonta
describedBy Charles Doolittle Walcott
diet carnivorous
ecologicalRole apex predator
feedingMechanism grasping prey with frontal appendages
processing prey with circular mouth
firstAppearance Early Cambrian
fossilPreservation Lagerstätte deposits such as Burgess Shale
fossilRange Cambrian
linked to: Cambrian Period
fossilsFoundIn Burgess Shale, Canada
Chengjiang biota, China
linked to: Chengjiang biota

Emu Bay Shale, Australia
linked to: Emu Bay Shale
geologicalTimeScaleUnit Cambrian Series 2 to Furongian (approximate)
Paleozoic era
linked to: Paleozoic Era
habitat marine
kingdom Animalia
lastAppearance Late Cambrian
livedDuring Cambrian period
linked to: Cambrian Period
locomotion swimming using lateral lobes
nameMeaning "abnormal shrimp"
notableFeature circular toothed mouth (oral cone)
large grasping frontal appendages
large lateral swimming lobes
paired compound eyes
originalMisinterpretation thought to be separate animals (frontal appendages, mouth, body) from different species
paleoenvironment Cambrian shallow marine ecosystems
parentTaxon Anomalocaris
phylum Arthropoda (sensu lato)
linked to: Arthropoda
possiblePrey trilobites (debated)
reconstructionHistory body parts later recognized as belonging to a single animal
relatedTo Hurdia
Peytoia
researchTopic functional morphology of frontal appendages and mouth
scientificSignificance important for understanding early arthropod evolution
status extinct
tailFeature tail fan used for maneuvering
taxonRank genus
trophicLevel predator of soft-bodied animals
typeSpecies Anomalocaris canadensis
linked to: Anomalocaris
yearDescribed 1892

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (5)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Cambrian biota includesTaxon Anomalocaris
Burgess Shale containsFossilsOf Anomalocaris
Anomalocaris typeSpecies Anomalocaris canadensis
linked to: Anomalocaris
Anomalocaris canadensis parentTaxon Anomalocaris
subject linked to: Anomalocaris
Pikaia coexistsWith Anomalocaris