A giant nektobenthic radiodont from the Burgess Shale and the significance of hurdiid carapace diversity.

ABSTRACT: Radiodonts, stem-group euarthropods that evolved during the Cambrian explosion, were among the largest and most diversified lower palaeozoic predators. These animals were widespread geographically, occupying a variety of ecological niches, from benthic foragers to nektonic suspension feeders and apex predators. Here, we describe the largest Cambrian hurdiid radiodont known so far, Titanokorys gainesi, gen. et sp. nov., from the Burgess Shale (Marble Canyon, Kootenay National Park, British Columbia). Estimated to reach half a metre in length, this new species bears a very large ovoid-shaped central carapace with distinct short posterolateral processes and an anterior spine. Geometric morphometric analyses highlight the high diversity of carapace shapes in hurdiids and show that Ti

SUBMITTER: Caron JB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8424305 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature