Cathaymyrus
Extinct genus of chordates
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cathaymyrus is a genus of Early Cambrian chordate known from the Chengjiang biota in Yunnan Province, China.[4] Both species have a long segmented body with no distinctive head. The segments resemble v-shaped muscle blocks found in cephalochordates such as Amphioxus. A long linear impression runs along the "back" of the body looking something like a chordate notochord.[citation needed]
Phylum:Chordata
Genus:†Cathaymyrus
Shu, Conway Morris & Zhang 1996[2]
Shu, Conway Morris & Zhang 1996[2]
| Cathaymyrus Temporal range: Cambrian Stage 3, | |
|---|---|
| C. diadexus (top) and Vetulocystis (bottom) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Genus: | †Cathaymyrus Shu, Conway Morris & Zhang 1996[2] |
| Type species | |
| Cathaymyrus diadexus Shu, Conway Morris & Zhang 1996 | |
| Species | |
| |
While some authors have suggested that the genus is a cephalochordate and closely related to living lancelets, other authors have disputed this due to the poor preservation of the head region, considering its placement within Chordata uncertain.[5]