Thylacocercus
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Clade:†Vetulocystida
Family:†Vetulocystidae
Genus:†Thylacocercus
Halgedahl, Jarrard and Conway Morris in Conway Morris et al., 2015
Halgedahl, Jarrard and Conway Morris in Conway Morris et al., 2015
| Thylacocercus Temporal range: Early Cambrian | |
|---|---|
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| Artistic reconstruction of a group of Thylacocercus | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Clade: | †Vetulocystida |
| Family: | †Vetulocystidae |
| Genus: | †Thylacocercus Halgedahl, Jarrard and Conway Morris in Conway Morris et al., 2015 |
| Type species | |
| †Thylacocercus ignota Halgedahl, Jarrard and Conway Morris in Conway Morris et al., 2015 | |
Thylacocercus is a genus of vetulocystid from the Wheeler Shale of Utah that is tentatively placed within the family Vetulocystidae.[1] Its discovery extended the temporal range of vetulocystids from the Lower Cambrian Stage 3 to the Middle Cambrian Stage 5 (Drumian), and the geographic range from South China to Laurentia.[2]
The genus name is derived from Greek roots and describes the animal’s form: thylacos refers to the bag-like shape of the anterior region, while kerkus denotes the tail-like posterior. The species name ignotus, likewise derived from Greek, reflects its uncertain phylogenetic position and unusual appearance.[1]
