Utahcaris
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Utahcaris Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Diagrammatic reconstruction | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Order: | †Habeliida |
| Family: | †Sanctacarididae |
| Genus: | †Utahcaris Morris & Robison, 1988 |
| Type species | |
| Utahcaris orion Morris & Robison, 1988 | |
Utahcaris is a monotypic genus of fossil arthropod. The only known species is Utahcaris orion from the Spence Shale of Utah, dating back to the Cambrian (Wuliuan) period.[1]
Utahcaris is known only by two specimens, the holotype KUMIP 204785 from the original description and paratype KUMIP 204785 from the redescription in 2017. It measured up to 87 mm in body length.[1]
The body comprise of a cephalon (head) and an 11-segmented trunk, covered by a series of overlapping tergites (dorsal exoskeleton). The cephalic shield is bulbous and possess a pair of triangular tergopleurae (lateral extensions), as well as a pair of eyes under its anterolateral margin. The majority of trunk tergopleurae are not preserved, but the last two segments are clearly narrower than the rest. The trunk terminated by a wide, paddle-like telson (tail) that have 2 pairs of small lateral spines. Cephalic and trunk appendages are evident but poorly preserved.[1]