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A palaeoscolecid worm from the Burgess Shale

Smith, M.R.

Authors



Abstract

Palaeoscolecid worms are a ubiquitous group of Early Palaeozoic ecdysozoans that are curiously lacking in the archetypal Cambrian Lagerstätten, the Burgess Shale. Here I describe Scathascolex minor gen. et sp. nov, the first unequivocal palaeoscolecid from this site. Scathascolex is armoured with simple Hadimopanella-like plates, but lacks smaller platelets, pointing to a close affinity with the Palaeoscolecida sensu stricto. Neither preservational nor environmental factors account for the scarcity of palaeoscolecids in the Burgess Shale, which presumably represents an ecological phenomenon.

Citation

Smith, M. (2015). A palaeoscolecid worm from the Burgess Shale. Palaeontology, 58(6), 45-58. https://doi.org/10.1111/pala.12210

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Sep 11, 2015
Online Publication Date Oct 15, 2015
Publication Date Nov 1, 2015
Deposit Date Oct 15, 2015
Journal Palaeontology
Print ISSN 0031-0239
Electronic ISSN 1475-4983
Publisher Wiley
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 58
Issue 6
Pages 45-58
DOI https://doi.org/10.1111/pala.12210

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