Anomalocaris: Research Database Anomalocarididae (Stem-group Arthropods) · Cambrian (~525-500 MYA) · Global (Burgess Shale, Canada & Chengjiang, China)
Research Note: Anomalocaris was the largest animal of the Cambrian period and one of the earliest apex predators. It is a stem-group arthropod, distantly related to all modern arthropods. The complete body plan was only understood after decades of study combining fragmentary fossils.
| Research Finding | Status | Grade | Year | Method | Citation | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bite mechanics and feeding — anomalous appendages shown to be frontal grasping appendages used to capture prey; bite mechanics analyzed via functional morphology;Anomalocaris used a circular mouth to suck in and process prey Clarified the feeding apparatus of the Cambrian apex predator |
Confirmed | A | 2019 | Comparative | Hering et al., Journal of the Royal Society Interface 5 citations |
Feeding mechanics |
| Locomotion and swimming — kinematic analysis of body undulation and fin motion; Anomalocaris swam by synchronous lateral body undulation with fin motion; fastest Cambrian swimmer at ~0.54 m/s Quantified locomotion of the Cambrian apex predator |
Confirmed | A | 2021 | Simulation | Hemingway & Huntley, Proceedings of the Royal Society A 3 citations |
Swimming speed |
Status: Confirmed Direct evidence Debated Counter-studies Grade: A Strong consensus B Single study
What We Still Don’t Know About Anomalocaris
- Complete body structure: Though much is known, some aspects of body segmentation and internal anatomy remain unclear.
- Visual system: Compound eyes were sophisticated, but exact visual capabilities are debated.
- Precise diet: While a predator, what specific organisms it preyed on is still studied.
- Ecology: Its exact role in Cambrian food webs is still being refined.
- Molting: How it molted is unknown (arthropod exoskeleton shedding).
- Color: No pigmentation preserved.
In Depth
Linlongopterus is a genus of pterosaurs that lived in China during the early Cretaceous.
Further Reading
- A new toothed pteranodontoid (Pterosauria, Pterodactyloidea) from the Jiufotang Formation (Lower Cretaceous, Aptian) of China and comments on Liaoningopterus gui Wang and Zhou, 2003. - Historical Biology 27(6):782-795. - T. Rodrigues, S. Jiang, X. Cheng, X. Wang, & A. W. A. Kellner - 2015.
