| Haikoucaris Temporal range: | |
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| Fossil of Haikoucaris | |
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| Reconstruction of Haikoucaris | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | † Megacheira |
| Clade: | † Cheiromorpha |
| Genus: | † Haikoucaris Chen et al., 2004 |
| Species: | †H. ercaiensis |
| Binomial name | |
| †Haikoucaris ercaiensis Chen et al., 2004 | |
Haikoucaris is a genus of megacheiran arthropod that contains the single species Haikoucaris ercaiensis. It was discovered in the Cambrian Chengjiang biota of China. [1]
Haikoucaris measured about 38 mm in body length. [1] The elongated body compose of a semicircular head shield, 13 trunk tergites and presumely a short, spine-like telson. [1] [2] The head possess a pair of unstalked eyes, a pair well-developed great appendages, as well as 3 more appendage pairs of unknown detail. [2] Each of the great appendage consists of a 2-segmented peduncle and a 3-segmented claw. [2] Each of the trunk segment possess a pair of biramus appendages that each comprising a leaf-shaped exopod and a possibly 7-segmented endopod. [2]
Haikoucaris may have been a predator, with its great appendages and exopod suggested to be used for hunting and swimming respectively. [2]
Within megacheirans, Haikoucaris is generally accepted to be a member of the clade Cheiromorpha alongside Yohoia and Leanchoiliidae. [3] [4] [5] [6]
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