Oelandocaris

Oelandocaris Temporal range: Upper Cambrian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Holotype specimen
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Family:	† Oelandocarididae
Genus:	† Oelandocaris Müller, 1983
Species:	†O. oelandica
Binomial name
†Oelandocaris oelandica Müller, 1983

Oelandocaris is an extinct genus of stem-mandibulate, ^[1] or possibly a megacheiran, ^[2] within the family Oelandocarididae.

Description

Reconstruction of Oelandocaris

Oelandocaris has a large head segment with a possible median eye, similar to peytoiids, making up roughly one half of its body. ^[3] It has five tergites, each with a biramous limb pair and a spike on their ends, and a cylindrical tail segment. In addition, the head has two biramous limb pairs, antennae and antennules, the posterior similar in structure to the bodily limbs, the anterior including the possible mandibles. It also has a pair of possible great appendages. The whole animal only measures about a millimetre long, similar in size to other Orsten fauna. As the exopods of Oelandocaris's limbs are large and flattened, it is very likely that it was a swimming animal, and presumably planktonic, based on its size. Oelandocaris is known from six specimens, all from the Orsten lägerstatte. The original specimen only preserved the body, however more complete specimens including limbs have been found.

Etymology

Oelandocaris derives from the island of Öland in Sweden, a primary location for Orsten fossils, and the Greek word καρίς, meaning "shrimp" or "crab". ^[3]

References

1. Stein, Martin; Waloszek, Dieter; Maas, Andreas (27 April 2005). "Oelandocaris oelandica and the stem lineage of Crustacea". Crustacea and Arthropod Relationships. Crustacean Issues. 16: 57–71. doi:10.1201/9781420037548.ch3 (inactive 2024-11-12). ISBN   978-0-8493-3498-6.
2. Aria, Cédric; Caron, Jean-Bernard (2017). "Burgess Shale fossils illustrate the origin of the mandibulate body plan". Nature. 545 (7652): 89–92. Bibcode:2017Natur.545...89A. doi:10.1038/nature22080. PMID   28445464. S2CID   4454526.
3. Müller, Klaus J. (1983). "Crustacea with preserved soft parts from the Upper Cambrian of Sweden". Lethaia. 16 (2): 93–109. doi:10.1111/j.1502-3931.1983.tb01704.x.