Vetulicolia is a group of bilaterian marine animals encompassing several extinct species from the Cambrian, and possibly Ediacaran, periods. As of 2023, the majority of workers favor placing Vetulicolians in the stem group of the Chordata, but some continue to favor a more crownward placement as a sister group to the Tunicata. It was initially erected as a monophyletic clade with the rank of phylum in 2001, with subsequent work supporting its monophyly. However, more recent research suggests that vetulicolians may be paraphyletic and form a basal evolutionary grade of stem chordates.
Yunnanozoon lividum is an extinct species of bilaterian animal from the Lower Cambrian Chengjiang biota of Yunnan province, China. Its affinities have been long the subject of controversy.
Pikaia gracilens is an extinct, primitive chordate marine animal known from the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale of British Columbia. Described in 1911 by Charles Doolittle Walcott as an annelid, and in 1979 by Harry B. Whittington and Simon Conway Morris as a chordate, it became "the most famous early chordate fossil", or "famously known as the earliest described Cambrian chordate". It is estimated to have lived during the latter period of the Cambrian explosion. Since its initial discovery, more than a hundred specimens have been recovered.
Vetulicola is an extinct genus of marine animal discovered from the Cambrian of China. It is the eponymous member of the enigmatic phylum Vetulicolia, which is of uncertain affinities but may belong to the deuterostomes. The name was derived from Vetulicola cuneata, the first species described by Hou Xian-guang in 1987 from the Lower Cambrian Chiungchussu Formation in Chengjiang, China.
Didazoon haoae is an extinct species of vetulicolid vetulicolian described by Shu, et al. based on fossils found in the Qiongzhusi (Chiungchussu) Formation, Yu'anshan Member, Lower Cambrian, in the Dabanqiao area (Kunming), about 60 km northwest of Chengjiang, China.
Pomatrum is an extinct vetulicolian, the senior synonym of Xidazoon; the latter taxon was described by Shu, et al. (1999) based on fossils found in the Qiongzhusi (Chiungchussu) Formation, Yu'anshan Member, Lower Cambrian, Haikou, (Kunming), about 50 km west of Chengjiang, China.
Vetulicolida is a class of vetulicolians. It consists of the order Vetulicolata and the genus Nesonektris, which is of uncertain placement. It is distinguished from the Banffozoa by the number and size of posterior segments as well as features of the anterior section.
Vetulicolidae is a vetulicolian family from the Cambrian Stage 3 Maotianshan Shale and Sirius Passet Lagerstätte that consists of Vetulicola, Beidazoon, and Ooedigera. It is distinguished from the Didazoonidae by a harder body wall and the lack of an oral disc.
Didazoonidae is a vetulicolian family within the order Vetulicolata. It is charaterized by a relatively thin-walled, non-biomineralized body and a large, round anterior opening surrounded by an oral disc. It may be paraphyletic, even if the phylum Vetulicolia is monophyletic.
Ambulacraria, or Coelomopora, is a clade of invertebrate phyla that includes echinoderms and hemichordates; a member of this group is called an ambulacrarian. Phylogenetic analysis suggests the echinoderms and hemichordates separated around 533 million years ago. The Ambulacraria are part of the deuterostomes, a clade that also includes the many Chordata, and the few extinct species belonging to the Vetulicolia.
Banffozoa is an extinct class of bilaterians. Most workers place it in the Vetulicolia, but the protostome-like features of some members have motivated ongoing debate. Banffozoa consists of the order Banffiata as well as a dwarf "Form A" that has not been formally described or named. Skeemella has been placed incertae sedis in this class, but has more recently been placed with the Banffiidae. Banffozoa may be paraphyletic even if Vetulicolia is monophyletic.
Yuyuanozoon magnificissimi, from the Cambrian Stage 3 Chengjiang lagerstatte, is the largest known vetulicolian, with specimens up to 20 cm in length compared to 5–14 cm for other vetulicolian species.
Radiodonta is an extinct order of stem-group arthropods that was successful worldwide during the Cambrian period. Radiodonts are distinguished by their distinctive frontal appendages, which are morphologically diverse and were used for a variety of functions. Radiodonts were among the earliest large predators, but they also included sediment sifters and filter feeders. Some of the most famous species of radiodonts are the Cambrian taxa Anomalocaris canadensis, Hurdia victoria, Peytoia nathorsti, Titanokorys gainesi, Cambroraster falcatus and Amplectobelua symbrachiata. The later surviving members include the subfamily Aegirocassisinae from the Early Ordovician of Morocco and the Early Devonian member Schinderhannes bartelsi from Germany.
Skeemella is a genus of elongate animal from the Middle Cambrian Wheeler Shale and Marjum lagerstätte of Utah. It has been classified with the banffozoan vetulicolians.
Banfiidae is a family of extinct banffozoan animals from North America and China. The family name is sometimes spelt Banffidae. It includes Banffia, Heteromorphus, and possibly Skeemella. The family may be paraphyletic. The family may be paraphyletic. A Heteromorphus-like dwarf "Form A" is allied with this group at the class level, but has not been formally described or assigned to this family.
Vetulocystidae is the only family of the taxon Vetulocystida, which is a group of extinct deuterostomes of uncertain phylogenetic position. Vetulocystidae is made up of the genera Vetulocystis, Dianchicystis and Thylacocercus.
Vetulocystis is an extinct genus type genus of the family Vetulocystidae. It was found in the Maotianshan Shales, which date to roughly 518 mya.
Dianchicystis is an extinct genus of vetulocystid deuterostome. It was found in Jianshan, China, near Haikou, in the Cambrian Qiongzhusi Formation.
Cheungkongella is a fossil organism from the lower Cambrian Chengjiang lagerstatte, the affinity of which has been the subject of debate. It was announced as a "probable" tunicate while noting the lack of definitive Cambrian fossils from that group. However, this affinity was later disputed in a paper announcing the discovery of Shankouclava, also from Chengjiang, as the oldest known tunicate. Cheungkongella has been accepted as a distinct taxon and possible tunicate by multiple workers not involved in its discovery, but the dispute remains unresolved.
Heteromorphus is an extinct genus of banffiid from the lower Cambrian Chengjiang lagerstatte. It contains one broadly accepted species, Heteromorphus confusus, as well as a proposed junior synonym, Heteromorphus longicaudatus that may prove to be a separate species as additional specimens are examined. A much smaller species labeled "Form A" is allied with Heteromorphus at the class level but has not been formally described or assigned to Heteromorphus itself.
