| Zhenghecaris Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
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| Fossil specimens of Zhenghecaris | |
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| Head sclerite of Zhenghecaris | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | incertae sedis |
| Genus: | † Zhenghecaris Vannier et al., 2006 |
| Species: | †Z. shankouensis |
| Binomial name | |
| †Zhenghecaris shankouensis Vannier et al., 2006 | |
Zhenghecaris is an extinct genus of enigmatic arthropods from the Lower Cambrian Maotianshan Shales, tentatively classified as a hurdiid (peytoiid) radiodont, [1] [2] [3] and originally as a thylacocephalan. [4] The genus contains a single species, Zhenghecaris shankouensis, known from several specimens mostly preserving the carapace and eyes. These specimens measure roughly 15 cm (5.9 in) in width, making it one of the largest thylacocephalans, behind Ostenocaris , Dollocaris and Ainiktozoon , as well as the earliest since all other thylacocephalans are Ordovician or younger. Better preserved fossils show that it was more similar to the domed sclerites of radiodonts such as Cambroraster , with two lateral spine processes on either side of the carapace, the eyes apparently fitting into the posterior notches. [3] Additional isolated sclerites from the Chengjiang have been described as the lateral sclerites of Zhenghecaris due to their broad similarity to the P-elements of hurdiids (peytoiids), and because of their similar construction, ornamentation, and possession of two-pronged lateral spine processes. [1] It has also been classified conservatively as Arthropoda incertae sedis , as the fragmentary remains cannot confidently be classified further due to the lack of associated appendages of trunk elements. [5]
