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A restudy of Utahcaris orion (Euarthropoda) from the Spence Shale (Middle Cambrian, Utah, USA)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 August 2016

DAVID A. LEGG  and
STEVE PATES
DAVID A. LEGG*
Affiliation:
Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PW
STEVE PATES
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, The Tinbergen Building, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
*
†Author for correspondence: david.legg@oum.ox.ac.uk
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Abstract

Utahcaris orion Conway Morris & Robison, 1988, from the lower middle Cambrian (Series 3, Stage 5) Spence Shale Member situated in Utah, USA, is redescribed based on a restudy of the original material. Newly recognized features, including ventral lateral eyes, trunk appendages, and a bulbous cephalic shield with subtriangular extension, reinforce similarities with Sanctacaris uncata from the middle Cambrian Burgess Shale. Both are assigned to the new family, Sanctacarididae. Sanctacaridids represent the oldest chelicerates. Their ecology and that of their nearest non-chelicerate relatives indicate that Chelicerata were plesiomorphically predatory.

Keywords

Langston FormationWellsville MountainsSidneyiaambush predationChelicerata
Type
Rapid Communication
Information
Geological Magazine , Volume 154 , Issue 1 , January 2017 , pp. 181 - 186
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2016 

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