Trilobites
Order Redlichiida, Suborder Redlichiina, Superfamily
Redlichioidea, Family Redlichiidae
Trilobite is 10 mm long
Chengjiang Maotianshan Shales, Quiongzhusi Section, Yu’anshan
Member, Heilinpu Formation, Haiyi Village, Anning, Yunnan Province,
China
Remarks: Members of Superfamily Redlichioidea are the
oldest non-Olenelloid (i.e., Suborder Olenellina,
Superfamily Olenelloidea) trilobites. Coming
from the Chengjiang Maotianshan Shales, this trilobite is some five
to ten
million years older than trilobites from the Burgess
Shale. This one has an antenna preserved. The species is one of
the few for which antennae, legs and gills have been found preserved
in fossils, enabling more study of prospective lifestyles. Among
world lagerstatten,
the Chengjiang
Maotianshan Shales has the most diverse
fauna, and
exhibits Burgess Shale-like soft tissue preservation.
Also see: Chinese
Trilobites Trilobite
Phylogeny sensu Fortey Trilobite Soft Tissue Preservation |