Orthrozanclus

Name: Orthrozanclus ‭(‬Dawn scythe‭)‬.
Phonetic: Or-fro-zan-klus.
Named By: S.‭ ‬Conway Morris and J.-B.‭ ‬Caron‭ ‬-‭ ‬2007.
Classification: Animalia,‭ ‬Lophotrochozoa,‭ ‬Mollusca,‭ ‬Halkieriidae.
Species: O.‭ ‬reburrus‭ (‬type‭)‬,‭ ‬O.‭ ‬elongata.
Diet: Detritivore‭?
Size: O.‭ ‬reburrus up to‭ ‬1‭ ‬centimetre long.‭ ‬O.‭ ‬elongata. Up to‭ ‬2‭ ‬centimetres long.
Known locations: Canada‭ ‬-‭ ‬Burgesss Shale.
Time period: Mid Cambrian.
Fossil representation: Several individuals.

       Similar to the more famous Wiwaxia,‭ ‬Orthrozanclus was a bottom dwelling oceanic organism that lived during the Cambrian.‭ ‬Orthrozanclus had sclerite scales along the body,‭ ‬and larger spines that rose up from the spines possibly for defence.‭ ‬Orthrozanclus is thought to have scoured the microbial mat of the sea floor for food.

Further reading
-‭ ‬Halwaxiids and the early evolution of lophotrochozoans.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Science‭ ‬315:1255-1258.‭ ‬-‭ ‬S.‭ ‬Conway Morris and J.-B.‭ ‬Caron‭ ‬-‭ ‬2007.
-‭ ‬Orthrozanclus elongata n.‭ ‬sp.‭ ‬And the significance of sclerite-covered taxa for early trochozoan evolution.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Scientific Reports.‭ ‬7‭ (‬1‭)‬:‭ ‬16232.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Fangchen Zhao,‭ ‬Martin R.‭ ‬Smith,‭ ‬Zongjun Yin,‭ ‬Han Zeng‭ & ‬Guoxiang Li‭ & ‬Maoyan Zang‭ ‬-‭ ‬2017.

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