Cambrocaris baltica is an Upper Cambrian crustacean from Poland.
| Cambrocaris Temporal range:
| |
|---|---|
| |
| A partial reconstruction of Cambrocaris | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Clade: | Pancrustacea |
| Genus: | †Cambrocaris Waloszek and Szaniawski, 1991 |
| Species: | †C. baltica
|
| Binomial name | |
| †Cambrocaris baltica Waloszek and Szaniawski, 1991
| |
Description edit
Cambrocaris is a pancrustacean roughly 2 mm (0.079 in) long, known from a single, partial specimen with Orsten-type preservation. The preserved section is 800 micrometers long and bears eight pairs of appendages with the anterior three being complete and further back only being partially preserved, [1] the first antennae being the longest appendages. The fossil seems to be only lightly sclerotised, with no distinct cutinized areas. It is unknown whether Cambrocaris had a cephalic shield due to the dorsal area being partially damaged, however it is improbable for it to have had a large shield, with either a smaller shield comparable to Martinssonia or a lack of the feature entirely being the most plausible possibilities. Cambrocaris also had a large hypostome, with a bilobed bulge reaching the mouth.
Ecology edit
Cambrocaris, while possibly being benthic due to being preserved in sediment, nevertheless shows adaptations for swimming, and the presence of a mouth and lack of intricate bristles show that it presumably caught prey and swallowed it whole.[1]
Etymology edit
Cambrocaris is named as such due to its Cambrian origin, and the species name baltica derives from its location on the Hel Peninsula, in the Baltic Sea.[1]
References edit
- ^ a b c Waloszek, Dieter; Szaniawski, Hubert (October 1991). "Cambrocaris baltica n. gen. n. sp., a possible stem-lineage crustacean from the Upper Cambrian of Poland". Lethaia. 24 (4): 363–378. Bibcode:1991Letha..24..363W. doi:10.1111/j.1502-3931.1991.tb01488.x.