Harvey, T. H. P. and Butterfield, N. J. (2008) Sophisticated particle-feeding in a large Early Cambrian crustacean. Nature, 452. pp. 868-871. DOI https://doi.org/10.1038/nature06724
![]() |
PDF
Harvey_Butterfield_Nature_March_2008.pdf Restricted to Registered users only Download (5MB) |
Abstract
Most Cambrian arthropods employed simple feeding mechanisms requiring only low degrees of appendage differentiation1,2,3. In contrast, post-Cambrian crustaceans exhibit a wide diversity of feeding specializations and possess a vast ecological repertoire. Crustaceans are evident in the Cambrian fossil record, but have hitherto been known exclusively from small individuals with limited appendage differentiation4. Here we describe a sophisticated feeding apparatus from an Early Cambrian arthropod that had a body length of several centimetres. Details of the mouthparts resolve this taxon as a probable crown-group (pan)crustacean, while its feeding style, which allowed it to generate and handle fine food particles, significantly expands the known ecological capabilities of Cambrian arthropods. This Early Cambrian record predates the major expansions of large-bodied, particle-handling crustaceans by at least one hundred million years5,6, emphasizing the importance of ecological context in driving adaptive radiations.
Item Type: | Article |
---|---|
Uncontrolled Keywords: | 2007 AREP; IA55; 2008 P; phd |
Subjects: | 04 - Palaeobiology |
Divisions: | 04 - Palaeobiology 12 - PhD |
Journal or Publication Title: | Nature |
Volume: | 452 |
Page Range: | pp. 868-871 |
Identification Number: | https://doi.org/10.1038/nature06724 |
Depositing User: | Sarah Humbert |
Date Deposited: | 16 Feb 2009 13:02 |
Last Modified: | 08 Jan 2019 11:32 |
URI: | http://eprints.esc.cam.ac.uk/id/eprint/361 |
Actions (login required)
![]() |
View Item |