Lenisicaris Temporal range: Cambrian Stage 3 to Cambrian Stage 4
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A reconstruction of L. lupata's frontal appendage | |
A fossil of L.? pennsylvanica | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | †Dinocaridida |
Order: | †Radiodonta |
Family: | †Anomalocarididae |
Genus: | †Lenisicaris Wu et al, 2021 |
Species | |
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Lenisicaris is a Cambrian anomalocaridid radiodont, known from the Maotianshan Shales of China, and possibly the Kinzers Formation of Pennsylvania.[1]
Lenisicaris is only known from frontal appendages, however these have several distinguishing traits, most noticeably the lack of auxiliary spines. [2]The type species, L. lupata has smaller, triangular endites, closely resembling those of Anomalocaris. L.? pennsylvanica has larger and more rectangular endites, with those on odd-numbered podomeres being smaller,[1] which casts doubt on whether it is truly a species of Lenisicaris.
Lenisicaris derives from the word "lenis", meaning "smooth" from the non-spinose endites, and the word "caris", meaning "shrimp". The specific name lupata derives from the endites' shape resembling wolf fangs,[1] and the specific name pennsylvanica derives from the fact that the fossil was found in Pennsylvania.