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Vetulicolia
Vetulicolia is a group of bilaterian marine animals encompassing several extinct species from the Cambrian, and possibly Ediacaran, periods. As of 2023, the majority of workers favor placing Vetulicolians in the stem group of the Chordata, but some continue to favor a more crownward placement as a sister group to the Tunicata. It was initially erected as a monophyletic clade with the rank of phylum in 2001, with subsequent work supporting its monophyly. However, more recent research suggests that vetulicolians may be paraphyletic and form a basal evolutionary grade of stem chordates. Etymology The taxon name, Vetulicolia, is derived from the type genus, '' Vetulicola'', which is a compound Latin word composed of ''vetuli'' "old" and ''cola'' "inhabitant". It was named after '' Vetulicola cuneata'', the first species of the group described in 1987. Description The vetulicolian body plan comprises two parts: a voluminous rostral (anterior) forebody, tipped with an anteri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shenzianyuloma
''Shenzianyuloma'' is an extinct genus of vetulicolian represented by a single species, ''Shenzianyuloma yunnanense'', from the Maotianshan Shale during Cambrian Stage 3, Stage 3 (518 million years ago) of the Cambrian period. It is notable for having a compact body shape akin to that of an angelfish. Its exact phylogenetic position is unclear, and it was not included in a 2024 phylogenetic analysis and 2025 review of vetulicolians. Etymology The name of the genus is derived from the Chinese language, Chinese ''shénxiān yú'' (神仙鱼), meaning "Pterophyllum, angelfish", and an anagram of ''Mola (fish), Mola''. Provenance The ''Shenzianyuloma'' holotype was acquired from a "crystal and fossil vendor" in Lianyungang, Jiangsu, China, and assigned to the Maotianshan shale based on the presence of the brachiopod ''Diadonga pista'' on the same slab, as well as the rock's matrix characteristics. Taxonomy As of late 2024, ''Shenzianyuloma'' has only been discussed in two papers, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Banffozoa
Banffozoa (also called Heteromorphida) is an extinct class of bilaterians. Most workers place it in the Vetulicolia, but the protostome-like features of some members have motivated ongoing debate. Banffozoa consists of the order Banffiata (which has only one family, Banffiidae) as well as a dwarf "Form A" that has not been formally described or named. '' Skeemella'' has been placed ''incertae sedis'' in this class, but has more recently been placed with the Banffiidae (if it is a banffozoan or vetulicolian at all). Banffozoa may be paraphyletic even if Vetulicolia is monophyletic. Description Banffozoans have a bipartite body with a smooth anterior part that generally lacks evidence of segmentation and may or may not have a lateral groove. The posterior section features far more segments than the Vetulicolida, and (except in ''Skeemella'') these segments are each much narrower as well. Lateral pouches such as those found in the Vetulicolida have not been seen, although s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alienum
''Alienum'' is an extinct animal of uncertain affinities from the late Ediacaran. Estimated to be about 541 million years old, the type species, ''A. velamenus'' demonstrates some anatomical characters reminiscent of vetulicolians, predating the first undisputed member of this clade by 20 million years. It was described in 2024 based on a specimen from the Dengying Formation of South China. Discovery and naming The holotype fossil of ''Alienum'' was found in the Dengying Formation of South China in 2021 during an expedition finding fossils of the ribbon-like '' Rugosusivitta'' from younger Cambrian strata, and was officially described in 2024. The generic name ''Alienum'' is derived from the English word ''Alien'', which further derives from the Latin word ''aliēnus'', meaning "exotic/foreign". The specific name ''velamenus'' is derived from the Latin word ''velamen'', meaning "veil/sail-like", relating to the sail-like shape of the anterior of the body. Description ' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Didazoon Haoae
''Didazoon haoae'' is an extinct species of vetulicolid vetulicolian described by Shu, et al. based on fossils found in the Qiongzhusi (Chiungchussu) Formation, Yu'anshan Member (Eoredlichia zone), Early Cambrian, Lower Cambrian, in the Dabanqiao area (Kunming), about 60 km northwest of Chengjiang, China. Etymology "Dida" abbreviates (in Chinese) the China University of Geosciences (other), China University of Geosciences. Description The fossils show that the body of the animal was covered in a thin, flexible cuticle. The anterior part of the body was divided into six Segment (biology), segments, with fairly broad membranes separating the segments, and the Posterior (anatomy), posterior part of the body was divided into seven segments. The constriction between the anterior and posterior parts of the animal shows creasing, and the authors hypothesize that it was quite flexible. The fossils are interpreted as showing a large anterior opening, presumably a mouth, a s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vetulicolida
Vetulicolida is a class of vetulicolians. It consists of the order Vetulicolata (which contains the families Vetulicolidae and Didazoonidae) and the genus '' Nesonektris'', which is of uncertain placement. It is distinguished from the Banffozoa by the number and size of posterior segments as well as features of the anterior section. Description The Vetulicolidans anterior body appears to consist of fused segments, with five gill pouches at the intersections of the segment boundaries and a lateral groove that does not reach the posterior edge. The posterior section is clearly segmented with relatively wide segments comparred to banffozoans such as ''Banffia'' or '' Heteromorphus''. Taxonomy In 1997, Chen and Zhou defined Vetulicolida as a class to contain '' Vetulicola'' and '' Banffia''. Hou and Bergström also defined Vetulicolida that same year, but as an order containing the new family Vetulicolidae. The name Vetulicolida was used at either or both ranks until 2007, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vetulicola Cuneata
''Vetulicola cuneata'' ("wedged-shaped ancient dweller") is a species of extinct marine animal from the Early Cambrian Chengjiang biota of China. It was described by Hou Xian-guang in 1987 from the Lower Cambrian Chiungchussu Formation, and became the first animal (type species) under an eponymous phylum Vetulicolia. Remarked as "enigmatic creatures" and originally classified as an arthropod, it is recognised as a deuterostome along with other related species, for which a separate class (Vetulicolida), order ( Vetulicolata), family ( Vetulicolidae) and ultimately a new clade (Vetulicolia) were created based on its name. Discovery and taxonomy In 1984, Hou Xian-guang of the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, explored the Chiungchussu Formation in Chengjiang, China. At the Maotianshan Hill, from which the sediments called Maotianshan Shales were already established to be of Cambrian in origin, he found a variety of animal fossils. The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vetulicola
''Vetulicola'' is an extinct genus of marine animal discovered from the Cambrian of China. It is the eponymous member of the enigmatic taxon Vetulicolia, which is of uncertain affinities but may belong to the deuterostomes. The name was derived from ''Vetulicola cuneata,'' the first species described by Hou Xian-guang in 1987 from the Lower Cambrian Chiungchussu Formation in Chengjiang, China. Etymology ''Vetulicola'' is a compound Latin word composed of ''vetuli'', meaning "old," or "ancient," and ''cola'', meaning "inhabitant." Description The type species, ''Vetulicola cuneata'', as originally described by Hou Xian-guang in 1987, has a body plan similar to those of arthropods and composed of two distinct parts of approximately equal length. The anterior part is rectangular with a carapace-like structure of four rigid cuticular plates, with a large mouth at the front end. The posterior section is slender, strongly cuticularised and placed dorsally. Paired openings connecti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vetulicola Rectangulata
''Vetulicola rectangulata'' (meaning "rectangular ancient dweller") is a species of extinct animal from the Early Cambrian of the Chengjiang biota of China. Regarded as a deuterostome, it has characteristic rectangular anterior body on which the posterior tail region is attached. It was described by Luo Huilin and Hu Shi-xue in 1999. Description ''V. rectangulata'' was described by Luo Huilin and Hu Shi-xue of the Yunnan Institute of Biological Science in 1999. The fossils were discovered from the Early Cambrian Chengjiang deposits in Kunming region, Yunnan, China. Like ''V. cuneata,'' ''V. rectangulata'' has a body composed of two distinct parts of approximately equal length. The anterior part is oval to rectangular in shape, enclosed by a carapace-like structure of four rigid cuticular plates fused together, with a small mouth at the front end: there is a keel-like extension of the body wall on the top and belly. Unlike in ''V. cuneata'', the mouth region does not protrude ou ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Latin
Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area around Rome, Italy. Through the expansion of the Roman Republic, it became the dominant language in the Italian Peninsula and subsequently throughout the Roman Empire. It has greatly influenced many languages, Latin influence in English, including English, having contributed List of Latin words with English derivatives, many words to the English lexicon, particularly after the Christianity in Anglo-Saxon England, Christianization of the Anglo-Saxons and the Norman Conquest. Latin Root (linguistics), roots appear frequently in the technical vocabulary used by fields such as theology, List of Latin and Greek words commonly used in systematic names, the sciences, List of medical roots, suffixes and prefixes, medicine, and List of Latin legal terms ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Phylum
In biology, a phylum (; : phyla) is a level of classification, or taxonomic rank, that is below Kingdom (biology), kingdom and above Class (biology), class. Traditionally, in botany the term division (taxonomy), division has been used instead of phylum, although the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants accepts the terms as equivalent. Depending on definitions, the animal kingdom Animalia contains about 31 phyla, the plant kingdom Plantae contains about 14 phyla, and the fungus kingdom Fungi contains about eight phyla. Current research in phylogenetics is uncovering the relationships among phyla within larger clades like Ecdysozoa and Embryophyta. General description The term phylum was coined in 1866 by Ernst Haeckel from the Greek (, "race, stock"), related to (, "tribe, clan"). Haeckel noted that species constantly evolved into new species that seemed to retain few consistent features among themselves and therefore few features that distinguishe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paraphyletic
Paraphyly is a taxonomic term describing a grouping that consists of the grouping's last common ancestor and some but not all of its descendant lineages. The grouping is said to be paraphyletic ''with respect to'' the excluded subgroups. In contrast, a monophyletic grouping (a clade) includes a common ancestor and ''all'' of its descendants. The terms are commonly used in phylogenetics (a subfield of biology) and in the tree model of historical linguistics. Paraphyletic groups are identified by a combination of synapomorphies and symplesiomorphies. If many subgroups are missing from the named group, it is said to be polyparaphyletic. The term received currency during the debates of the 1960s and 1970s accompanying the rise of cladistics, having been coined by zoologist Willi Hennig to apply to well-known taxa like Reptilia (reptiles), which is paraphyletic with respect to birds. Reptilia contains the last common ancestor of reptiles and all descendants of that ancestor exc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Evolutionary Grade
A grade is a taxon united by a level of morphological or physiological complexity. The term was coined by British biologist Julian Huxley, to contrast with clade, a strictly phylogenetic unit. Phylogenetics The concept of evolutionary grades arises in the context of phylogenetics: the study of the evolutionary history and relationships among or within groups of organisms. These relationships are determined by phylogenetic inference methods that focus on observed heritable traits, such as DNA sequences, protein amino acid sequences, or morphology. The result of such an analysis is a phylogenetic tree—a diagram containing a hypothesis of relationships that reflects the evolutionary history of a group of organisms. Definition of an evolutionary grade An evolutionary grade is a group of species united by morphological or physiological traits, that has given rise to another group that has major differences from the ancestral group's condition, and is thus not considered p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
