Lenisicaris is a Cambrian anomalocaridid radiodont, known from the Maotianshan Shales of China and the Kinzers Formation of Pennsylvania.[1]

Lenisicaris
Temporal range: Cambrian Stage 3 to Cambrian Stage 4 521–509 Ma
A reconstruction of L. lupata's frontal appendage
A fossil of L.? pennsylvanica
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Dinocaridida
Order: Radiodonta
Family: Anomalocarididae
Genus: Lenisicaris
Wu et al, 2021
Type species
Lenisicaris lupata
Wu et al., 2021
Species
  • L. lupata
    Wu et al., 2021
  • L. pennsylvanica
    (Resser, 1929)

Description

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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. The other species L. pennsylvanica has larger and more rectangular endites, with those on odd-numbered podomeres being smaller.[1]

Etymology

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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.

References

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  1. ^ a b c Wu, Yu; Ma, Jiaxin; Lin, Weiliang; Sun, Ao; Zhang, Xingliang; Fu, Dongjing (1 May 2021). "New anomalocaridids (Panarthropoda: Radiodonta) from the lower Cambrian Chengjiang Lagerstätte: Biostratigraphic and paleobiogeographic implications". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 569. Bibcode:2021PPP...56910333W. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2021.110333. S2CID 233565727.
  2. ^ Potin, Gaëtan J.-M.; Daley, Allison C. (2023). "The significance of Anomalocaris and other Radiodonta for understanding paleoecology and evolution during the Cambrian explosion". Frontiers in Earth Science. 11. Bibcode:2023FrEaS..1160285P. doi:10.3389/feart.2023.1160285. ISSN 2296-6463.