Marrellomorph

Marrellomorphs are a group of arthropods known from the Cambrian to the Early Devonian.[1] They lacked mineralised hard parts, so are only known from areas of exceptional preservation, limiting their fossil distribution. They look like the Marrella, from the Burgess Shale. Recent research has shown the previously enigmatic Skania belongs to this group.[2] They have either been interpreted as stem-mandibulates or more basal than or closer to Artiopoda.[3]

Marrellomorph Temporal range: Middle Cambrian–Lower Devonian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Furca mauritanica Holotype - MHNT
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	†Marrellomorpha Beurlen, 1930
Orders[1]
†Austromarrella †Acercostraca †Skania †Vachonisiidae †Vachonisia †Xylokorys †Enosiaspis †Marrellida †Dyrnwynia †Marrellidae †Marrella †Mimetasteridae †Furca †Mimetaster

References

1. Rak, Š. P. N. (2011). "A revision of the Late Ordovician marellomorph arthropod Furca bohemica from Czech Republic". Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. doi:10.4202/app.2011.0038.
2. Legg, D.A. (2015-09-30). "The morphology and affinities of Skania fragilis (Arthropoda) from the middle Cambrian Burgess Shale". Bulletin of Geosciences: 509–518. doi:10.3140/bull.geosci.1532. ISSN 1802-8225.
3. Aria, Cédric (August 2019). "Reviewing the bases for a nomenclatural uniformization of the highest taxonomic levels in arthropods". Geological Magazine. 156 (08): 1463–1468. doi:10.1017/S0016756819000475. ISSN 0016-7568.