Haikouichthys
| Haikouichthys Fossil range: Early Cambrian |
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 Artists concept of Haikouichthys ercaicunensis
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| Haikouichthys ercaicunensis |
Haikouichthys ercaicunensis was a primitive fish-like animal from the Early Cambrian Maotianshan shales of China.
Cladistic analysis indicates that the animal is probably a primitive agnathan fish or fishlike chordate most closely related to the Lampreys. It is about 2.5cm long and is narrower than the Myllokunmingia, another primitive fish that comes from the same beds. The holotype was found in the Yuansshan member of the Qiongzhusi Formation in the 'Eoredlichia' Zone near Haikou at Ercaicun, Kunming City, Yunnan, China. The animal has a distinct head and tail. The head has at least six and perhaps nine probable gills. There are a number of segments (myomeres) with rear directed Vs in the tail. There is probably a notochord although only a short segment is preserved in the single known specimen. There is a prominent dorsal fin with fin radials. The fin radials seem to angle "forward" toward the end thought on the basis of internal structures to be the head. This happens with a few modern fish but is an uncommon arrangement. There is a ventral fin fold. There are 13 circular structures along the bottom that may be gonads, slime organs, or something else entirely. There is no sign of mineralization of the skeletal elements.
A similar creature from these shales is known as Myllokunmingia.
There is one species Haikouichthys ercaicunensis Luo, Hu & Shu.
Popular Culture
In the first episode of the BBC series, Walking With Monsters, Haikouichthys is portrayed as a kind of early fish. In that episode, a school of them attack a wound Anomalocaris. Later, Haikouichthys is depicted allegedly evolving into the Early Devonian Cephalaspis.
See also
External links
- See the following web sites for more information and pictures:
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