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Description

A selection of the bizarre stem-arthropods of the order Radiodonta (also known as anomalocarids), to scale.

This artwork is now out of date. For a revised version see www.deviantart.com/artbyjrc/ar…

The largest known animals of the Cambrian, several lineages of anomalocarids carried on through to the Devonian. All species share in common a series of radial plates surrounding the mouth. Two large grasping frontal appendages are another common feature of Radiodonta. These differentiate depending on two main feeding styles. Some like Anomalocaris were probably agile apex predators grasping prey with sharp spines. The armoured hurdiids were slower moving filter feeders or sediment sifters with finer spines. Aegirocassis was a giant 2 metre long filter-feeder and was probably the largest animal up to and during the Ordovician period.

Description

A selection of the bizarre stem-arthropods of the order Radiodonta (also known as anomalocarids), to scale.

This artwork is now out of date. For a revised version see www.deviantart.com/artbyjrc/ar…

The largest known animals of the Cambrian, several lineages of anomalocarids carried on through to the Devonian. All species share in common a series of radial plates surrounding the mouth. Two large grasping frontal appendages are another common feature of Radiodonta. These differentiate depending on two main feeding styles. Some like Anomalocaris were probably agile apex predators grasping prey with sharp spines. The armoured hurdiids were slower moving filter feeders or sediment sifters with finer spines. Aegirocassis was a giant 2 metre long filter-feeder and was probably the largest animal up to and during the Ordovician period.