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Microschedia
''Microschedia'' is an enigmatic fossil bilaterian known from four specimens from Lower Cambrian Amouslek Formation deposits in Morocco. Morphology The fossils are approximately discoid, and covered with a net-like pattern. Fine hair-like projections extend beyond the edge of this almost-flat, firm (but non-mineralized) "shell", which bears no trace of muscle scars. Affinity Although there are problems with both brachiopod and cnidarian interpretations, no other animal group provides a good match for these fossils. An affinity with the stem-group brachiopod ''Mickwitzia'' is currently considered to be the most likely interpretation for this fossil. The enigmatic Cambrian and Ordovician animals ''Heliomedusa'', ''Marocella ''Marocella'' is a conical shelly fossil of uncertain affinity (probably a mollusc) known from Cambrian strata of Europe, Morocco, Australia and Antarctica. Morphology Limpet-like ''Marocella '' is a low conical shell with concentric ridges tha . ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bilateria
The Bilateria or bilaterians are animals with bilateral symmetry as an embryo, i.e. having a left and a right side that are mirror images of each other. This also means they have a head and a tail (anterior-posterior axis) as well as a belly and a back (ventral-dorsal axis). Nearly all are bilaterally symmetrical as adults as well; the most notable exception is the echinoderms, which achieve secondary pentaradial symmetry as adults, but are bilaterally symmetrical during embryonic development. Most animals are bilaterians, excluding sponges, ctenophores, placozoans and cnidarians. For the most part, bilateral embryos are triploblastic, having three germ layers: endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm. Except for a few phyla (i.e. flatworms and gnathostomulids), bilaterians have complete digestive tracts with a separate mouth and anus. Some bilaterians lack body cavities ( acoelomates, i.e. Platyhelminthes, Gastrotricha and Gnathostomulida), while others display primary b ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lower Cambrian
The Cambrian Period ( ; sometimes symbolized Ꞓ) was the first geological period of the Paleozoic Era, and of the Phanerozoic Eon. The Cambrian lasted 53.4 million years from the end of the preceding Ediacaran Period 538.8 million years ago (mya) to the beginning of the Ordovician Period mya. Its subdivisions, and its base, are somewhat in flux. The period was established as "Cambrian series" by Adam Sedgwick, who named it after Cambria, the Latin name for 'Cymru' (Wales), where Britain's Cambrian rocks are best exposed. Sedgwick identified the layer as part of his task, along with Roderick Murchison, to subdivide the large "Transition Series", although the two geologists disagreed for a while on the appropriate categorization. The Cambrian is unique in its unusually high proportion of sedimentary deposits, sites of exceptional preservation where "soft" parts of organisms are preserved as well as their more resistant shells. As a result, our understanding of the Cambrian bio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Morocco
Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to the east, and the disputed territory of Western Sahara to the south. Mauritania lies to the south of Western Sahara. Morocco also claims the Spanish exclaves of Ceuta, Melilla and Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera, and several small Spanish-controlled islands off its coast. It spans an area of or , with a population of roughly 37 million. Its official and predominant religion is Islam, and the official languages are Arabic and Berber; the Moroccan dialect of Arabic and French are also widely spoken. Moroccan identity and culture is a mix of Arab, Berber, and European cultures. Its capital is Rabat, while its largest city is Casablanca. In a region inhabited since the Paleolithic Era over 300,000 years ago, the first Moroccan st ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mickwitzia
Mickwitziids are a Cambrian group of shelly fossils with originally phosphatic valves, belonging to the Brachiopod stem group, and exemplified by the genus ''Mickwitzia'' – the other genera are ''Heliomedusa'' (a possible junior synonym of ''Mickwitzia''?) and ''Setatella''. The family Mickwitziidae is conceivably paraphyletic with respect to certain crown-group brachiopods. Shell microstructure Punctae or tubes penetrate through multiple shell wall layers, and individual punctae often develop a single, axial phosphatic tube. The shell comprises multiple phosphatic laminae; the region closest to the edge of the shell was presumably more organic-walled than phosphatized as it tends to be more flimsily preserved. Members of the genus appear to share characteristic shell microstructure in common with Tommotiids such as ''Micrina'', and like this taxon, mickwitziids may not have been able to enclose their entire body within a bivalved shell. The shells are punctuated with in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marocella
''Marocella'' is a conical shelly fossil of uncertain affinity (probably a mollusc) known from Cambrian strata of Europe, Morocco, Australia and Antarctica. Morphology Limpet-like ''Marocella '' is a low conical shell with concentric ridges that grew to a couple of centimetres in length. Affinity ''Marocella'' is thought to be a mollusc, although its position within this phylum is undetermined. Relationship to the halkieriids has also been considered. Ecology Some specimens show evidence of repairing damage caused by predators. It probably moved around on the sea floor. It was geographically widespread. Distribution Fossils of ''Marocella'' have been found in:''Marocella'' at |
Enigmatic Prehistoric Animal Genera
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Enigmatic is an adjective meaning "mysterious" or "puzzling". It may also refer to: * ''Enigmatic'', a 1970 album by Czesław Niemen * '' Enigmatic: Calling'', a 2005 album by Norwegian progressive metal band Pagan's Mind * Enigmatic scale, musical scale used by Verdi and others * "The Enigmatic", a song by Joe Satriani on the album '' Not of This Earth'' See also * Enigmatic leaf turtle, a species of Asian leaf turtle * Enigmatic moray eel, a species found in the Pacific and Indian Oceans * ''Glaresis'', a genus of beetles sometimes called "enigmatic scarab beetles" * Enigma (other) Enigma may refer to: * Riddle, someone or something that is mysterious or puzzling Biology *ENIGMA, a class of gene in the LIM domain Computing and technology * Enigma (company), a New York-based data-technology startup * Enigma machine, a famil ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
