''Scathascolex'' is a genus of

palaeoscolecid The palaeoscolecids are a group of extinct ecdysozoan worms resembling armoured priapulids. They are known from the Lower Cambrian to the lower Ludfordian (late Silurian); they are mainly found as disarticulated sclerites, but are also preserved ...

worm known from the

middle Cambrian Middle or The Middle may refer to: * Centre (geometry), the point equally distant from the outer limits. Places * Middle (sheading), a subdivision of the Isle of Man * Middle Bay (disambiguation) * Middle Brook (disambiguation) * Middle Creek (di ...

Burgess Shale The Burgess Shale is a fossil-bearing deposit exposed in the Canadian Rockies of British Columbia, Canada. It is famous for the exceptional preservation of the soft parts of its fossils. At old (middle Cambrian), it is one of the earliest fos ...

. It is the only taxon in that famous locality to exhibit the phosphatic plates that characterize palaeoscolecids, and has certain unusual characteristics – it does not have the multiple sizes of tessellating plates more typical of palaeoscolecids, and has more tail hooks than is the norm. Nevertheless, it is clearly a close relative of ''Palaeoscolex'' and '' Wronascolex''. Scathascolex pharynx

As with the co-occurring Burgess Shale worm '' Ancalagon'', its name is derived from one of

J. R. R. Tolkien John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (, 3 January 1892 – 2 September 1973) was an English writer and philologist. He was the author of the high fantasy works ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings''. From 1925 to 1945, Tolkien was the Rawlinson ...

's fictional dragons, in this case Scatha.

References

Prehistoric protostome genera Burgess Shale fossils Paleoscolecids {{Cambrian-animal-stub