Cambrian Fossils

Paleobiology

 

Fossils of the Cambrian Period

541 - 485 million years ago

Phanerozoic Eon

Related:
Paleozoic Paleobiology
Cambrian Explosion

Museum Cambrian Explosion Fossils



Cambrian Life

Cambrian LifePrior to the Cambrian life was small and simple. In the Cambrian Period, prodigious change occured, all in the oceans, as the land remained barren. Except for enigmatic forms, all modernCambrian animal animal phyla with a fossil record, except bryozoa, are represented in the Cambrian. Because some life became mineralized, the possibility of fossil formation greatly increased. Some phyla not represented in the Cambrian fossil record are nonetheless believed to have first appeared during this first period of the Paleozoic Era. Many extinct phyla with unknown relationships to other animals also appeared in the Cambrian. The ostensibly sudden appearance of very diverse faunas over a period of no more than a few tens of millions of years is called the Cambrian Explosion. A unique aspect of Cambrian is prevalence of lagerstätten, fossil sites exhibiting exceptional preservation, including preservation of soft tissue parts. The lagerstatten are paramount to science's understanding of the evolutionary origins of complex early organisms that contained the genetic building blocks of life on earth today.

Cambrian Fossils

Chengjiangocaris
Wiwaxia
Yunnanozoon
Vetulicola

Yunnanozoon lividum
Earliest Hemichordata
Maotianshan Shale
Chengjiang, China

Marella

Redlichia Trilobite with Antenna
Lower Middle Cambrian
Maotianshan Shales
Chengjiang, China

Marella splendens
Arthropod
Early Cambrian
Burgess Shale
British Columbia, Canada
Ottoia
Emeraldella
Enigmatic Early Arthropod
Weeks Formation, Utah
Ottoia prolifica
Piapulid Worm
Early Cambrian
Burgess Shale
British Columbia, Canada

Aglaspid Arthropod
Aglaspida
Weeks Formation, Utah

Redlichia takooensis Trilobite
Order Redlichiida
Emu Bay Shale, Kangaroo Island, South Australia
Peronopsis sp
Order Agnostida
Early Middle Cambrian
Kaili Formation
Guizhou Province, Chin
Elrathina cordillerae Trilobites
Order Ptychopariida
Walcott Quarry, Burgess Shale, British Columbia
Lingulella
Burgessia bella
Beckwithia typa
Cotyledion
Burgessia bella Arthropod
Early Cambrian
Burgess Shale
British Columbia, Canada

Beckwithia typa
Aglaspid
Weeks Formation, Utah

Misszhouia
Kuamaia lata
Wanneria
Stromatocystites Early Starfish Relative
Middle Cambrian
Jince Formation, Czech Republic

Wanneria sp. Trilobite
Order Redlichiida
Family Olenellidae
British Columbia, Canada

Wutingasps Trilobite
Leanchoilia superlata
Hallucigenia
Albertella Trilobite

Wutingasps tingi
Trilobite Family Redlichiidae
Lower Cambrian
Maotianshan Shales
Chengjiang, China

Leanchoilia superlata
Arthropod
Early Cambrian
Burgess Shale
British Columbia, Canada
Crumillospongia Sponge Fossils
Chuandianella ovata
Naraoia compacta
Primicaris larvaformis
Naraoia compacta
Arthropod
Early Cambrian
Burgess Shale
British Columbia, Canada

See Also: Cambrian Explosion Lower Cambrian Chengjiang Biota from the Maotianshan Shales of Yunnan Province, China Cambrian Explosion Fossils of the House Range in Utah Fossils from the Burgess Shale Pioche Shale Formation