Recently-Described Guanshan Biota Arthropod Longquania

Description: This unusual arthropod is known as Guangweicaris spinatus. The genus was described in 2008, and comes from what has been termed the “Guanshan Biota”, found in the Wulongqing Formation. The Guanshan Fauna shares many genera with the slightly older Chengjiang Biota, but differs at the species level. With the discovery of the Chengjiang Biota in 1984 a window on the Cambrian Explosion in China was opened. The diversity of soft-tissue fossils is astonishing: algae, medusiforms, sponges, priapulids, annelid like worms, echinoderms, arthropods (including trilobites), hemichordates, chordates, and the first agnathan fish make up just a small fraction of the total. Numerous problematic forms are known as well, some of which may have represented failed attempts at diversity that did not persist to the present day. The fauna has only been studied for less than a decade, so more unusual taxa are almost certainly awaiting discovery. The species derives its name from the spines present on end of the abdomen. Its precise placement as to Class and Order remain uncertain until such time as further specimens with preserved soft parts and appendages can be found, but it is thought to be closest to the Aglaspids. To my knowledge, this is the first time a specimen has been offered, and the first time it has been figured as well. This is the ONLY example I am aware of available commercially.

Reference: Early Cambrian Malong Fauna and Gungshan Fauna from Eastern Yunann China, 2008, pp 12-13.