In Depth
Similar to the more famous Wiwaxia, Orthrozanclus was a bottom dwelling oceanic organism that lived during the Cambrian. Orthrozanclus had sclerite scales along the body, and larger spines that rose up from the spines possibly for defence. Orthrozanclus is thought to have scoured the microbial mat of the sea floor for food.
Further Reading
- Halwaxiids and the early evolution of lophotrochozoans. - Science 315:1255-1258. - S. Conway Morris and J.-B. Caron - 2007. - Orthrozanclus elongata n. sp. And the significance of sclerite-covered taxa for early trochozoan evolution. - Scientific Reports. 7 (1): 16232. - Fangchen Zhao, Martin R. Smith, Zongjun Yin, Han Zeng & Guoxiang Li & Maoyan Zang - 2017.
