A new xandarellid euarthropod from the lower Cambrian Emu Bay Shale, South Australia
Date
2025
Authors
Edgecombe, G.D.
Garcia-Bellido, D.C.
Paterson, J.R.
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Journal article
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Journal of Paleontology, 2025; 99(4):905-913
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Gregory D. Edgecombe, Diego C. García-Bellido, and John R. Paterson
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Abstract
Xandarellida is a clade of artiopodan euarthropods known exclusively from the early Cambrian (Series 2, Stage 3) Chengjiang biota of South China, apart from the possible inclusion of Phytophilaspis Ivantsov, 1999 from the early Cambrian Sinsk Biota of Siberia. A rare euarthropod taxon represented by four specimens from the Emu Bay Shale (Cambrian Series 2, Stage 4) of Kangaroo Island, South Australia, represents the first record of Xandarellida from East Gondwana. A new monotypic genus, Austroxandarella n. gen., is based on A. poikar n. sp., being most readily distinguished by its elongate pygidium. Close affinities to Xandarella Hou et al., 1991 are suggested by a thorax of 10 tergites, with progressive elongation of the posterior three tergites relative to the seven anterior tergites of subequal length—this elongation representing the dorsoventral decoupling of biramous appendage pairs and tergites shared by all xandarellids. Discovery of an Australian xandarellid adds more support for biogeographic affinities between East Gondwana and South China in the early Cambrian.
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© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Paleontological Society.