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This Specimen has been sold.
HERE ARE SOME OTHER SIMILAR FOSSILS FOR SALE
4.1" Phyllocarid (Branchiocaris) Fossil - Utah
This is a well preserved Phyllocarid (Branchiocaris sp.?) from the Middle Cambrian, Wheeler Shale, Utah. Phyllocarids are uncommon finds in this formation, and finding one as intact as this specimen is rare. This came out of an old collection we recently purchased so it's the only one that we have.
It comes with an acrylic display stand.
It comes with an acrylic display stand.
About Phyllocarids
Phyllocarids are an extinct group of marine arthropods that thrived from the Cambrian to the Devonian period, with some surviving into the Carboniferous. They belong to the subclass Phyllocarida within the class Malacostraca, which includes modern crustaceans like lobsters, shrimp, and crabs. Phyllocarids are characterized by their unique body structure, which includes a bivalve-like carapace that covered the head and thorax, giving them a shrimp-like appearance. This carapace is often smooth but can exhibit ridges or spines, depending on the species.
Their segmented abdomen extends beyond the carapace, ending in a fan-like tail structure called a telson, which is flanked by smaller appendages known as uropods. The carapace helped protect their front limbs, which they used for feeding, while their back limbs were likely adapted for swimming and maneuvering in the water. They are thought to have been filter feeders, scraping detritus or small particles of food from the water column.
Fossils of phyllocarids are relatively rare, but they provide valuable insights into the evolution of crustaceans and other arthropods. Their remains are often found in marine sediments, especially in locations where fine-grained rock has preserved their delicate structures.
Phyllocarids are an extinct group of marine arthropods that thrived from the Cambrian to the Devonian period, with some surviving into the Carboniferous. They belong to the subclass Phyllocarida within the class Malacostraca, which includes modern crustaceans like lobsters, shrimp, and crabs. Phyllocarids are characterized by their unique body structure, which includes a bivalve-like carapace that covered the head and thorax, giving them a shrimp-like appearance. This carapace is often smooth but can exhibit ridges or spines, depending on the species.
Their segmented abdomen extends beyond the carapace, ending in a fan-like tail structure called a telson, which is flanked by smaller appendages known as uropods. The carapace helped protect their front limbs, which they used for feeding, while their back limbs were likely adapted for swimming and maneuvering in the water. They are thought to have been filter feeders, scraping detritus or small particles of food from the water column.
Fossils of phyllocarids are relatively rare, but they provide valuable insights into the evolution of crustaceans and other arthropods. Their remains are often found in marine sediments, especially in locations where fine-grained rock has preserved their delicate structures.
SPECIES
Branchiocaris
LOCATION
House Range, Millard County, Utah
FORMATION
Wheeler Formation
SIZE
4.1" on 6 x 5.4" rock
CATEGORY
ITEM
#113140
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