Explanation of Burgess Shale Picture
In the foreground Anomalocaris
has captured a hapless trilobite, sized in its anterior giant appendages
which are manoeuvring the prey towards the armoured mouth. On the
seal floor from left to centre respectively are a solitary specimen of
Wiwaxia and
three specimens of Hallucigenia.
Note in both animals the defensive array of spines (although the bifid
termination on the left individual of Hallucigenia is an error).
Further to the right is the lobopodian Aysheaia
with its anterior prongs around the mouth, as well as the primitive arthropod
Opabina which
is a close relative of the larger Anomalocaris. Descending
to the sea floor are two individuals of the arthropod Marrella.
Also visible in this scene are sessile epifauna in the form of Dinomischus
(yellow) and the sponge Vauxia
(blue).
This is taken from The Crucible of Creation
by Prof. Simon Conway Morris.