Musacaris

Musacaris is an extinct genus of Cambrian arthropod from the Orsten Lagerstätte, formerly synonymous with Martinssonia. It contains only a single species, Musacaris gerdgeyeri.

Musacaris
Temporal range:
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Genus: †Musacaris
Haug et al, 2010
Species:
†M. gerdgeyeri
Binomial name
†Musacaris gerdgeyeri
Haug et al, 2010

Description

Musacaris is a small (roughly 0.8 mm long), unsegmented arthropod, with four pairs of appendages. It has a pair of antennae, and three pairs of biramous appendages[1] On its head, it also has an unusual projection, possibly the future position of the mouth. The unsegmented body suggests all current specimens of Musacaris may be so-called "head larvae". The five developmental stages are quite similar, with the same amount and positioning of the limbs. Currently, Musacaris is thought to be a basal mandibulate or stem-crustacean, possibly sister to labrophorans (Crustacea and Phosphatocopina).

Distribution

Musacaris is known from thirteen specimens of different larval forms, all from the Orsten Lagerstätte in Sweden,[1] alongside twenty-one other specimens referred to Martinssonia elongata.[2]

References
  1. Haug, Joachim (January 2010). "High-level phylogenetic analysis using developmental sequences: The Cambrian Martinssonia elongata, Musacaris gerdgeyeri gen. et sp. nov. and their position in early crustacean evolution". Arthropod Structure & Development. 39 (2): 154–173. doi:10.1016/j.asd.2010.01.005. PMID 20097307 – via Academia.edu.
  2. Waloszek, Dieter (July 1986). "Martinssonia elongata gen. et sp.n., a crustacean-like euarthropod from the Upper Cambrian 'Orsten' of Sweden". Zoologica Scripta. 15: 73–92. doi:10.1111/j.1463-6409.1986.tb00211.x. S2CID 84246646.


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