Why in the News?
Scientists have discovered a new sea creature from the Cambrian period named Mosura fentoni, found in Canada’s Burgess Shale, one of the most important fossil sites in the world.
About Mosura fentoni:
- Discovery Site: Mosura fentoni was discovered in Canada’s Burgess Shale, a well-known Cambrian fossil site.
- Biological Group: It belongs to radiodonts, an extinct group of marine predators related to insects, crabs, and spiders.
- Size and Structure: The creature is very small (1.5 to 6 cm) but has a long, complex body made of 26 segments.
- Body Zones:
- The neck supports the head.
- The mesotrunk has six paddle-shaped flaps for swimming, like mini propellers.
- The posterotrunk has up to 16 segments with rows of thin gills and small flaps.
- Breathing Adaptation: The gills in the posterotrunk likely acted as a breathing zone, similar to the tails of horseshoe crabs that help collect oxygen.
Evolutionary Importance:
- Arthropod Evolution: The find helps explain how early arthropods (like modern insects and crustaceans) evolved diverse forms.
- Advanced Abilities: Despite its small size, M. fentoni had specialised swimming and breathing systems.
- Evolutionary Position: It is placed near the base of the hurdiid family in the radiodont family tree.
- Segment Specialisation: Its body shows early examples of segment division for specific tasks — a trait common in modern arthropods.
- Key Insight: The discovery suggests that complex body planning in arthropods began much earlier than previously thought.
Back2Basics: Cambrian Period:
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| [UPSC 2019] The word ‘Denisovan’ is sometimes mentioned in media in reference to-
Options: (a) fossils of a kind of dinosaurs (b) an early human species* (c) a cave system found in North-East India. (d) a geological period in the history of Indian subcontinent |
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