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Fine-scale appendage structure of the Cambrian trilobitomorph Naraoia spinosa and its ontogenetic and ecological implications
Zhai, D Bond, AD Mai, H Hou, X Liu, Y
Zhai, D
Bond, AD
Mai, H
Hou, X
Liu, Y
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04/12/2019
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2020-02-03
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gnathobase
Naraoia spinosa
arthropod
micro-CT
Cambrian
Chengjiang biota
palaeontology
Naraoia spinosa
arthropod
micro-CT
Cambrian
Chengjiang biota
palaeontology
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Abstract
Trilobitomorphs are a species-rich Palaeozoic arthropod assemblage that unites trilobites with several other lineages that share similar appendage structure. Post-embryonic development of the exoskeleton is well documented for some trilobitomorphs, especially trilobites, but little is known of the ontogeny of their soft parts, limiting understanding of their autecology. Here, we document appendage structure of the Cambrian naraoiid trilobitomorph Naraoia spinosa by computed microtomography, resulting in three-dimensional reconstructions of appendages at both juvenile and adult stages. The adult has dense, strong spines on the protopods of post-antennal appendages, implying a predatory/scavenging behaviour. The absence of such gnathobasic structures, but instead tiny protopodal bristles and a number of endopodal setae, suggests a detritus-feeding strategy for the juvenile. Our data add strong morphological evidence for ecological niche shifting by Cambrian arthropods during their life cycles. A conserved number of appendages across the sampled developmental stages demonstrates that Naraoia ceased budding off new appendages by the mid-juvenile stage.
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Zhai Dayou, Edgecombe Gregory D., Bond Andrew D., Mai Huijuan, Hou Xianguang and Liu Yu Fine-scale appendage structure of the Cambrian trilobitomorph Naraoia spinosa and its ontogenetic and ecological implications286Proc. R. Soc. B http://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2019.2371
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© 2019 The Authors. Published by the Royal Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution
License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/, which permits unrestricted use, provided the original
author and source are credited. The attached file is the published pdf.
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0962-8452
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1471-2954
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openAccess