zoom_in Click to enlarge

Opabinia regalis

▲ ▼

description Opabinia regalis Overview

Opabinia regalis was a small marine animal from the middle Cambrian Burgess Shale of British Columbia, Canada. It had five stalked eyes, lateral swimming flaps, and a flexible frontal proboscis ending in a grasping structure that likely moved food toward its ventral mouth. Its unusual anatomy has made it important for understanding the early evolution and diversity of stem-group arthropods.

help Opabinia regalis FAQ

Why did Opabinia regalis have five eyes?

Its four paired stalked eyes and larger central eye probably gave it a broad view while swimming above the Cambrian seafloor. No living animal has exactly the same arrangement, so the precise visual performance remains uncertain.

What was the strange proboscis on Opabinia used for?

The flexible frontal proboscis ended in opposing grasping structures and probably collected small food items. It could then move food toward the backward-facing mouth underneath the head.

Was Opabinia an arthropod like Anomalocaris?

Opabinia is usually placed on the evolutionary stem leading toward true arthropods rather than inside a familiar modern group. It shares aspects of its body plan with Cambrian forms such as Anomalocaris, but its five eyes and fused proboscis are distinctive.

How large was Opabinia regalis?

The body was generally only about 4.3 to 7 centimetres long when the proboscis is excluded. Fossils from the Burgess Shale nevertheless preserve details such as 15 trunk segments, lateral flaps, and a tail fan.

swap_horiz

Looking for Opabinia regalis alternatives? Compare top competitors ranked & scored

arrow_forward