Haikouichthys
| Haikouichthys | |
|---|---|
| |
| Restoration | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Infraphylum: | Agnatha |
| Order: | †Myllokunmingiida |
| Family: | †Myllokunmingiidae |
| Genus: | †Haikouichthys Luo et al., 1999 |
| Species: | †H. ercaicunensis
|
| Binomial name | |
| †Haikouichthys ercaicunensis Luo et al., 1999
| |
Haikouichthys
Description
Haikouichthys is about 2.5 cm (1 in) long and is narrower than
The animal has a distinct head and tail. The head has at least six and perhaps nine probable gills. There are a number of segments (myomeres) with rear directed chevrons in the tail. There is a notochord. There is a prominent dorsal fin with fin radials similar, but not comparable, to those of hagfish and lampreys.[7] The fin radials seem to angle "forward" toward the end thought on the basis of internal structures to be the head. This happens with a few modern fish but is an uncommon arrangement. There are 13 circular structures along the bottom that may be gonads, slime organs, or something else entirely.
See also
- Lancelet – living animal with similar morphology
- Ostracoderm
- Arandaspis
- Other basal Cambrian chordates:
- Pikaia – Cambrian chordate
- Myllokunmingia – close relative
- Zhongjianichthys – eel-like close relative
References
- S2CID 135091168.
- ^ "The Cambrian: Vertebrates". Archived from the original on 2009-04-29. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
- PMID 16701387, archived from the original(PDF) on 2008-12-17, retrieved 2008-11-06
- ^ S2CID 4401274
- ^ D. Shu; et al. (1999). Lower Cambrian vertebrates from south China. Nature, 402: 42-46
- ^ BBC News "Oldest fossil fish caught", 4 November 1999
- PMID 15312089