Megadictyon
| Megadictyon Temporal range:
| |
|---|---|
| |
| Reconstruction of Megadictyon cf. haikouensis | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | †
Xenusia |
| Order: | |
| Family: | |
| Genus: | †Megadictyon
Luo & Hu, 1999 |
| Species: | †M. haikouensis Luo & Hu, 1999
|
Megadictyon is a genus of
Description
Megadictyon is a large lobopodian, with a body length (excluding appendages) possibly up to 20 centimeters in total.[2] The head has a pair of robust frontal appendages[3] associated with rows of spines and terminal claws.[2] Located on the underside of the head is a radiodont-like mouthpart formed by multiple layers of plates and tooth-like structures.[2] The trunk is wide and annulated, with a pair of well-developed lobopodous limbs on each body segment. Only 8 segment/limb pairs are countable in the incomplete fossil materials which are lacking the posterior region, so it may have had more (possibly up to 11 to 13) in nature.[2] It also has pairs of digestive glands similar to those of basal arthropods.[2][4]
Phylogeny
Phylogenetic position of Megadictyon according to Pates et al. (2022).[5]