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Waptia fieldensis is an
Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale Lagerstätte of Canada. It grew to a length of about8 cm (3 in) and resembled modern shrimp in both morphology and habit. It had a large bivalved carapace
and a segmented body terminating into a pair of tail flaps. It was an active swimmer, feeding on organic particles it gathers from the seafloor substrate.
Based on the number of individuals, Waptia fieldensis is the third most abundant arthropod from the Burgess Shale Formation, with thousands of specimens collected. It was among the first
Charles D. Walcott in 1909. He described it in 1912 and named it after two mountains near the discovery site – Wapta Mountain and Mount Field
.
Waptia fieldensis is the only species classified under the
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