Shaihuludia
| Shaihuludia Temporal range: Cambrian,
| |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Annelida |
| Class: | Polychaeta |
| Genus: | †Shaihuludia |
| Species: | †S. shurikeni
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| Binomial name | |
| †Shaihuludia shurikeni Kimmig et al., 2023
| |
Shaihuludia is an extinct genus of polychaete worms known from the Cambrian (Wuliuan stage) Spence Shale, a lagerstätte in the United States. The genus contains a single species, Shaihuludia shurikeni, known from a single nearly complete specimen preserved on a slab and counterslab.
Discovery and naming
[edit]The Shaihuludia holotype specimen, KUMIP 585569, was discovered in outcrops of the Spence Shale member of the Langston Formation (High Creek locality, Glossopleura walcotti biozone) near Logan in Cache County, Utah, United States. The specimen consists of a flattened, nearly complete specimen preserved as a slab and counterslab. The soft tissues have been replaced by iron oxides during fossilization, making the anatomy unidentifiable.[1]
In 2023, Kimmig et al. described Shaihuludia shurikeni as a new genus and species of polychaete worms based on this specimen. The generic name, Shaihuludia, references the fictional sandworms (Shai-Hulud) of the Dune universe. The specific name, shurikeni, references the shuriken (throwing star)-like morphology of the chaetae on the animal's dorsal surface.[1][2][3]
Description
[edit]The preserved portion of the holotype is about 33 mm (1.3 in) long and 15 mm (0.59 in) at its widest point. The fan-like chaetae are 9–10 mm (0.35–0.39 in) in diameter, with each fan consisting of 6 to 8 individual blades. The chaetae have been compared to those of Canadia and Wiwaxia.[1][3]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Kimmig, Julien; LaVine, Rhiannon J.; Schiffbauer, James D.; Egenhoff, Sven O.; Shelton, Kevin L.; Leibach, Wade W. (2023-03-08). "Annelids from the Cambrian (Wuliuan Stage, Miaolingian) Spence Shale Lagerstätte of northern Utah, USA". Historical Biology. 36 (5): 934–943. doi:10.1080/08912963.2023.2196685. ISSN 0891-2963. PMC 11114447. PMID 38800616.
- ^ Read G (2023). Read G, Fauchald K (eds.). "Shaihuludia Kimmig, LaVine, Schiffbauer, Egenhoff, Shelton & Leibach, 2023 †". World Polychaeta Database. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
- ^ a b Lynch, Brendan M. (2023-08-03). "Paper offers glimpse of 500-million-year-old sea worm named after 'Dune' monster" (Press release). University of Kansas.