Ercaicunia fossil map
Where fossils of Ercaicunia have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 525 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 525 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Ediacaran & Cambrian life |
|---|---|
| Lived | 521–514.5 million years ago (Stage 3) |
| Periods | Cambrian |
| Named by | Luo et al. 1999 |
| Fossil records | 8 occurrences at 3 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | China |
| Rock formations | Yu'anshan, Yuanshan |
About Ercaicunia
Ercaicunia is genus of bivalved Cambrian arthropod from the Chengjiang biota of Yunnan, China. It contains a single species, Ercaicunia multinodosa that was described by Luo et al. in 1999. The total length of the body ranges from 8 to 11 millimetres (0.31 to 0.43 in). The bivalved carapace covered about a third of the total body-length, and has up to six serrations on its forward edge. The head has a pair of large uniramous antennae, as well as a smaller pair of secondary antennae, as well as pair of mandibles and maxillae. The trunk has 16 pairs of biramous appendages. Specimens were CT scanned in 2019, which suggested it to be a stem-group crustacean. Other subsequent studies have recovered it as a member of Hymenocarina, which contains other bivalved Cambrian arthropods.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Ercaicunia (revision 1353913306), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q104841265.
