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Diania
Extinct genus of Cambrian animals / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Diania is an extinct genus of lobopodian panarthropod found in the Lower Cambrian Maotianshan shale of China, represented by a single species - D. cactiformis. Known during its investigation by the nickname "walking cactus", this organism belongs to a group known as the armoured lobopodians, and has a simple worm-like body with robust, spiny legs. Initially, the legs were thought to have a jointed exoskeleton and Diania was suggested to be evolutionarily close to early arthropods,[2] but many later studies have rejected this interpretation.[3][4][5][1]
Quick Facts Scientific classification, Binomial name ...
Diania | |
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Diania cactiformis fossil (ELEL-SJ102058) showing anterior trunk segments.[1] | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
(unranked): | Panarthropoda |
Phylum: | †"Lobopodia" |
Class: | †Xenusia |
Genus: | †Diania |
Species: | †D. cactiformis |
Binomial name | |
†Diania cactiformis Liu et al., 2011 | |
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