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Additional Information
Description:
Vetulicolia cuneata, meaning "wedge-shaped ancient dweller," is an extinct marine animal that lived during the Early Cambrian period and is primarily known from the Chengjiang biota of China. This enigmatic creature possessed a distinctive bipartite body plan, consisting of a larger, rectangular anterior section enclosed by a carapace-like structure formed of fused cuticular plates, and a slender, segmented posterior section that likely functioned as a tail for swimming. The anterior section featured a prominent V-shaped mouth at the front and five pairs of lateral openings interpreted as possible primitive gill slits, suggesting a filter-feeding or detritivorous lifestyle in the ancient oceans. Its unique morphology has made Vetulicola cuneata a key species in understanding the early evolution of deuterostomes, although its precise phylogenetic placement remains a subject of ongoing scientific debate.
