Hallucigenia worm illustration
The Hallucigenia sparsa worm had quite a grin — a circular mouth lined with needlelike teeth. More teeth lined the inside of its mouth and throat, researchers found.
Hallucigenia worm fossil
The Hallucigenia sparsa worm was uncovered in Canada's Burgess Shale, one of the world's richest fossil sites.
Ancient Arthropod
The Cambrian period saw a rise in complex life forms like this early arthropod from simple multi-cellular creatures.
Well-preserved limbs
Because the ancient arthropods, fuxhianhuiid, were fossilized in a flipped position in a region of Southwest China, they are only example of preserved feeding limbs in this species.
Nervous System
A site in Southwest China has revealed a rich trove of creatures from the Cambrian period, including the only example of a nervous system that extends past the head.
Rich fossil mine
Arthropods from the Burgess shale, such as the trilobite Olenoides and a chelicerate called Sidneyia, exploded in morphological diversity following the so-called Cambrian Explosion.
Iconic species
Trilobites are a common find at the Burgess Shale.
Trilobite Traffic
A chain of trilobites preserved in Poland's Holy Cross Mountains.
Prickly creature
Paleontologists have also identified a a slug-like creature covered with prickly armor at the Burgess Shale
Tulip-shaped animal
The Cambrian also saw the rise of larger creatures, such as this 2-foot-long ancient shrimplike creatures called anomalocaridids, which had spiny head limbs for catching prey
