Description

Burgessochaeta setigera
Cambrian
Burgess Shale, Stephens Formation
Field, British Columbia, BC, Canada

21mm spectacular polychaete on 45mm slab

Burgessochaeta is an extinct genus of polychaete worms from the Middle Cambrian period, specifically found in the Burgess Shale formation in British Columbia, Canada. They are quite rare and comprise 0.36% of the known Burgess Shale fauna. These worms are part of the annelid phylum, characterized by their segmented bodies. Burgessochaeta is notable for its well-preserved fossils, which provide valuable information about the anatomy and lifestyle of early polychaetes.

The fossils of Burgessochaeta reveal features such as numerous body segments, each with a pair of parapodia (limb-like extensions), and numerous bristles (chaetae) on these parapodia, which is typical of polychaete worms. These features suggest that Burgessochaeta was likely a benthic (bottom-dwelling) organism that lived on or within the seafloor sediment, possibly feeding on detritus or small organic particles.

For more details see: Burgessochaeta – Wikipedia