Panlongia

Temporal range: lowest Botomian

PreꞒ

Panlongia spinosa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:  |

Animalia

Phylum:  |

Arthropoda

Class:  |

Artiopoda

Order:  |

Nektaspida

Family:  |

Incertae sedis

Genus:  |

Panlongia

Liu et al., 2006

Species

* P. tetranodusa Liu et al. 2006[1]
* P. spinosa Liu et al. 2006[1]

Panlongia was a small-sized marine arthropod. Panlongia lived during the late Lower Cambrian (Botomian) in what is today South China. The genus consists of two species, P. spinosa and P. tetranodus.[1]

## Description

[edit]

Panlongia is a flat, 2 cm (0.8 in) long nektaspid, with an oval-shaped non-calcified exoskeleton. Both the head shield (or cephalon) and the tail shield (or pygidium) are semi-circular. In between the cephalon and pygidium are four thoracic body segments (somites). The cephalon occupies approximately ⅓ of the body length, the thorax ¼ and pygidium about 45%.

In Panlongia spinosa, the edge of the exoskeleton carries several small sawtooth-like spines, that are absent in P. tetranodusa.[1]

* Panlongia tetranodusa reconstruction

## Distribution

[edit]

* Panlongia spinosa is found in the late Lower Cambrian (Botomian) of China (Wulongqing Formation, only at Gaoloufang Kgs-2).
* Panlongia tetranodusa occurs in the late Lower Cambrian (Botomian) of China (Wulongqing Formation, Gaoloufang Kgs-1, and Shijiangjun Wsh-14, Wuding County, Yunnan, "Guanshan fauna").[1]

## Taxonomy

[edit]

The phylogenetic position of Panlongia remained uncertain due to the lack of appendages until 2024, when more well-preserved specimens with appendages narrowed its placement down to as a nektaspid. [2]

## Ecology

[edit]

Panlongia tetranodusa occurs with the coeloscleritophoran Allonia sp., the vetulicolian Vetulicola gangtoucunensis, lingulate brachiopods Lingulellotreta malongensis, Diandongia pista, Acrothele rara, and Westonia gubaiensis; radiodonts Houcaris saron and Guanshancaris kunmingensis, hyolith Linevitus malongensis, eocrinoid Wudingeocrinus rarus, Trilobites Redlichia yunnanensis, R. mansuyi, R. noetlingi, R. conica, R. shijiangjunensis, Palaeolenus douvillei, and P. lantenoisi; crustaceans: Tuzoia sinensis, T. tylodesa, Branchiocaris sp., Liangshanella liangshanensis, and Neokunmingella sp., and several other arthropods like Longquania bispinosa, Guangweicaris spinatus; Leanchoilia illecebrosa, Isoxys minor and I. wudingensis.[1]

## See also

[edit]

* Cambrian explosion
* Phytophilaspis

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f Liu, Q.; Luo, H.-L.; Chen, L.-Z.; Lu, S.-X. (2006). "Panlongia, a new trilobitomorph genus from the Lower Cambrian, Kunming, Yunnan". Acta Palaeontologica Sinica. 45: 384–392.
2. ^ Luo, Shengxiang; Liu, Jianni (February 2024). "Exceptionally preserved Panlongia tetranodusa from the early Cambrian sheds light on the evolution of arthropods". Science Bulletin. 69 (3): 308–313\. Bibcode:2024SciBu..69..308L. doi:10.1016/j.scib.2023.11.043. PMID 38057233.

Taxon identifiers

Panlongia|

* Wikidata: Q7131336
* GBIF: 4946226
* Open Tree of Life: 4708956
* Paleobiology Database: 149908