Pambdelurion
Pambdelurion is an extinct genus of panarthropod from the Cambrian aged Sirius Passet site in northern Greenland. Like the morphologically similar Kerygmachela from the same locality, Pambdelurion is thought to be closely related to arthropods, combining characteristics of "lobopodians" with those of primitive arthropods.
Pambdelurion was large for a Cambrian animal, and is estimated to have reached a length of 55 centimetres (22 in).[1] Omnidens, an organism from China that closely resembles Pambdelurion and may even be synonymous with it, reached even larger sizes, estimated to be 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) based on the proportions of Pambdelurion.
The head of Pambdelurion bore a large pair of frontal appendages, homologous to the antennae of onychophorans and frontal appendages of radiodonts. These frontal appendages were weakly muscled and relatively soft, suggesting they may have served primarily as sensory organs, rather than for grasping prey.[2] Between the appendages are a pair of clusters of three spines, which probably served a sensory function.[3] Eyes have not been identified. On the ventral surface of the head was the mouth, which was an oral cone similar to that of other non-arthropod ecdysozoans.
The body possessed eleven pairs of non-muscular, gill-bearing lateral flaps and eleven pairs of lobopodous legs ventral to the flaps. The body musculature was more similar to that of onychophorans than that of arthropods. The cuticle was unsclerotized.
The anterior portion of the gut was a large, muscular pharynx, as in many other ecdysozoans. More posteriorly, the gut contained paired glands.
Pambdelurion whittingtoni was named in 1997 by Graham E. Budd. The genus name comes from Greek pambdelyrion "all-loathsome" in reference to the fearsome appearance of the animal, and the species name honors the paleontologist Harry B. Whittington.[4]
