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Ottoia
 Ottoia Reconstruction Michelle Bakay after Steve Kirk and Graham Rosewarne Burgess Shale Cambrian |
| Ottoia (Phylum Priapulida) are the most abundant predatory worms in the Burgess Shale. These carnivorous worms had a bulbous proboscis crowned with hooks and spines. The mouth at the end of the proboscis was equipped with sharp teeth. Ottoia burrowed, hiding in the sediment. Ottoia stomach contents reveal meals of hyoliths, brachiopods, and other specimens of Ottoia. Many specimens are found preserved in a U-shape, which may indicate that they lived in U-shaped burrows. The U-shape may also have been due to post-mortem contraction (Selden & Nudds, 2004, p. 24). The plant-like animal Dinomischus can be seen in the background. |
Selden P. & Nudds, J. (2004). Evolution of Fossil Ecosystems. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. |