Sicyophorus rara Luo & Hu 1999

Taxonomy

Priapulid worm

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Priapulida Théel 1906
Class: incertae sedis
Order: incertae sedis
Family: incertae sedis
Genus: Sicyophorus
Species: Sicyophorus rara
Author Citation Luo & Hu in Luo, Hu, Chen, Zhang & Tao, 1999

Geological Time Scale

Eon: Phanerozoic
Era: Paleozoic
Period: Cambrian
Sub Period: None
Epoch: Early
International Age: Age 2, "Stage 3"

Stratigraphy

Heilinpu Formation

Biostratigraphy

Eoredlichia–Wutingaspis Zone

Provenance

Acquired by: Purchase/Trade

Dimensions

Length: 1 cm

Location

Haikou
Kunming Town
Yunnan Province
China

• cambrian
• haikou
• heilinpu
• kunming
• maotianshan
• sicyophorus

Comments

Possible synonyms Protopriapulites haikouensis Hou, Bergström, Wang, Feng & Chen, 1999.
The correct name is Sicyophorus rara and not as often found Sicyophorus rarus.

Description from Hou et al. 2017, p 124: "This is a relatively common priapulid‐like worm, known from over a thousand specimens. In many cases the material consists of compressed, complete individuals, and the posterior half of the body is often better preserved with an apparently rigid outline. Detailed structures can be detected by subtle differences in color and relief. The size of the animal is generally about 1cm long. The overall body shape is reminiscent of a dumb‐bell, with a sub-equally expanded introvert and posterior trunk connected by a constricted neck region. The introvert bears spine‐like scalids arranged in about 20 longitudinal rows and 14 circlets. The narrower anterior part of the proboscis is protrusive and appears to bear a regular array of tiny spines. The trunk cuticle is apparently more rigid than the introvert, and is covered in a series of 13–15 longitudinal plates divided by dark ridges. The distinct gut is heavily coiled and filled with sediment, almost entirely occupying the ovoid trunk."
Line drawing from Hou et al. 2017, p. 124:

References:
Luo, Huilin, Hu, Shixue, Chen, L., Zhang, S., Tao, Y. (1999). Early Cambrian Chengjiang fauna from Kunming region, China. Yunnan Science and Technology Press, Kunming, pp. 1–189 (in Chinese with English summary).
D. Y. Huang, J. Vannier, and J. Y. Chen (2004). Anatomy and lifestyles of Early Cambrian priapulid worms exemplified by Corynetis and Anningvermis from the Maotianshan Shale (SW China). Lethaia 37:21-33.
S. Q. Dornbos and J.-Y. Chen (2008) Community palaeoecology of the early Cambrian Maotianshan Shale biota: Ecological dominance of priapulid worms. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 258:200-212.
Andreas Maas, Diying Huang, Junyuan Chen, Dieter Waloszek, Andreas Braun (2007). Maotianshan-Shale nemathelminths — Morphology, biology, and the phylogeny of Nemathelminthes. , 254(1-2), 0–306.
Hou et al. (2017) The Cambrian Fossils of Chengjiang, China: The Flowering of Early Animal Life, 2nd Edition. Wiley-Blackwell.  DOI:10.1002/9781118896372.