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Saccorhytus is an early ecdysozoan and not the earliest deuterostome

Author

Listed:
  • Yunhuan Liu

    (Chang’an University)

  • Emily Carlisle

    (University of Bristol)

  • Huaqiao Zhang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Ben Yang

    (Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences)

  • Michael Steiner

    (Shandong University of Science and Technology
    Freie Universität Berlin)

  • Tiequan Shao

    (Chang’an University)

  • Baichuan Duan

    (First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resource)

  • Federica Marone

    (Paul Scherrer Institut)

  • Shuhai Xiao

    (Virginia Tech)

  • Philip C. J. Donoghue

    (University of Bristol)

Abstract

The early history of deuterostomes, the group composed of the chordates, echinoderms and hemichordates1, is still controversial, not least because of a paucity of stem representatives of these clades2–5. The early Cambrian microscopic animal Saccorhytus coronarius was interpreted as an early deuterostome on the basis of purported pharyngeal openings, providing evidence for a meiofaunal ancestry6 and an explanation for the temporal mismatch between palaeontological and molecular clock timescales of animal evolution6–8. Here we report new material of S. coronarius, which is reconstructed as a millimetric and ellipsoidal meiobenthic animal with spinose armour and a terminal mouth but no anus. Purported pharyngeal openings in support of the deuterostome hypothesis6 are shown to be taphonomic artefacts. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that S. coronarius belongs to total-group Ecdysozoa, expanding the morphological disparity and ecological diversity of early Cambrian ecdysozoans.

Suggested Citation

  • Yunhuan Liu & Emily Carlisle & Huaqiao Zhang & Ben Yang & Michael Steiner & Tiequan Shao & Baichuan Duan & Federica Marone & Shuhai Xiao & Philip C. J. Donoghue, 2022. "Saccorhytus is an early ecdysozoan and not the earliest deuterostome," Nature, Nature, vol. 609(7927), pages 541-546, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:609:y:2022:i:7927:d:10.1038_s41586-022-05107-z
    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05107-z
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