Opabinia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids OpabiniaTemporal range: Middle Cambrian
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| Conservation status | |
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Fossil
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: |
Problematica
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| Class: |
Dinocarida
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| Order: |
Radiodonta
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| Genus: |
Opabinia
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| Species: |
O. regalis
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| Binomial name | |
| Opabinia regalis Walcott
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Opabinia was a very old animal that lived a long, long time ago. We only know about it from its fossils. Its full name is Opabinia regalis. Scientists found these fossils in a special place called the Burgess Shale in British Columbia, Canada. This was during a time called the Middle Cambrian period.
A scientist named Charles Doolittle Walcott discovered Opabinia. He named it after a mountain nearby, Opabin Peak, in the Canadian Rockies. Imagine an animal about the size of a mouse – that was Opabinia!
What Was Opabinia Like?
One of the coolest things about Opabinia was its five eyes! These eyes were on the top of its head. They probably helped it look for food.
Opabinia also had a long, flexible trunk. It used this trunk to grab soft food, a bit like an elephant uses its trunk today! Since it didn't have any teeth, it could only eat soft things.
A Strange Discovery
Scientists think Opabinia is one of the weirdest animals ever found. When they first put its pieces together in 1972, it looked so unbelievable! With its five eyes and long trunk, it seemed like something from a science fiction movie. It even made the scientists laugh!
Images for kids
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Restoration
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Size estimation
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Various interpretations on the flap and gill structures of Opabinia regalis A: Whittington (1975), B: Bergström (1986), C: Budd (1996), D: Zhang & Briggs (2007), E: Budd & Daley (2011)
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Opabinia cross-section based on Budd and Daley (2011)
See also
In Spanish: Opabinia para niños
