I don't think it is a fossil lamprey

[John Bruner]

Subject: Question about Nature Vol. 400 pp. 746-749.

Shu, D., Morris, S. Conway, Zhang, X-L., Chen, L., Li, Y., and Han, J.
1999.  A pipiscid-like fossil from the Lower Cambrian of south China.
Nature Vol. 400 (6746):746-749.

I have a question concerning the paper on the *Xidazoon stephanus* Shu,
Morris, and Zhang, 1999.  Did anyone else who read the paper immediately
think that it might be a member of the Phylum Priapulida (formerly
in the Phylum Aschelminthes) or a member of the Phylum Sipuncula?  As soon
as I saw the picture of the fossil, it reminded me of *Priapulus
bicaudatus*.  Also, the authors did not discuss the scyphomedusae Order
Coronatida, which is known from the Lower Cambrian and has some
resemblance to the "mouth". The Polish Eocene  fossil *Lorenzinia
carpathia* has been put in the Order Coronatida and resembles the
*Xidazoon stephanus*'s "mouth".  I have examined all the
"pipiscid-like" Pennsylvanian Francis Creek Shale lampreys at the Field
Museum in Chicago and my take on *X. stephanus* is that it looks like an
invertebrate to me.  But, I am no expert on invertebrates and do not
pretend to be.

        John
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* Mr. John C. Bruner                                 *
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