A new arthropod from the Chengjiang Lagerstätte, Early Cambrian, southern China

A new genus and species of lightly sclerotized arthropod with an Aglaspis-like tagmosis, Kwanyinaspis maotianshanensis, is described from the well-known Chengjiang Lagerstätte, Early Cambrian, Yunnan, South China, on the basis of a single exquisitely preserved specimen. The dorsal exoskeleton, showing a poorly defined axial region but lacking axial furrows, is composed of a cephalic shield, 12 trunk tergites with well-developed pleural spines and a tail spine. A pair of ventral eyes is present beneath the first quarter of the cephalic shield. Appendages are preserved in remarkable detail; the basis is a large, flat plate, and bears gnathobases ventrally; the endopod is articulated with the abaxial edge of the basis and comprises seven articles; the exopod is flap-like and articulated along the entire length of the dorsal margin of the basis. Kwanyinaspis is provisionally assigned to Aglaspidida due to its overall resemblance to Aglaspis.