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251 / Paleozoic
Olenoides
Olenoides serratus
Its antennae, gills and clawed legs reveal far more than a mineralized trilobite shell.
- Time range
- About 508 million years ago
- Final stage
- Middle Cambrian
- Geographic range
- Deep-shelf mud · Burgess Shale, Canada
01 / DEFINITION & ECOLOGY
What was Olenoides?
Olenoides (Olenoides serratus) was an extinct organism known from About 508 million years ago, with a range in Deep-shelf mud · Burgess Shale, Canada.
Life and ecology
Olenoides crawled across the seabed and used spiny limbs to handle small animals or detritus. Broad head shields and swept-back spines offered protection.
02 / DISAPPEARANCE
Why did Olenoides disappear?
Cambrian arthropod communities changed, and this genus disappeared while trilobites survived for hundreds of millions of years.
03 / EVIDENCE
How do scientists know about Olenoides?
Burgess Shale fossils preserve paired limbs, gill filaments, gut and reproductive structures.
04 / SOURCES & FURTHER READING
Check the source record
Use the scientific name to compare taxonomy, occurrence records and the fossil record. Database coverage and classifications may differ.
05 / REVISION HISTORY
How has this record changed?
- Verified authoritative entity sources and added three responsive reconstruction sizes.
- Initial bilingual species record published.
06 / CORRECTIONS & ADDITIONS