Article: Palaeoscolecid worms from the Middle Cambrian of Australia

The Middle Cambrian of the Georgina Basin, Queensland, Australia, has yielded a large association of secondarily phosphatized Palaeoscolecida in three-dimensional preservation. Many hitherto unknown details are described, such as the differentiated aboral end, irregularly distributed tubules on the outer surface, and a wide range of sclerites even on the same animal. Internal structure, functional morphology, ecological aspects and systematic relationships are also discussed. Nineteen species belonging to nine genera are described, of which the following are new: Austroscolex primitivus gen. et sp. nov., A. spatiolatus sp. nov., Corallioscolex gravius gen. et sp. nov., Euryscolex paternarius gen. et. sp. nov., Kaloscolex granulatus gen. et sp. nov., Milaculum elongatum sp. nov., Murrayscolex inaequalis gen. et sp. nov., M. serratus sp. nov., Pantoioscolex oleschinskii gen. et sp. nov., Rhomboscolex chaoticus gen. et sp. nov., Schistoscolex angustosquamatus gen. et sp. nov., S. mucronatus sp. nov., S. umbilicatus sp. nov., Shergoldiscolex nodosus gen. et sp. nov., S. polygonatus sp. nov., and Thoracoscolex armatus gen. et sp. nov.