Chapter 5: Cambrian Explosion

Source of Anomalocaris Image (For More Great Images See Here!)

Review Questions for Chapter 5

Ediacaran (Vendian Animals)

• Approximate Age of Oldest Animal Fossils
• Odd Precambrian Multicellular Soft-bodied Animals of the Vendian Biota (or Ediacara Fauna) (600 to 540 My)
• Guy Narbonne's Guide to Ediacaran Fossils From Canada and Elsewhere
• Article on the Recently Discovered Ancient Eumetazoan Fossils
• Speculated Causes of the Vendian Extinctions
• Want to Attend University of Ediacara?

The Evolution of Skeletons

• Tommotian Stage of Cambrian (530 Ma)
• Cambrian Stratigraphy
• Chart of First Appearances by Age and Phylum

The Cambrian Event and Burgess Shale Animals

• Pam Gore's Lecture Notes on Precambrian/Cambrian Transition and Burgess Shale
• Niranjala Kottachchi's Excellent Burgess Shale Hidden Treasure Website
• Rob Alkins Excellent Burgess Shale Website
• The Virtual Fossil Museum Cambrian Explosion Website (with Utah Fossils)
• Burgess Shale Animal Fossils
• Another Web Page Devoted to Burgess Shale Animal Fossils
• Burgess Shale Fossil Sampler
• Yoho Burgess Shale Foundation Website
• Information about Yoho National Park in Alberta, Canada
• Profiles on Charles Walcott, Discoverer of Burgess Shale and Here
• Walcott Medal Winners (Awarded Every Five Years)
• Reconstruction of Burgess Shale Environment
• Burgess Shale Fauna with Cool Animations of Anomalocaris etc. by Kyoichi Sasazawa
• Anomalocaris Home Page
• Chengjiang Deposits of China (Also See: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5)
• Dr. Jere Lipps Interview on the First Animals
• The Oldest Known Fossil Chordate (535 Ma)
  (Note: a more controversial 560 Ma "chordate" fossil might be a Kimberella)
• Mass Extinction near the End of Cambrian Period
• Time magazine article "When Life Exploded" and Figures Here
• Stephen Jay Gould's Book, Wonderful Life, Reviewed by Stephen Bespalko and Amazon.com Readers
  or "Look Inside" Simon Conway Morris' Response to Gould,
  The Crucible of Creation : The Burgess Shale and the Rise of Animals,
  (Reviewed Here by Peter Bowler and Carolyn Dane)
• Read Reviews of Derek Briggs et al. The Fossils of the Burgess Shale,
  or The Cambrian Fossils of Chengjiang, China all at
  
• Animation of Continental Drift during Paleozoic Era from 540 to 225 Mya
• Don't Forget to Visit Dr. Cowen's Chapter 5 Web links

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