Hurdia Victoria

A new fossil has been (re)identified from the Burgess Shale: Hurdia victoria.

"Like some large shellfish, this underwater predator had a segmented body, a pair of claws and a circular mouth with several layers of overlapping teeth. Its distinguishing feature was a hard carapace that jutted out from its head, the function of which remains something of a mystery since it did not serve as a protective covering for its flesh. ... The scholars speculate that the hurdia 's carapace, which jutted out over its head like the brim of a hat, may have been used to funnel prey into its mouth." (News source.)