Hallucigenia

ancient · ocean · weird creature · cambrian

Mixed up for decades. When scientists first studied Hallucigenia, they drew it completely backwards and upside down. It took them a long time to flip it around and finally see what this strange creature really looked like.

Spiky, worm-like body. Hallucigenia had a long, soft body covered with spines sticking up from its back and stumpy legs underneath for walking. Some scientists think it used those spikes to protect itself from predators.

Found in fossil beds. Hallucigenia's fossils come from the Burgess Shale in Canada and similar rock deposits in China, places where animals from over 500 million years ago got preserved in amazing detail.

Distant relative. Hallucigenia was part of a group called lobopodians that eventually gave rise to velvet worms, water bears, and all arthropods, including insects and crustaceans that live today.

Named for its strangeness. The name Hallucigenia comes from how unusual and confusing this creature looked, especially when scientists kept getting it backwards in their drawings.