Yawunik

Yawunik is an extinct genus of Cambrian megacheiran known from the Burgess Shale in Canada. The type species has been named Yawunik kootenayi after the Kootenay, both a geographic area and North American First [Nations in Canada|First Nation], also known as the Ktunaxa. The genus name is derived from Yawuʔnik̓, the name of a primordial sea monster in Ktunaxa mythology. The fossil dates back to 508 million years ago.

Description

Yawunik was large for a megacheiran, up to long not including the great appendages. It had four eyes; two in the anteriormost position of the head, as well as lateral eyes which were larger. Yawunik differs from other leanchoilids such as Leanchoilia by having numerous teeth on the last two rami of the great appendage, which were likely used to grasp prey.