Slyly named commensal or parasitic worms from the Cambrian

[Halichoeres]

A tiny worm living on a Cambrian priapulid has been given the risque name Inquicus fellatus. "Inquicus" is a portmanteau meaning "ancient lodger." The rest perhaps you can guess.

News piece: http://www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/science-news/2017/august/infested-fossil-worms-show-ancient-example-of-symbiosis.html

Paper (paywall): https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-017-0278-4

[ZoPteryx]

Very interesting.  It certainly makes one wonder what other sorts of non-parasitic relationships may have been around through deep time, especially when the world was dominated by these more primitive animals.  I'm imagining basal chordates acting like cleaner wrasse to a large anomalocarid! 

[Halichoeres]

Very interesting.  It certainly makes one wonder what other sorts of non-parasitic relationships may have been around through deep time, especially when the world was dominated by these more primitive animals.  I'm imagining basal chordates acting like cleaner wrasse to a large anomalocarid! 

So THAT's how they made it through the Cambrian!