Period of life:
508 mya
Period:
Habitat:
Marine environment
Taxonomy:
Chordates
Height:
0.01 m
Countries:
![Canada 3D Dinopedia images/flags/Canada.png](https://dinopedia.online/images/flags/Canada.png)
![Cambrian period Pikaia | 3D Dinopedia](https://dinopedia.online/storage/dino-images/pikaia-image-skin-thumbnail.png)
![Cambrian period Pikaia 3D Dinopedia](https://dinopedia.online/storage/dinos-images/144/65bc9141362d4.jpg)
![Cambrian period Pikaia 3D Dinopedia](https://dinopedia.online/storage/dinos-images/144/65bc914154688.jpg)
![Cambrian period Pikaia 3D Dinopedia](https://dinopedia.online/storage/dinos-images/144/65bc9141aa657.jpg)
![Cambrian period Pikaia 3D Dinopedia](https://dinopedia.online/storage/dinos-images/144/65bc9141b74c5.jpg)
![Cambrian period Pikaia 3D Dinopedia](https://dinopedia.online/storage/dinos-images/144/65bc914215cd6.jpg)
![Cambrian period Pikaia 3D Dinopedia](https://dinopedia.online/storage/dinos-images/144/65bc91422e512.jpg)
Meaning of the name: In honor of Pika Peak in the Rocky Mountains
Pikaia is a genus of extinct primitive chordate animals of small size, living about 508 million years ago. These animals strongly resembled modern lancelets and likely swam in a sinuous fashion using their entire body, like eels. Pikaia is one of the most primitive chordate animals. It lacked a clearly defined head, and its average length was about 4 cm. The body of Pikaia was bordered by fairly narrow fins on the top and bottom. On the head, there were a pair of tentacles, similar to antennae, and 9 pairs of short protrusions that may have been connected to gill slits on the sides of the head. It fed on plankton - algae and small crustaceans, filtering them from the water.
Other animals