Possibly the most evilly difficult ID challenge I've put up yet (unless you've seen this particular figure before, perhaps) but trust me, it's so worth it. The scale bar represents 1 mm. Attribution, as always, to follow.
Update: Identity now available here. Figure from Wilbur (2006).
Okay, I'll throw out a wild guess since I've been thinking of them today:
ReplyDeleteAïstopod scales
(Possible big hint) Nope, it's not vertebrate.
ReplyDeleteThis is cruel, it could be an EM of anything!
ReplyDeleteThen another big clue - it's Cambrian.
ReplyDeleteit doesn't look like echinoderm stereom nor like the scales from the small shelly fauna.
ReplyDeleteMy first guess was stromatolith but the details look too big.
Archaeocyathid?
ReplyDeleteNot an archaeocyath, nor a stromatolite (you're right, Steve, it's too big). But as for other options - don't be so quick to judge.
ReplyDeletethis is stereom?! plates from an edrioasteroid, helicoplacoid or carpoid?
ReplyDeletelooking at the overlapping layers, i'd choose Helicoplacoid.
I will admit that I have no idea about the image but having read lots of your posts I know you're a tricky fellow with a liking for oddities so I'm going to have a wild stab at a stylophoran. Cothurnocystis?
ReplyDeletePlease post something about the elephantidae next... You'd be amazed at how unlike a rhino the platybelodon is, under all that baggy skin.
Ok, for the next Mystery Micrograph, I'm gonna torture you with obscure non-descript biflagellates as punishment!
ReplyDeleteHay! no fair posting a black fly when you haven't given us the answer to bug #14!
ReplyDelete