Hatzor

Hatzor is a genus of small, extinct marine invertebrates that lived during the Cambrian period, approximately 520 to 500 million years ago. These creatures are known from exceptionally well-preserved fossil sites, most notably the Sirius Passet Lagerstätte in Greenland. Hatzor fossils are characterized by their segmented bodies, often protected by a series of overlapping plates or valves.

The exact phylogenetic placement of Hatzor within the animal kingdom has been a subject of ongoing scientific debate. Early interpretations suggested a relationship with arthropods or crustaceans due to its segmented nature and potential appendages. However, more recent analyses, based on detailed examination of its morphology, have proposed alternative classifications, including a possible link to priapulid worms or a position within a more basal group of bilaterian animals.

Hatzor specimens typically display a cylindrical or flattened body shape. The anterior end often features structures interpreted as feeding appendages or sensory organs, though their precise function remains speculative. The posterior end is generally simpler. The distinctive dorsal plates are thought to have provided protection from predators or environmental stresses. The discovery of Hatzor has contributed significantly to our understanding of early animal evolution and the diversity of life during the Cambrian explosion, a period of rapid diversification of multicellular life.