Preserved Musculature of Cycloneuralians Found in Early Cambrian Microfossils

Researchers have discovered well-preserved microfossils from the early Cambrian period that provide insights into the introvert musculature of cycloneuralians, a group of animals including roundworms and horsehair worms. The fossils, found in China, reveal the presence of four groups of muscles, suggesting a complex musculature similar to that of bilaterian animals. The findings shed light on the functional morphology and evolutionary significance of early Cambrian cycloneuralians, which are closely related to arthropods.