The cuticle of the aglaspidid arthropods, a red-herring in the early history of the vertebrates

Abstract
The supposed early vertebrate Anatolepis recently was reinterpreted by Peel (1979) as an arthropod, probably aglaspidid. The cuticle of Aglaspis [2 specimens from the Upper Cambrian Lodi Member of the St. Lawrence Formation of Wisconsin (USA)] shows a characteristic arthropodan structure, including lamination and ducts, but it is apparently composed of primary phosphate. Apart from composition, the skeletal histology of Anatolepis is totally different. This, together with more general considerations, eliminates any possibility of arthropod affinity. Anatolepis remains the earliest known vertebrate.

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