In what year did Charles Doolittle Walcott first describe the fossil Wiwaxia?
Answer
1911
The initial scientific description and formal designation of the organism *Wiwaxia* was carried out by Charles Doolittle Walcott, the paleontologist famous for his extensive explorations of the Burgess Shale. This seminal description took place in the year 1911. Walcott’s work in establishing these early Cambrian taxa provided the foundational data that subsequent researchers have built upon, even as modern phylogenetic analysis refines the understanding of where creatures like *Wiwaxia corrugata* fit into the broader tapestry of animal evolution.

#Videos
Wiwaxia corrugata - Creature of the Cambrian Explosion ~ 505 mya
Related Questions
Where were the primary fossils of Wiwaxia corrugata discovered?What name is given to the distinct, overlapping scales covering the body of Wiwaxia?What was the estimated length range of the Cambrian organism Wiwaxia?What major invertebrate grouping does modern analysis frequently use to classify Wiwaxia?Which direction were the prominent spines projecting along the sides of Wiwaxia angled?What was the primary component of the main body mass of Wiwaxia, despite its armored exterior?Where was the mouth structure of Wiwaxia situated on its body?What process have scientists proposed for how Wiwaxia may have acquired sustenance using its underside mouth structure?In what year did Charles Doolittle Walcott first describe the fossil Wiwaxia?What does the backward-angled spine arrangement of Wiwaxia suggest as a potential function besides defense?