What are the flattened, scale-like plates covering Wiwaxia's back called?
Answer
Sclerites
The defining external feature of *Wiwaxia corrugata* is its covering, composed of numerous flattened, scale-like plates arranged in rows along its dorsal side. These robust structures are scientifically termed sclerites. Because they represent the hardest parts of the organism, they are the components most consistently and clearly preserved in the fossil record recovered from the Cambrian deposits. These sclerites formed an armor-like shell, differentiating *Wiwaxia* from many contemporaneous soft-bodied life forms, although their exact homology remains central to the classification debate.
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