All About the Opabinia Regalis: The Five-Eyed Creature

Photo: dottedhippo via Getty Images

Opabinia Regalis was a soft-bodied, cephalopod-like creature that lived during the Cambrian period. It was a very small creature only measuring a few centimeters in length. 

The Opabinia is considered one of the strangest looking creatures to have ever lived, with a long, slender body and five eyes arranged on stalks. 

The world during the time of the Opabinia Regalis was a very different place than it is today. The planet was almost entirely covered in ocean, with only a few small islands dotted here and there. 

The land that did exist was largely uninhabitable, as it was mostly barren rock with no vegetation. The seas were teeming with strange and wonderful creatures, many of which were unlike anything that exists today. 

The Opabinia Regalis was just one of the many strange and wonderful creatures that lived during this time period. 

Description and Appearance

Photo: dottedhippo via Getty Images

The Opabinia Regalis belongs to the family Otocephalidae, which is a group of extinct animals that lived during the Cambrian period. The family includes other strange creatures such as Anomalocaris and Wiwaxia.

The Opabinia Regalis had five eyes, which is one of the most distinctive features of this creature. Three of the eyes were located on top of the head, while the other two were situated on stalks in front of the main body. 

The function of these eyes is not known for sure, but it is thought that they may have been used to help the Opabinia Regalis find food. 

The eyes of the Opabinia Regalis were just one of the many strange and wonderful features of this creature. 

Scientists believe that the Otocephalidae were related to the modern-day horseshoe crab. However, it is still not clear how exactly they are related.

It also had a pair of claw-like appendages at the end of its body, which it may have used to capture prey.

Opabinia was first discovered in the Burgess Shale in British Columbia, Canada. This fossil deposit is world-famous for its abundance of strange and wonderful creatures from the Cambrian period. 

Opabinia is just one of the many oddities that have been found in the Burgess Shale. Despite its strange appearance, Opabinia was a successful creature during its time on Earth. 

It thrived in the Cambrian seas for millions of years before eventually disappearing from the fossil record. 

Scientists are not sure what exactly caused the Opabinia Regalis to go extinct, but there are a few theories. One theory is that the changing environmental conditions made it difficult for the creature to survive. 

Another theory suggests that other animals may have competed with the Opabinia Regalis for food and resources, causing it to go extinct.

Opabinia is one of the most fascinating creatures from the Cambrian period, and its discovery has helped scientists to better understand the strange world of early animal life.

Opabinia Regalis lived during the Cambrian period, which lasted from around 540 to 520 million years ago. The exact lifespan of the Opabinia Regalis is unknown, but it is thought to have lived for a few million years before going extinct. 

Opabinia Regalis vs Anomalocaris

The Opabinia Regalis was often confused with another strange creature from the Cambrian period, known as the Anomalocaris. These two creatures were similar in size and appearance, and both had long, claw-like appendages. 

However, there are some key differences between the two creatures. The most notable difference is that the Opabinia Regalis had five eyes, while the Anomalocaris only had two. 

The Opabinia Regalis and the Anomalocaris were two of the many strange and wonderful creatures that lived during the Cambrian period. 

Diet

Opabinia Regalis was a carnivore, meaning that it ate other animals. It likely fed on small invertebrates that lived in the Cambrian seas. Scientists are not sure exactly how the Opabinia Regalis captured its prey, but it is thought that it used its claw-like appendages to snag them.

Reproduction

Opabinia Regalis was asexual, meaning that it did not need a mate to reproduce. It likely reproduced by fragmentation, which is when an animal breaks apart into smaller pieces and each piece grows into a new individual. 

Some scientists believe that the Opabinia Regalis may have also reproduced by budding, which is when a small, undeveloped individual grows on the body of the parent. 

Extinction

The Opabinia Regalis went extinct during the Permian-Triassic mass extinction, which was the largest mass extinction in Earth's history. This event occurred around 252 million years ago and wiped out more than 90% of all species on Earth. 

Scientists are not exactly sure what caused this mass extinction, but it is thought that a combination of environmental changes and volcanic activity may have been to blame. The Opabinia Regalis was one of the many creatures that perished during this event, and it has not been seen since. 

The Opabinia might be extinct but the Opabinia Regalis Soft Stuffed Plush Toy is as close as it gets. Made with cotton material, this plush toy replicates all the Opabinia features including five eyes. The good news is that you even get almost the exact size around 63 cm. 

Gage Beasley's Opabinia Regalis Soft Stuffed Plush Toy

Fossil Remains

The best place to find Opabinia Regalis fossils is in the Burgess Shale in British Columbia, Canada. This fossil deposit is world-famous for its abundance of strange and wonderful creatures from the Cambrian period. 

Opabinia is just one of the many oddities that have been found in the Burgess Shale. If you're interested in seeing the fossil remains of this fascinating creature, be sure to pay a visit to the Burgess Shale when you have the chance!

These fossil deposits are famous for their abundance of Cambrian period creatures, and the Opabinia Regalis is just one of many strange and wonderful creatures that have been found in them. 

Final Thoughts

The Opabinia Regalis is a fascinating creature that can teach us a lot about the strange world of early animal life. Its discovery has helped scientists to better understand the Cambrian period, and what Earth was like millions of years ago. 

Cheers!

~GB