Classification
Fuxianhuia was first described from incomplete material, and its true nature did not become apparent until the head and limbs were discovered. Its articulated head region, lack of tergite-segment correspondence and undifferentiated limbs have all been taken to indicate a very basal position in the arthropods, even though an early cladistic analysis suggested, rather, that it was a stem-group chelicerate. The presence of a distinct anterior sclerite bearing the eyes has been taken to suggest that a distinct acron once existed in front of the euarthropod head.
Fuxianhuia is not a unique arthropod: two other taxa, Chengjiangocaris and Shankouia are clearly closely related, although they differ in some details, such as the limbs. A relationship with the Burgess Shale taxon Canadaspis has also been suggested.
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