Lobopods are a group of extinct, soft-bodied animals that lived during the Cambrian and Ordovician periods, around 500 million years ago. They are characterized by their segmented bodies and stubby, lobopod-like limbs, which resemble the legs of modern velvet worms. These creatures are believed to have been primarily benthic, meaning they lived on the ocean floor. Fossils of lobopods have been found in various locations, providing insights into early animal evolution. They are considered important for understanding the transition from simple to more complex life forms, as they share features with both arthropods and annelids, suggesting a possible link between these major groups of animals.