Radiodonts, stem-group euarthropods that evolved during the Cambrian explosion, were among the largest and most diversified lower palaeozoic predators. These animals were widespread geographically, occupying a variety of ecological niches, from benthic foragers to nektonic suspension feeders and apex predators. Here, we describe the largest Cambrian hurdiid radiodont known so far,
Titanokorys gainesi
, gen. et sp. nov., from the Burgess Shale (Marble Canyon, Kootenay National Park, British Columbia). Estimated to reach half a metre in length, this new species bears a very large ovoid-shaped central carapace with distinct short posterolateral processes and an anterior spine. Geometric morphometric analyses highlight the high diversity of carapace shapes in hurdiids and show that
Titanokorys
bridges a morphological gap between forms with long and short carapaces. Carapace shape, however, is prone to homoplasy and shows no consistent relationship with trophic ecology, as demonstrated by new data, including a reappraisal of the poorly known
Pahvantia
. Despite distinct carapaces,
Titanokorys
shares similar rake-like appendages for sediment-sifting with
Cambroraster,
a smaller but much more abundant sympatric hurdiid from the Burgess Shale
.
The co-occurrence of these two species on the same bedding planes highlights potential competition for benthic resources and the high diversity of large predators sustained by Cambrian communities.