A unique case of healed injury in a Cambrian trilobite

Fatka, Oldřich; Budil, Petr; Grigar, L

doi:10.1016/j.annpal.2015.10.001

Cited by 19 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Here, nine new examples of abnormal specimens from the Paleontological collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (USNM PAL) are presented; a collection from which abnormal trilobites have previously been reported (Babcock, 1993;Bicknell, Pates & Botton, 2018d). These specimens aid the recent pulse in documentation of Cambrian predation traces and other abnormalities (Fatka, Budil & Grigar, 2015;Bicknell, Pates & Botton, 2018d;Klompmaker et al, 2019;.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Exploring abnormal Cambrian-aged trilobites in the Smithsonian collection

Bicknell

Pates

2020

PeerJ

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Biomineralised trilobite exoskeletons provide a 250 million year record of abnormalities in one of the most diverse arthropod groups in history. One type of abnormality—repaired injuries—have allowed palaeobiologists to document records of Paleozoic predation, accidental damage, and complications in moulting experienced by the group. Although Cambrian trilobite injuries are fairly well documented, the illustration of new injured specimens will produce a more complete understanding of Cambrian prey items. To align with this perspective, nine new abnormal specimens displaying healed injuries from the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History collection are documented. The injury pattern conforms to the suggestion of lateralised prey defence or predator preference, but it is highlighted that the root cause for such patterns is obscured by the lumping of data across different palaeoecological and environmental conditions. Further studies of Cambrian trilobites with injuries represent a key direction for uncovering evidence for the Cambrian escalation event.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Exploring abnormal Cambrian-aged trilobites in the Smithsonian collection

Bicknell

Pates

2020

PeerJ

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“…Trilobites that are malformed due to predatory attacks have typically V-, U-, or W-shaped injuries ( Owen, 1985 ; Babcock, 1993 ; Pratt, 1998 ; Jago & Haines, 2002 ; Zamora et al, 2011 ; Pates et al, 2017 ; Bicknell & Paterson, 2018 ; Bicknell & Pates, 2020 ), with a few showing in bay-shaped injuries ( Fatka, Budil & Grigar, 2015 ). Furthermore, there is occasionally signs of healing or regeneration ( Rudkin, 1979 ; McNamara & Tuura, 2011 ; Pates et al, 2017 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The shapes of the Cambrian trilobite injuries suggest that some predators may have been radiodonts ( Babcock & Robison, 1989 ; Babcock, 1993 ; Nedin, 1999 ). Other predator candidates include cephalopods, echinoderms, fish, and other larger arthropods ( Bruton, 1981 ; Briggs & Collins, 1988 ; Babcock, 1993 ; Fatka, Budil & Grigar, 2015 ; Jago, García-Bellido & Gehling, 2016 ; Bicknell & Paterson, 2018 ; Bicknell et al, 2018a ; Zhai et al, 2019 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Injuries and molting interference in a trilobite from the Cambrian (Furongian) of South China

Zong

2021

PeerJ

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An injured Shergoldia laevigata Zhu, Hughes & Peng, 2007 (Trilobita, Asaphida) was collected from the Furongian of Guangxi, South China. The injuries occurred in the left thoracic pleurae possessing two marked V-shaped gaps. It led to substantial transverse shortening of the left pleural segments, with barely perceptible traces of healing. This malformation is interpreted as a sub-lethal attack from an unknown predator. The morphology of injuries and the spatial and temporal distribution of predators indicated that the predatory structure might have been the spines on the ganathobase or ganathobase-like structure of a larger arthropod. There were overlapped segments located in the front of the injuries, and slightly dislocated thoracic segments on the left part of the thorax, suggesting that the trilobite had experienced difficulties during molting. The freshly molted trilobite had dragged forward the old exuvia causing the irregular arrangement of segments. This unusual trilobite specimen indicates that the injuries interfered with molting.

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“…Despite the primary focus on dinosaur and other vertebrate groups, the TMP collection also houses an array of invertebrate taxa (Motz et al, 2001). To expand the use of this diverse collection, and to align with recent research documenting Cambrian predation (Fatka et al, 2015;Pates et al, 2017;Bicknell et al, 2018c;Bicknell and Pates, 2019;Klompmaker et al, 2019;Pates and Bicknell, 2019), Cambrian-aged fossils were reviewed for abnormal trilobite specimens. We present six new examples of abnormal trilobites, representing the taxa Gabriellus kierorum, Ogygopsis klotzi, Modocia typicalis, and the first record of an abnormal Hemirhodon amplipyge.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Injured trilobites within a collection of dinosaurs: Using the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology to document Cambrian predation

Bicknell¹,

Holland²

2020

Palaeontol Electron

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Biomineralised exoskeletons of trilobites are ideal for recording abnormalities, documenting injuries from failed attacks, and understanding predation in the fossil record. The illustration of new injured Cambrian-aged trilobites is particularly important for elucidating aspects of early Paleozoic predator-prey systems and identifying groups that were targets of this early predation. We document six new abnormal trilobite specimens from the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology, including the first evidence for injuries on the corynexochid trilobite Hemirhodon amplipyge. These new data highlight the importance of museum collections in uncovering unique and informative specimens for studies of predation on early animals.

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A unique case of healed injury in a Cambrian trilobite

Cited by 19 publications

References 20 publications

Exploring abnormal Cambrian-aged trilobites in the Smithsonian collection

Exploring abnormal Cambrian-aged trilobites in the Smithsonian collection

Injuries and molting interference in a trilobite from the Cambrian (Furongian) of South China

Injured trilobites within a collection of dinosaurs: Using the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology to document Cambrian predation

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