Morphology, taxonomy, and classification of the order Eurypterida Burmeister, 1843

Tollerton, Victor P.

doi:10.1017/s0022336000041275

Cited by 103 publications

(120 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…Prantl & Přibyl (1948) Description. -Prosomal appendage (probably third or fourth) of carcinosomatid type (see Tollerton 1989), with long hook-like distal spine. Podomere 8 of elongate rectangular outline, protruding into a long spine.…”

Section: B Amentioning

confidence: 99%

Silurian carcinosomatid eurypterids from the Prague Basin (Czech Republic)

Budil¹,

Manda²,

Tetlie³

2014

Bull. Geosci.

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The eurypterid record from the Prague Basin includes occasional Ludlow faunas, but in the uppermost Silurian (Přídolí) eurypterids suddenly become common in relatively deep water facies. Pterygotids clearly dominate these late Silurian faunas, whereas carcinosomatids are represented by the single species Eusarcana acrocephala, known from only a few specimens. This species is revised and its validity is discussed herein. A new eurypterid fauna found in deep water shale facies is described from the lower and middle part of the Motol Formation, Wenlock, Sheinwoodian-Homerian, Cyrtograptus murchisoni to C. lundgreni graptolite biozones, at Praha-Lochkov. It consists of common fragments of the carcinosomatid eurypterid described here as Eusarcana? sp. A and rare possible pterygotid fragments. This is the earliest evidence of carcinosomatids outside Laurentia and one of the earliest records of the group worldwide. This early occurrence outside a hypothetical Laurentian evolutionary centre is discussed with respect to the palaeobiogeography of other faunas colonising peri-Gondwanan basins after the decline of widespread early Silurian anoxia. A previous suggestion that carcinosomatids (presumed basal members of the Carcinosomatoidea) had similar distribution patterns to pterygotoids is discussed. Eurypterids migrated into the peri-Gondwanan realm from the tropical zone, but the dispersion potential of carcinosomatids into the temperate and cool water realm was probably lower than that of pterygotids. In the Prague Basin, the carcinosomatid-dominated fauna of the Wenlock age was replaced in the late Silurian by a pterygotid-dominated fauna.•

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Section: B Amentioning

confidence: 99%

Silurian carcinosomatid eurypterids from the Prague Basin (Czech Republic)

Budil¹,

Manda²,

Tetlie³

2014

Bull. Geosci.

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“…However, Heterocrania has not been included in recent taxonomic compilations of the Eurypterida (e.g. Stùrmer 1955; Caster and KjellesvigWaering 1964;Tollerton 1989;Braddy 1996) and has largely been ignored in the literature since 1926, except for the suggestion of Remy et al (1999) that it may be a eurypterid. For example, Tasch (1957 Figs 1±4.…”

Section: Experimental Observationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Early Devonian arthropod fauna from the Windyfield cherts, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

2003

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ABSTRACT. New terrestrial and freshwater arthropods are described from the Windy®eld cherts, a suite of silici®ed sinters deposited 700 m north-east of the Rhynie cherts and part of the same Early Devonian hot-spring complex. The diverse assemblage consists of Heterocrania rhyniensis (Hirst and Maulik, 1926a), here recognized as a euthycarcinoid; scutigeromorph centipede material assigned to Crussolum sp.; the crustacean Lepidocaris; trigonotarbid arachnids; a new arthropod of myriapod af®nities named Leverhulmia mariae gen. et sp. nov.; and the distinctively ornamented arthropod cuticle of Rhynimonstrum dunlopi gen. et sp. nov. The Leverhulmia animal preserves gut content identifying it as an early terrestrial detritivore. Abundant coprolites of similar composition and morphology to the gut contents of the euthycarcinoid crowd the matrix. Chert texture, faunal associations, and study of modern analogues strongly suggest that the terrestrial arthropods were ubiquitous Early Devonian forms with no particular special adaptation to localized conditions around the terrestrial hot-spring vents. The aquatic arthropods represent biota from ephemeral cool-water pools in the vicinity of the hot-spring vents.KEY WORDS: Rhynie, arthropod, hot-springs, chert, Devonian, euthycarcinoid.T H E Early Devonian Rhynie chert Konservat-Lagersta Ètte continues to yield important information on an early terrestrial ecosystem preserved almost in its entirety. Intensive drilling, core recovery and trenching carried out in the Rhynie SSSI (Site of Special Scienti®c Interest) has established that the cherts originated through the deposition of siliceous sinter in the subaerial zone of a hydrothermal hot-spring complex (Rice et al. 2002). During the same phase of exploration, new chert was collected from the nearby Windy®eld hot-spring complex ®rst noted by Trewin and Rice (1992) . Prospecting the Windy®eld cherts for arthropods has led to the discovery of a varied fauna of both terrestrial and aquatic arthropods. We report the initial ®nds and compare them with those of the Rhynie cherts.The Windy®eld cherts exhibit the same general ®eld relations and sedimentological setting as the Rhynie cherts: impersistent pods of chert, bounded by ®ne-grained carbonaceous sandstones and variable thicknesses of hydrothermally altered sticky blue clays (Text-®g. 2). However, the Windy®eld¯oat blocks differ markedly in texture, colour, and biotic content from those previously recorded from the Rhynie chert site (Powell et al. 2000a). To date, trigonotarbid arachnids, crustaceans, mites, and a collembolan have been described from the Rhynie cherts (Kevan et al. 1975). Trewin (1994) provided a review of the arthropod fauna, but omitted two problematical forms, Heterocrania Hirst and Maulik, 1926b and Rhyniognatha Tillyard, 1926. We now assign Heterocrania to the euthycarcinoids, but can shed no further light on Rhyniognatha. Documentation of the new arthropods in the Windy®eld cherts substantially increases our knowledge of the biota, and of the plant-a...

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“…Apart from the small, streamlined Adelophthalmidae (Tollerton 1989), Permo-Carboniferous eurypterids are bizarre, giant forms. Table 1 compares Megarachne with these genera, from which it can be seen that Megarachne most closely resembles Woodwardopterus.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The true identity of the supposed giant fossil spiderMegarachne

Selden

Corronca

Hünicken³

2005

Biol. Lett.

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Megarachne servinei from the Permo-Carboniferous Bajo de Véliz Formation of San Luis Province, Argentina (32° 17′ S, 65° 25′ E), was described as a giant mygalomorph spider (‘tarantula’) and, with its body length of 339 mm, the largest known spider ever to have lived on Earth. Its identification as a spider was based on interpretations of the shape of the carapace, the position of the eye tubercle, the anterior protrusion of the carapace as a pair of chelicerae, and the posterior circular structure as the abdomen. X-radiography revealed possible morphology hidden in the matrix: cheliceral fangs, sternum, labium and coxae, and so a reconstruction of Megarachne as a giant spider was presented. Difficulties with the interpretation (unusual cuticular ornament, suture dividing the carapace and spade-like anterior border of the chelicera), together with non-preservation of synapomorphies of Araneae, provoked debate about its interpretation as a spider. Now, the holotype and a new specimen have become available for study. Megarachne is shown to be a bizarre eurypterid (‘sea-scorpion’), similar to rare forms known from Carboniferous rocks of Scotland and South Africa, and is the most complete eurypterid so far recorded from Carboniferous strata of South America.

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Morphology, taxonomy, and classification of the order Eurypterida Burmeister, 1843

Cited by 103 publications

References 21 publications

Silurian carcinosomatid eurypterids from the Prague Basin (Czech Republic)

Silurian carcinosomatid eurypterids from the Prague Basin (Czech Republic)

An Early Devonian arthropod fauna from the Windyfield cherts, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

The true identity of the supposed giant fossil spiderMegarachne

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