Brachyopterus
| Brachyopterus Temporal range: Middle Ordovician | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Merostomata |
| Order: | †Eurypterida |
| Superfamily: | †Rhenopteroidea |
| Family: | †Rhenopteridae |
| Genus: | †Brachyopterus Størmer, 1951 |
| Type species | |
| Brachyopterus stubblefieldi Størmer, 1951 | |
Brachyopterus is a genus of prehistoric eurypterid of the family Rhenopteridae.
Description
Brachyopterus is distinguished by its small size, compound eyes with axes converging anteriorly on a subtrapezoid to subpentagonal prosoma (head). All of its legs are walking legs; the first three pairs are short with spines, except when modified into clasping organs; the last two pairs are moderately long, keeled and tapering in width to terminal claws. The last leg falls short of the penultimate abdominal segment. The abdomen is narrow and ends in a short styliform telson. Brachyopterus date from the Middle Ordovician.[1]
Taxonomy
The genus contains only one species:
- Brachyopterus stubblefieldiStørmer, 1951 — Ordovician, Montgomeryshire
References
- ↑ Størmer, L. 1955. Merostomata. Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology, Part P Arthropoda 2, Chelicerata, pp. 36–37.
See also
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