Attenborolimulus

Attenborolimulus Temporal range: Olenekian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Holotype
Reconstruction
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Merostomata
Order:	Xiphosura
Family:	† Austrolimulidae
Genus:	† Attenborolimulus Bicknell & Shcherbakov, 2021
Species:	†A. superspinosus
Binomial name
†Attenborolimulus superspinosus Bicknell & Shcherbakov, 2021

Attenborolimulus is an extinct genus of austrolimulid horseshoe crab with one known species: Attenborolimulus superspinosus. This genus is known from the Petropavlovka Formation in Russia, dating to the Olenekian age (early Triassic). ^[1]

Etymology

The genus is named after David Attenborough for his work in conservation and science communication, whose name was combined with " Limulus ", the most well documented living genus of horseshoe crab. The specific epithet "superspinosus" reflects the species' hypertrophied genal spines. ^[2]

Description

Attenborolimulus is much smaller than modern horseshoe crabs, with the holotype specimen being only 3.2 centimetres (1.3 in) long despite being mostly complete. The genal spines, like those of other austrolimulids, are strongly pronounced. ^[2]

Palaeoecology

Attenborolimulus inhabited brackish to freshwater environments. ^[2] While the beds of the Petropavlovka Formation are mostly red in colour, Attenborolimulus specimens were instead discovered within a one-metre thick lens of grey siltstone to sandstone. This sediment likely accumulated within an ephemeral pond during a flood. ^[2]

• 
  Paratype
• 
  Reconstruction

See also

• List of things named after David Attenborough and his works

References

1. Bicknell, Russell Dean Christopher (30 June 2021). "We discovered a new fossil species of horseshoe crab (and named it after David Attenborough)". The Conversation . Archived from the original on 22 August 2021. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
2. Bicknell, Russell D. C.; Shcherbakov, Dmitry E. (30 June 2021). "New austrolimulid from Russia supports role of Early Triassic horseshoe crabs as opportunistic taxa". PeerJ. 9 e11709. doi: 10.7717/peerj.11709 . ISSN   2167-8359. PMC   8254475 . PMID   34249518.