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
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 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]

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.