Bristoliinae Temporal range: late Lower Cambrian (Olenellus-zone) | |
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Bristolia mohavensis, cephalon superimposed on a roled-up specimen | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | † Trilobita |
Order: | † Redlichiida |
Family: | † Biceratopsidae |
Subfamily: | † Bristoliinae Harrington, 1956 |
Genera | |
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The Bristoliinae is an extinct subfamily of trilobites, fossil marine arthropods, with species of small to average size. Species belonging to this subfamily lived during the Botomian and Toyonian stage (Olenellus-zone), 522-513 million years ago, in the former continent of Laurentia, including what are today Mexico, the Appalachian Mountains and the south-western United States, and Canada (Northwest Territories). [1]
The Bristoliinae are named for the type species Bristolia bristolensis .
The headshield (or cephalon) carries spines (called genal spines) of approximately 4-8 thorax segments long (measured parallel to the midline). The genal spines are attached in front of the back of the headshield. The central raised portion of the cephalon that represents the axis in the cephalon (or glabella) touches the flattened ledge that borders the cephalon. The furrows that separate border, eye ridges, glabella and its lobes are distinct. [1] [2]
The Bristolinae can be distinguished from its sister subfamily, the Biceratopsinae, that has effaced cephalic features (no furrows except for the border furrow). [1]
All Bristoliinae occur in the late Lower Cambrian (Olenellus-zone) of the former paleocontinent Laurentia. Fremontella halli is known from eastern Laurentia (Rome Formation, Alabama, USA). All other species are known from western Laurentia: Lochmanolenellus mexicana from northern Mexico and South-East California, the species of Bristolia from southeastern California and southern Nevada, and an undescribed Bristolia-species from the North-West Territories, Canada. [1]
The Bristolinae were probably marine bottom dwellers, like all Olenellina.
Redlichiida is an order of trilobites, a group of extinct marine arthropods. Species assigned to the order Redlichiida are among the first trilobites to appear in the fossil record, about halfway during the Lower Cambrian. Due to the difficulty to relate sediments in different areas, there remains some discussion, but among the earliest are Fallotaspis, and Lemdadella, both belonging to this order. The first representatives of the orders Corynexochida and Ptychopariida also appear very early on and may prove to be even earlier than any redlichiid species. In terms of anatomical comparison, the earliest redlichiid species are probably ancestral to all other trilobite orders and share many primitive characters. The last redlichiid trilobites died out before the end of the Middle Cambrian.
Olenellus is an extinct genus of redlichiid trilobites, with species of average size. It lived during the Botomian and Toyonian stages (Olenellus-zone), 522 to 510 million years ago, in what is currently North-America, part of the palaeocontinent Laurentia.
Analox Rasetti, 1966 is a genus of Eodiscinid trilobites belonging to the family Weymouthiidae Kobayashi T. (1943), Order Agnostida It lived during the Botomian stage. It can easily be distinguished from other trilobites by the two furrows that extend forwards and sidewards from the front of the glabella.
Olenelloides armatus is an extinct, small sized olenelloid redlichiid trilobite arthropod. It lived during the later part of the Botomian stage, which lasted from approximately 524 to 518.5 million years ago. This faunal stage was part of the Cambrian Period. The most conspicuous feature is the hexagonal head shield that carries 6 ray-like spines..
Wanneria is an extinct genus from a well-known class of fossil marine arthropods, the trilobites. It lived during the later part of the Botomian stage, which lasted from approximately 524 to 518.5 million years ago. This faunal stage was part of the Cambrian Period. Wanneria walcottana is the only known species in this genus.
Elliptocephala is an extinct genus from a well-known class of fossil marine arthropods, the trilobites. It lived from the later part of the Tommotian to the upper Botomian. Elliptocephala can easily be confused with Ellipsocephalus, a trilobite genus of the Ptychopariida order.
Fremontella is an extinct genus from a well-known class of fossil marine arthropods, the trilobites. It lived during the part of the Toyonian stage. This faunal stage was part of the Cambrian Period. Fremontella shares with the other genera of the Bristoliinae subfamily, Lochmanolenellus and Bristolia conspicuous and long curved spines on the headshield. These reach back equal to 4-5 thorax segments. The furrows that separate border, eye ridges, glabella and its lobes are distinct. The area outside of the axis of the third segment of the thorax is enlarged, and carries large trailing spine on each side.
Cirquella is an extinct genus from a well-known class of fossil marine arthropods, the trilobites. It lived during the Atdabanian stage, in the former continent Laurentia.
Nevadella is an extinct genus of trilobites, fossil marine arthropods, with species of average size. It lived during the late Atdabanian stage, which lasted from 530 to 524 million years ago during the early part of the Cambrian Period.
Nephrolenellus is an extinct genus of trilobite, fossil marine arthropods, of relatively small size. Currently two species are attributed to it. Nephrolenellus lived at the end of the Lower Cambrian. Species are known from the Great Basin of California, Nevada and Arizona, with one specimen from Canada.
Mesonacis is an extinct genus of trilobite that lived during the Botomian, found in North-America, and the United Kingdom. Some of the species now regarded part of Mesonacis, have previously been assigned to Angustolenellus or Olenellus (Angustolenellus). Angustolenellus is now regarded a junior synonym of Mesonacis.
Holmiidae is a family of trilobites, that lived during the Lower Cambrian (Atdabanian). The Holmiidae is a diverse family of eight genera containing at least 17 species. It includes some of the earliest trilobites of Baltica. Holmiidae occur throughout Baltica and Western Laurentia, and also in Morocco.
Peachella is an extinct genus of trilobites, fossil marine arthropods, with species of average size. It lived during the Toyonian stage, 516 to 513 million years ago, in what is today the southwestern United States. It can easily be distinguished from other trilobites by its club-like genal spines.
Eopeachella is an extinct genus of trilobites, fossil marine arthropods, with species of probably small size, entire, articulate specimens have not yet been found. It lived during the Toyonian stage, in what is today the South-Western United States. Eopeachella angustispina is the only known species in this genus.
Mesolenellus is an extinct genus of trilobites that lived during the lower Cambrian (Botomian), found in Greenland and Spitsbergen.
Lochmanolenellus is an extinct genus of trilobites, fossil marine arthropods, with one small species, L. mexicana. It lived during the Botomian stage (Olenellus-zone), 522–513 million years ago, in the South-West of the former continent of Laurentia, in what are today Mexico, and the South-Western United States.
Bristolia is an extinct genus of trilobite, fossil marine arthropods, with eight or more small to average size species. It is common in and limited to the Lower Cambrian shelf deposits across the southwestern US, which constitutes part of the former paleocontinent of Laurentia.
Emigrantia is an extinct genus of trilobites, fossil marine arthropods, of small to average size. It lived during the Toyonian stage, in what is today the South-Western United States. Emigrantia can easily be distinguished from other trilobites by the sturdy but not inflated genal spines, that are attached at midlength of the cephalon, in combination with effaced features of the raised axial area of the head shield.
Bolbolenellus is an extinct genus of trilobites, fossil marine arthropods, with five species attributed to it currently. It can be easily distinguished from all other trilobites by the combination of the absence of dorsal sutures in the head shield like all Olenellina, and a distinctly bulbous frontal lobe (L4) of the raised axial area in the head called glabella. The species lived at the end of the Lower Cambrian.
Tricrepicephalus is an extinct genus of ptychopariid trilobites of the family Tricrepicephalidae with species of average size. Its species lived from 501 to 497 million years ago during the Dresbachian faunal stage of the late Cambrian Period. Fossils of Tricrepicephalus are widespread in Late Cambrian deposits in North America, but is also known from one location in South America. Tricrepicephalus has an inverted egg-shaped exoskeleton, with three characteristic pits in the fold that parallels the margin of the headshield just in front of the central raised area. The articulating middle part of the body has 12 segments and the tailshield carries two long, tubular, curved pygidial spines that are reminiscent of earwig's pincers that rise backwards from the plain of the body at approximately 30°.