Resserops

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Resserops
Temporal range: Atdabanian/Botomian
Resserops NMNH.jpg
Resserops fossil, National Museum of Natural History
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Phylum:
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Subfamily:
Resseropinae
Genus:
Resserops

Richter & Richter, 1940 [2]
Species:
R. resserianus
Binomial name
Resserops resserianus
Richter & Richter, 1940
Synonyms

Perrector (Resserops) resserianus

Resserops is an extinct genus from a well-known class of fossil marine arthropods, the trilobites. It lived during the middle of the Atdabanian or the early part of the Botomian stage, [1] which lasted from approximately 524 to 518.5 million years ago. This faunal stage was part of the Cambrian Period. It has been found in Spain and southern Morocco. It can be recognised by the sabre-like spines of the headshield that are a smooth continuation of the frontal edge, and the enlarged spines on the 9th segment of the thorax.

Contents

Distribution

Lower Cambrian of Spain [3] and Southern Morocco (Daguinaspis and Resserops-zone near Amouslek, Ouijane and Tiout). [4]

Taxonomy

The Treatise [3] considers Resserops and Richterops subgenera of Perrector, which name was proposed by Hupé in the same publication as Resserops and Richterops, but appears above it and thus has preference. Later publications use Resserops and Richterops however as separate genera.

Description

As with most early trilobites, Resserops has an almost flat exoskeleton, that is only thinly calcified, and has crescent-shaped eye ridges. As a representative of the Redlichiina suborder, the headshield (or cephalon) has sutures where the exoskeleton ruptures to assist in moulting. The cephalon is approximately ovate, more than twice as wide as long. There is no space between the raised axis (or glabella) and the raised ridge (or anterior border) that defines the contour of the cephalon (in jargon: the preglabellar field is absent). The eye ridges are large, extend outward and arch backward near their tips. The cephalon carries massive sabre-like relatively short spines (or genal spines) that are a smooth continuation of the anterior border. The genal spines are connected at about half of the length of the cephalon (or are well-advanced). The tips of the genal spines are approximately as far out as their base. The thorax has 12 segments, the 9th segment (counted from the front) carries large spines at its tips, longer than the genal spines and longer than the thorax axis, extending about one pygidial length behind the body. The tailshield (or pygidium) has a smooth border, is large for a redlichiida, (about 60% of the length of the cephalon), both the axis and pleural regions of the pygidium have about 6 recognisable segments. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Redlichiida</span> Extinct order of trilobites

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.

<i>Paradoxides</i> Extinct genus of trilobites

Paradoxides is a genus of large to very large trilobite found throughout the world during the Middle Cambrian period. One record-breaking specimen of Paradoxides davidis, described by John William Salter in 1863, is 37 cm (15 in). The cephalon was semicircular with free cheeks ending in long, narrow, recurved spines. Eyes were crescent shaped providing an almost 360° view, but only in the horizontal plane. Its elongate thorax was composed of 19–21 segments and adorned with longish, recurved pleural spines. Its pygidium was comparatively small. Paradoxides is a characteristic Middle-Cambrian trilobite of the 'Atlantic' (Avalonian) fauna. Avalonian rocks were deposited near a small continent called Avalonia in the Paleozoic Iapetus Ocean. Avalonian beds are now in a narrow strip along the East Coast of North America, and in Europe.

<i>Dikelocephalus</i> Genus of trilobites

Dikelocephalus is a genus of very large trilobites of up to 50 cm (20 in) long, that lived during the last 3 million years of the Cambrian (Sunwaptan). Their fossils are commonly found as disarticulated sclerites, in the upper Mississippi Valley and in Canada (Alberta). The exoskeleton is rounded anteriorly, with the thorax and sides of the tailshield slightly tapering to about 23× of the width across the base of the spines at the back of the headshield. At the side corners of the pygidium there may be triangular or hooked spines, pointing backwards, while between the spines the posterior margin is at a 30-75° angle with the lateral margin, gently convex or nearly straight. If pygidial spines are lacking, the margin is gradually rounded. The thorax has 12 segments.

<i>Acimetopus</i> Extinct genus of trilobites

Acimetopus Rasetti, 1966, is a genus of Eodiscinid trilobite belonging to the family Weymouthiidae Kobayashi (1943), Order Agnostida Salter (1864). It lived during the Botomian stage. = late Lower Cambrian Stage 4 ; the upper Botomian boundary corresponds to base of the Middle Cambrian, Miaolingian Series and Wuliuan stage.

<i>Dicerodiscus</i> Extinct genus of trilobites

Dicerodiscus is an extinct genus from a well-known class of fossil marine arthropods, the trilobites. It lived during the early part of the Botomian stage, in China. Four species have been assigned to it. Dicerodiscus is unique for an eodiscoid in having conspicuous and curved spines that are attached anteriorly, and at their base are directed outward perpendicular to the midline, before gradually bending further backwards.

<i>Buenellus</i> Species of trilobite (fossil)

Buenellus higginsi is an average size trilobite, which lived during the Lower Cambrian period, in what is now North-West Greenland. It is a prominent member of the Sirius Passet fauna. Buenellus higginsi is the only known species in the genus Buenellus.

<i>Meteoraspis</i>

Meteoraspis is an extinct genus of ptychopariid trilobites of the family Tricrepicephalidae. The various species lived from 501 to 497 million years ago during the Dresbachian faunal stage of the late Cambrian Period. Fossils of Meteoraspis are characteristic of Late Cambrian strata in North America, though they are found in Late Cambrian strata elsewhere in the world, such as M. nevensis from Victoria Land, Antarctica.

<i>Mesonacis</i>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alokistocaridae</span>

Alokistocaridae is a family of ptychopariid trilobites that lived from the Botomian epoch of the Early Cambrian until the Late Cambrian. Alokistocarids were particle feeders and left small furrows which are occasionally preserved. Their remains are found worldwide. Elrathia kingii, one of the most collected trilobites in the world, is a typical alokistocarid.

<i>Odontochile</i> Genus of trilobites

Odontochile is a genus of trilobites in the order Phacopida, family Dalmanitidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richterops</span>

Richterops is an extinct genus of trilobite arthropods. The genus lived during the middle of the Atdabanian or the early part of the Botomian stage, which lasted from approximately 524 to 518.5 million years ago. This faunal stage was part of the second half of the Lower Cambrian. It has been found in southern Morocco. It can be recognised by the long spines of the headshield that are a smooth continuation of the frontal edge, and the enlarged spines on the 11th segment of the thorax.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eodiscina</span>

Eodiscina is trilobite suborder. The Eodiscina first developed near the end of the Lower Cambrian period and became extinct at the end of the Middle Cambrian. Species are tiny to small, and have a thorax of two or three segments. Eodiscina includes six families classified under one superfamily, Eodiscoidea.

<i>Morocconus</i> Genus of trilobites

Morocconus is an extinct genus from a well-known class of fossil marine arthropods, the trilobites. It is still debated if it lived at the very end of the Lower Cambrian or at the very beginning of the Middle Cambrian. Morocconus notabilis is the only known species in this genus.

<i>Tchernyshevioides</i> Genus of trilobite

Tchernyshevioides is a diminutive trilobite that lived during the early Middle Cambrian (Amgaian) and has been found in the Russian Federation and the Jbel Wawrmast Formation of Morocco.

<i>Toragnostus</i> Extinct genus of trilobites

Toragnostus is a genus of trilobites restricted to the late Middle Cambrian. Its remains have been found in the United States, Greenland, Denmark, China, Sweden, the Russian Federation, and Kazakhstan. Its headshield and tailshield are almost completely effaced and it has two thorax segments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eodiscidae</span>

Eodiscidae is a family of agnostid trilobites that lived during the final Lower Cambrian and the Middle Cambrian. They are small or very small, and have a thorax of two or three segments. Eodiscidae includes nine genera.

<i>Cedaria</i>

Cedaria is an extinct genus of trilobites from the late Cambrian.

<i>Tricrepicephalus</i>

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°.

Anabaraspis is a genus of redlichiid trilobite, A. splendens occurs in the uppermost Lower Cambrian and lowest Middle Cambrian of Russia. In Anabaraspis, there is an extended area in front of the glabella which is not differentiated in a border and a preglabellar field. It is a unique character in the family Paradoxididae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paradoxidoidea</span> Extinct superfamily of trilobites

The Paradoxidoidea Hawle & Corda 1847, are a superfamily of trilobites, a group of extinct marine arthropods. They occurred during the late Lower Cambrian (Toyonian) and disappeared at the end of the Middle Cambrian.

References

  1. 1 2 Sepkoski, Jack (2002). "A compendium of fossil marine animal genera (Trilobita entry)". Bulletins of American Paleontology. 364: 560. Retrieved 2008-01-12.
  2. Richter, Rudolf; Richter, Emma (1940). "Studien im Paläozoikum der Mittelmeer-Länder, 5: Die Saukianda-Stufe von Andalusien, eine fremde Fauna im europäischen Ober-Kambrium". Abhandlungen der Senckenbergischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft. 450: 1–81.
  3. 1 2 3 Whittington, H. B. et al. Part O, Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology. Revised, Volume 1 – Trilobita – Introduction, Order Agnostina, Order Redlichiida. 1997
  4. Zhang, W.-T.; Chen, P.-J.; Palmer, A.R. (2003). Biostratigraphy of China. Beijing: Science Press.