| Saperion Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
 | |
| diagrammatic reconstruction | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subclass: | † Conciliterga |
| Order: | † Helmetiida |
| Family: | † Tegopeltidae |
| Genus: | † Saperion Hou, Ramsköld & Bergström, 1991 |
| Type species | |
| Saperion glumaceum Hou, Ramsköld & Bergström, 1991 | |
Saperion is an extinct genus of trilobite-like arthropod. It lived during the late Atdabanian stage, [1] which lasted from 521 to 514 million years ago during the early part of the Cambrian Period. It was found in the Maotianshan Shales of Yunnan, China. [2] Similar to the closely related Skioldia and Tegopelte , the head shield and trunk tergites were fused into a single plate. There are about 19 furrows indicating the original trunk segments. a small anterior sclerite articulated to the front of its head. [3] A pair of antennae and lateral eyes located ventrally behind the anterior sclerite, lateral to the hypostome. [4] Saperion reached 151 mm in length and had nearly 25 pairs of biramous limbs for walking. [5]
