A new middle Cambrian trilobite with a specialized cephalon from Shandong Province, North China
Trilobites achieved their maximum generic diversity in the Cambrian, but the peak of morphological disparity of their cranidia occurred in the Middle to Late Ordovician. Early to middle Cambrian trilobites with a specialized cephalon are rare, especially among the ptychoparioids, a group of libristo...
Main Authors: | , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Institute of Paleobiology PAS
2020-12-01
|
Series: | Acta Palaeontologica Polonica |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://www.app.pan.pl/archive/published/app65/app007532020.pdf |
id |
doaj-10591cd22b4a4618af6c2acc618d8195 |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-10591cd22b4a4618af6c2acc618d81952020-12-14T11:07:40ZengInstitute of Paleobiology PASActa Palaeontologica Polonica0567-79201732-24212020-12-0165470971810.4202/app.00753.2020A new middle Cambrian trilobite with a specialized cephalon from Shandong Province, North ChinaZhixin Sun0Han Zeng1Fangchen Zhao2State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology and Center for Excellence in Life and Palaeoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology and Center for Excellence in Life and Palaeoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology and Center for Excellence in Life and Palaeoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaTrilobites achieved their maximum generic diversity in the Cambrian, but the peak of morphological disparity of their cranidia occurred in the Middle to Late Ordovician. Early to middle Cambrian trilobites with a specialized cephalon are rare, especially among the ptychoparioids, a group of libristomates featuring the so-called “generalized” bauplan. Here we describe an unusual ptychopariid trilobite Phantaspis auritus gen. et sp. nov. from the middle Cambrian (Miaolingian, Wuliuan) Mantou Formation in the Shandong Province, North China. This new taxon is characterized by a cephalon with an extended anterior area of double-lobate shape resembling a pair of rabbit ears in later ontogenetic stages; a unique type of cephalic specialization that has not been reported from other trilobites. Such a peculiar cephalon as in Phantaspis provides new insights into the variations of cephalic morphology in middle Cambrian trilobites, and may represent a heuristic example of ecological specialization to predation or an improved discoidal enrollment.http://www.app.pan.pl/archive/published/app65/app007532020.pdftrilobitaptychopariidaontogenyspecializationmiaolingianpaleozoiclonggangasia |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Zhixin Sun Han Zeng Fangchen Zhao |
spellingShingle |
Zhixin Sun Han Zeng Fangchen Zhao A new middle Cambrian trilobite with a specialized cephalon from Shandong Province, North China Acta Palaeontologica Polonica trilobita ptychopariida ontogeny specialization miaolingian paleozoic longgang asia |
author_facet |
Zhixin Sun Han Zeng Fangchen Zhao |
author_sort |
Zhixin Sun |
title |
A new middle Cambrian trilobite with a specialized cephalon from Shandong Province, North China |
title_short |
A new middle Cambrian trilobite with a specialized cephalon from Shandong Province, North China |
title_full |
A new middle Cambrian trilobite with a specialized cephalon from Shandong Province, North China |
title_fullStr |
A new middle Cambrian trilobite with a specialized cephalon from Shandong Province, North China |
title_full_unstemmed |
A new middle Cambrian trilobite with a specialized cephalon from Shandong Province, North China |
title_sort |
new middle cambrian trilobite with a specialized cephalon from shandong province, north china |
publisher |
Institute of Paleobiology PAS |
series |
Acta Palaeontologica Polonica |
issn |
0567-7920 1732-2421 |
publishDate |
2020-12-01 |
description |
Trilobites achieved their maximum generic diversity in the Cambrian, but the peak of morphological disparity of their cranidia occurred in the Middle to Late Ordovician. Early to middle Cambrian trilobites with a specialized cephalon are rare, especially among the ptychoparioids, a group of libristomates featuring the so-called “generalized” bauplan. Here we describe an unusual ptychopariid trilobite Phantaspis auritus gen. et sp. nov. from the middle Cambrian (Miaolingian, Wuliuan) Mantou Formation in the Shandong Province, North China. This new taxon is characterized by a cephalon with an extended anterior area of double-lobate shape resembling a pair of rabbit ears in later ontogenetic stages; a unique type of cephalic specialization that has not been reported from other trilobites. Such a peculiar cephalon as in Phantaspis provides new insights into the variations of cephalic morphology in middle Cambrian trilobites, and may represent a heuristic example of ecological specialization to predation or an improved discoidal enrollment. |
topic |
trilobita ptychopariida ontogeny specialization miaolingian paleozoic longgang asia |
url |
http://www.app.pan.pl/archive/published/app65/app007532020.pdf |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT zhixinsun anewmiddlecambriantrilobitewithaspecializedcephalonfromshandongprovincenorthchina AT hanzeng anewmiddlecambriantrilobitewithaspecializedcephalonfromshandongprovincenorthchina AT fangchenzhao anewmiddlecambriantrilobitewithaspecializedcephalonfromshandongprovincenorthchina AT zhixinsun newmiddlecambriantrilobitewithaspecializedcephalonfromshandongprovincenorthchina AT hanzeng newmiddlecambriantrilobitewithaspecializedcephalonfromshandongprovincenorthchina AT fangchenzhao newmiddlecambriantrilobitewithaspecializedcephalonfromshandongprovincenorthchina |
_version_ |
1724383663157673984 |