Eurypterid trackways from Early Devonian tidal facies of Alken an der Mosel (Rheinisches Schiefergebirge, Germany)

Poschmann, Markus; Braddy, Simon J.

doi:10.1007/s12549-010-0024-2

Cited by 14 publications

(9 citation statements)

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“…This may indicate that adult specimens preferentially occupied less well‐lit habitats, perhaps in deeper water settings, than their offspring. This assumption is furthermore supported by trace fossil evidence suggesting that eurypterids migrated into nearshore environments to mate and spawn (Braddy ; Poschmann and Braddy ; Vrazo and Braddy ) and the corresponding behaviour of modern Limulus whose juveniles are preferentially found in ‘nursery grounds’ situated in shallower waters than those preferred by adults (Carmichael et al . ).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 79%

Telltale eyes: the lateral visual systems of Rhenish Lower Devonian eurypterids (Arthropoda, Chelicerata) and their palaeobiological implications

Poschmann¹,

Schoenemann

McCoy

2016

Palaeontology

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The compound eyes of three taxa of Rhenish Lower Devonian eurypterids are examined and compared with those known from other eurypterids and the extant horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus. The lateral eyes of the small species Rhenopterus diensti, a phylogenetically basal representative of the stylonurine clade, are characterized by a comparatively low number of lenses and high interommatidial angle Dφ (2.8°). The comparatively limited visual capacities of R. diensti are more similar to L. polyphemus than to its closer relatives of the eurypterine clade and perhaps this reflects a progression of lateral eye structure in the evolution of eurypterids as a whole. The number of eye facets in Adelophthalmus sievertsi is higher than that in the supposed ambush predator Acutiramus cummingsi, but lower than that in other 'swimming' eurypterids (Eurypterina).Due to poor preservation, no other eye parameters could be analysed in this species, but further morphological attributes and geographical distribution designate the mid-sized A. sievertsi as an able swimmer. A low interommatidial angle Dφ of less than 1°confirms that the visual capacities of Jaekelopterus rhenaniae are in line with an interpretation of this giant species as an active high-level predator. The inferred lifestyles of adult individuals of these three, co-occurring Rhenish eurypterids indicate niche differentiation avoiding to some degree the competition for food in their marginal marine to delta plain transitional habitats.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 79%

Telltale eyes: the lateral visual systems of Rhenish Lower Devonian eurypterids (Arthropoda, Chelicerata) and their palaeobiological implications

Poschmann¹,

Schoenemann

McCoy

2016

Palaeontology

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“…In any case, Paleohelcura is a well-accepted ichnotaxon, which has been recorded extensively. The working model proposed by Minter & Braddy (2009) has been adopted in many papers (Lucas et al, 2005;Minter & Braddy, 2009;Fillmore, Lucas & Simpson, 2010;Poschmann & Braddy, 2010;Batchelor & Garton, 2013;Getty et al, 2013;Getty et al, 2017;Bernardi, Marchetti & Gobbi, 2018;Uchman, Gazdzicki & Blazejowski, Paratypes: Sandstone slabs: LPP-IC-0029 (negative epirelief) and its counterpart LPP-IC-0030 (positive hyporelief); LPP-IC-0031 (negative epirelief) and its counterpart LPP-IC-0032 (positive hyporelief); LPP-IC-0033 (negative epirelief) and its counterpart LPP-IC-0034 (positive hyporelief); LPP-IC-0035 (negative epirelief) and with no apparent counterpart slab. All slabs are reposited in the Paleoichnology collection of the Laboratório de Paleoecologia e Paleoicnologia (LPP) of the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar) campus São Carlos-SP.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A new insect trackway from the Upper Jurassic—Lower Cretaceous eolian sandstones of São Paulo State, Brazil: implications for reconstructing desert paleoecology

Peixoto

Mángano

Minter

et al. 2020

PeerJ

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The new ichnospecies Paleohelcura araraquarensis isp. nov. is described from the Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous Botucatu Formation of Brazil. This formation records a gigantic eolian sand sea (erg), formed under an arid climate in the south-central part of Gondwana. This trackway is composed of two track rows, whose internal width is less than one-quarter of the external width, with alternating to staggered series, consisting of three elliptical tracks that can vary from slightly elongated to tapered or circular. The trackways were found in yellowish/reddish sandstone in a quarry in the Araraquara municipality, São Paulo State. Comparisons with neoichnological studies and morphological inferences indicate that the producer of Paleohelcura araraquarensis isp. nov. was most likely a pterygote insect, and so could have fulfilled one of the ecological roles that different species of this group are capable of performing in dune deserts. The producer could have had a herbivorous or carnivorous diet or been part of the fauna of omnivores, being able to adopt herbivorous, carnivorous, and saprophagous diets when necessary. In modern dune deserts, some species of pterygote insects are detritivores (like Tenebrionidae), relying on organic matter that accumulated among the sand grains of the dunes during dry periods with no plant growth. The presence of additional burrows suggests that the Botucatu paleodesert would have had a detritivorous fauna like this. Based on the interpretation of the ichnofossil producers, it was possible to reconstruct the food web of this paleodesert. All the omnivorous and herbivorous invertebrates and the herbivorous ornithopod dinosaurs made up the primary consumers. These animals were, in turn, the food source for bigger carnivorous or omnivorous animals unable to feed on detritus, like arachnids, possible predatory insects, mammaliaforms, and theropod dinosaurs. The highest trophic level was occupied by larger theropod dinosaurs and mammaliaforms, which, because of their size, could prey upon a wide range of animals. The producer of Paleohelcura araraquarensis isp. nov. could have been a primary consumer if it were an omnivorous detritivore or a herbivore, or a secondary consumer if it were produced by a predatory insect or an omnivore relying on animal biomass. The description of this new trackway expands the knowledge on the faunal composition of the Botucatu paleodesert and provides insights into the ecological relationships in ancient deserts. The presence of these arthropod trackways in Mesozoic eolian deposits helps to trace a continuity between Paleozoic and post-Paleozoic desert ichnofaunas, further reinforcing a single Octopodichnus—Entradichnus Ichnofacies for eolian deposits.

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“…The fourth to sixth prosomal appendages are shorter than the second and third, and oriented ventrally; their morphology suggests that they served a locomotory function resulting in a hexapodous gait. Ichnological evidence indicates that eurypterids adopted either a hexapodous [ 60 – 62 ] or octopodous [ 62 , 63 ] mode of locomotion, although some trackways evidence a hexapodous gait with occasional transitions to octopodous locomotion [ 64 , 65 ]. The interpretation of the gait of Pentecopterus as hexapodous is supported by trackways of the closely related taxon Mixopterus which exhibit a hexapodous gait [ 66 ].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The oldest described eurypterid: a giant Middle Ordovician (Darriwilian) megalograptid from the Winneshiek Lagerstätte of Iowa

et al. 2015

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BackgroundEurypterids are a diverse group of chelicerates known from ~250 species with a sparse Ordovician record currently comprising 11 species; the oldest fully documented example is from the Sandbian of Avalonia. The Middle Ordovician (Darriwilian) fauna of the Winneshiek Lagerstätte includes a new eurypterid species represented by more than 150 specimens, including some juveniles, preserved as carbonaceous cuticular remains. This taxon represents the oldest described eurypterid, extending the documented range of the group back some 9 million years.ResultsThe new eurypterid species is described as Pentecopterus decorahensis gen. et sp. nov.. Phylogenetic analysis places Pentecopterus at the base of the Megalograptidae, united with the two genera previously assigned to this family by the shared possession of two or more pairs of spines per podomere on prosomal appendage IV, a reduction of all spines except the pair on the penultimate podomere of appendage V, and an ornamentation of guttalate scales, including angular scales along the posterior margin of the dorsal tergites and in longitudinal rows along the tergites. The morphology of Pentecopterus reveals that the Megalograptidae are representatives of the derived carcinosomatoid clade and not basal eurypterids as previously interpreted.ConclusionsThe relatively derived position of megalograptids within the eurypterids indicates that most eurypterid clades were present by the Middle Ordovician. Eurypterids either underwent an explosive radiation soon after their origination, or earlier representatives, perhaps Cambrian in age, remain to be discovered. The available instars of Pentecopterus decorahensis suggest that eurypterids underwent extreme appendage differentiation during development, a potentially unique condition among chelicerates. The high degree of appendage specialization in eurypterids is only matched by arachnids within chelicerates, supporting a sister taxon relationship between them.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12862-015-0443-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Eurypterid trackways from Early Devonian tidal facies of Alken an der Mosel (Rheinisches Schiefergebirge, Germany)

Cited by 14 publications

References 37 publications

Telltale eyes: the lateral visual systems of Rhenish Lower Devonian eurypterids (Arthropoda, Chelicerata) and their palaeobiological implications

Telltale eyes: the lateral visual systems of Rhenish Lower Devonian eurypterids (Arthropoda, Chelicerata) and their palaeobiological implications

A new insect trackway from the Upper Jurassic—Lower Cretaceous eolian sandstones of São Paulo State, Brazil: implications for reconstructing desert paleoecology

The oldest described eurypterid: a giant Middle Ordovician (Darriwilian) megalograptid from the Winneshiek Lagerstätte of Iowa

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