Malformed trilobites from the Ordovician and Devonian

Bicknell, Russell D. C.; Bruthansová, Jana; Holland, Brayden

doi:10.1007/s12542-021-00572-9

Cited by 12 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…Furthermore, no specimens have abnormal growths indicative of genetic malformations (Owen, 1980(Owen, , 1985Babcock, 1993;Bicknell and Smith, 2021) or circular/ovate structures indicative of pathologies (Šnajdr, 1978b;Babcock, 1993;De Beats et al, 2021). These specimens therefore show examples of injuries (Owen, 1985;Babcock, 1993;Pates et al, 2017;Bicknell et al, 2021b) that occurred through failed predation, a molting complication, or some other traumatic injury. Trilobites with overdeveloped thoracic spines, e.g., Nevadia weeksi (Walcott, 1910), likely experienced molting complications and would have damaged the hypertrophied spines (Conway Morris and Jenkins, 1985;Bicknell et al, 2022).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…However, the specimens reported here are likely from the regional Llandeilian Stage (Hustedograptus? teretiusculus Biozone) (Sheldon, 1987b), correlating with the upper Middle Ordovician, Darriwilian (Bettley et al, 2001;Cooper and Sadler, 2012;Bicknell et al, 2021b).…”

Section: Geological Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the last decade alone, a marked surge in publications documenting these abnormal specimens has occurred. The majority of these works have considered abnormal specimens in the context of trilobite paleobiology and paleoecosystems (Budil et al, 2010; Zamora et al, 2011; Fatka et al, 2015, 2021; Cheng et al, 2019; Bicknell and Pates, 2020; Bicknell and Smith, 2021; Bicknell et al, 2021b; Foster, 2021; Zong, 2021a, b). Population-based data have been presented to explore injury patterns and lateralization in the trilobite fossil record (Pates et al, 2017; Bicknell et al, 2019; Pates and Bicknell, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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New records of injured Cambrian and Ordovician trilobites

2022

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Records of abnormal fossil arthropods present important insight into how extinct forms responded to traumatic damage and developmental complications. Trilobites, bearing biomineralized dorsal exoskeletons, have arguably the most well-documented record of abnormalities spanning the Cambrian through the end-Permian. As such, new records of malformed, often injured, trilobites are occasionally identified. To further expand the documentation of abnormal specimens, we describe malformed specimens of Lyriaspis sigillum Whitehouse, 1939, Zacanthoides sp. indet., Asaphiscus wheeleri Meek, 1873, Elrathia kingii (Meek, 1870), and Ogygiocarella debuchii (Brongniart, 1822) from lower Paleozoic deposits. In considering these forms, we propose that they illustrate examples of injuries, and that the majority of these injuries reflect failed predation. We also considered the origin of injuries impacting singular segments, suggesting that these could reflect predation, self-induced damage, or intraspecific interactions during soft-shelled stages. Continued examination of lower Paleozoic trilobite injuries will further the understanding of how trilobites functioned as prey and elucidate how disparate trilobite groups recovered from failed attacks.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Section: Geological Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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New records of injured Cambrian and Ordovician trilobites

2022

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“…While there have been rare instances of accidental injuries ( Rudkin, 1985 ), the majority injured Cambrian and Ordovician trilobites are attributed to failed predation ( Owen, 1985 ; Babcock, 1993 ; Bicknell & Paterson, 2018 ; Bicknell et al, 2021 ; Bicknell et al, 2022a ). Within this fossil record, most injured specimens show unilaterally expressed injuries ( Babcock, 1993 ; Bicknell & Paterson, 2018 and their references), with rarer evidence of multiple injuries across the exoskeleton ( e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Within this fossil record, most injured specimens show unilaterally expressed injuries ( Babcock, 1993 ; Bicknell & Paterson, 2018 and their references), with rarer evidence of multiple injuries across the exoskeleton ( e.g. , Šnajdr, 1979 ; Conway Morris & Jenkins, 1985 ; Ou et al, 2009 ; Pates & Bicknell, 2019 ; Bicknell & Holland, 2020 ; Bicknell & Pates, 2020 ; Bicknell et al, 2021 ; Bicknell et al, 2022a ). Determining whether specimens with multiple injuries record one or multiple failed attacks is complex.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A new bilaterally injured trilobite presents insight into attack patterns of Cambrian predators

Zong

Bicknell

2022

PeerJ

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Durophagous predation in the Cambrian is typically recorded as malformed shells and trilobites, with rarer evidence in the form of coprolites and shelly gut contents. Reporting novel evidence for shell-crushing further expands the understanding of where and when in the Cambrian durophagy was present. To expand the current documentation and present new records of malformed trilobites from the Cambrian of China, we present an injured Redlichia (Pteroredlichia) chinensis from the lower Cambrian Balang Formation, western Hunan, South China. The specimen has two distinct injuries along the thorax. The injuries show different degrees of regeneration, suggesting that the specimen was attacked twice. We propose that the individual may have been targeted more readily for the second attack. This predatory approach would have been highly energy efficient, maximizing net energy gain during the attack.

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Evidence for cryptic molting behavior in the trilobite Toxochasmops vormsiensis from the Upper Ordovician Katian Kõrgessaare Formation, Estonia

Bicknell,

Vargas-Parra,

Landman

et al. 2024

Sci Nat

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Documentation of cryptic trilobite behavior has presented important insights into the paleoecology of this fully extinct arthropod group. One such example is the preservation of trilobites inside the remains of larger animals. To date, evidence for trilobites within cephalopods, gastropods, hyoliths, and other trilobites has been presented. Importantly, most of these interactions show trilobite molts, suggesting that trilobites used larger animals for protection during molting. To expand the record of molted trilobites within cephalopods, we present a unique case of a Toxochasmops vormsiensis trilobite within the body chamber of a Gorbyoceras textumaraneum nautiloid from the Upper Ordovician Kõrgessaare Formation of Estonia. By examining this material, we present new insights into the ecology of pterygometopid trilobites, highlighting how these forms used large cephalopods as areas to successfully molt.

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Malformed trilobites from the Ordovician and Devonian

Cited by 12 publications

References 43 publications

New records of injured Cambrian and Ordovician trilobites

New records of injured Cambrian and Ordovician trilobites

A new bilaterally injured trilobite presents insight into attack patterns of Cambrian predators

Evidence for cryptic molting behavior in the trilobite Toxochasmops vormsiensis from the Upper Ordovician Katian Kõrgessaare Formation, Estonia

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