On the Emsian (Lower Devonian) arthropods of the Rhenish Slate Mountains: 5. Rare and poorly known eurypterids from Willwerath, Germany

Poschmann, Markus; Tetlie, O. Erik

doi:10.1007/bf02990208

Cited by 24 publications

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“…Based on the purported three-segmented genital appendages, J. rhenaniae was previously placed as a sister-taxon to the remaining pterygotids, which are known to have undivided appendages (Plotnick & Baumiller 1988;Dunlop et al 2002). Study of old (MB.A.7 and MB.A.10) and new (PWL2004/5053-LS; Poschmann & Tetlie 2006, fig. 6E) material revealed that the genital appendages of J. rhenaniae are undivided (see electronic supplementary material, figure 1g); the Family Jaekelopteridae is therefore based on the misconception of a three-segmented genital appendage in Jaekelopterus (Poschmann & Tetlie 2006).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Giant claw reveals the largest ever arthropod

2007

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The fossil record has yielded various gigantic arthropods, in contrast to their diminutive proportions today. The recent discovery of a 46 cm long claw (chelicera) of the pterygotid eurypterid (‘sea scorpion’) Jaekelopterus rhenaniae , from the Early Devonian Willwerath Lagerstätte of Germany, reveals that this form attained a body length of approximately 2.5 m—almost half a metre longer than previous estimates of the group, and the largest arthropod ever to have evolved. Gigantism in Late Palaeozoic arthropods is generally attributed to elevated atmospheric oxygen levels, but while this may be applicable to Carboniferous terrestrial taxa, gigantism among aquatic taxa is much more widespread and may be attributed to other extrinsic factors, including environmental resources, predation and competition. A phylogenetic analysis of the pterygotid clade reveals that Jaekelopterus is sister-taxon to the genus Acutiramus , and is among the most derived members of the pterygotids, in contrast to earlier suggestions.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The fossil horizon, a 1.5 m thick, greenish-grey siltstone, is interpreted to have been deposited in a restricted water body, possibly a brackish lagoon or flood plain lake in a deltaic setting, based on associated fossils and sedimentology (Poschmann & Tetlie 2006). Fully marine organisms are absent.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Giant claw reveals the largest ever arthropod

2007

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“…A large epimera is seen on the posterior of mesosomal segment 7, a feature of Parahughmilleria noted by Braddy (2000) and found on both Parahughmilleria hefteri Størmer 1973 and Parahughmilleria major, which may represent different life stages of a single species (Poschmann and Tetlie 2006). Dorsal tergites are flattened over the ventral sternites.…”

Section: Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 77%

“…In the Emsian of Alken an der Mosel, Germany (Størmer 1973), the paleoenvironment was described as marine to brackish (Poschmann and Tetlie 2006). In contrast, in the Emsian at Willwerath, also in the Rhenish Slate Mountains of Germany, Parahughmilleria lived in a shallow, brackish or freshwater terrestrial setting in a deltaic transitional facies, possibly a floodplain lake or interdistributary lagoon (Poschmann and Tetlie 2006). In the Midland Valley of Scotland, the paleoenvironment is described as both fluvial and lacustrine, associated with "Lake Forfar" (Braddy 2000).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A eurypterid from the lacustrine facies of the Early Devonian Campbellton Formation, New Brunswick, Canada

Miller¹,

Kennedy

Gibling

2012

atgeol

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The Early Devonian Campbellton Formation in northern New Brunswick, Canada, yielded its first eurypterid fossils in 1881. Based on recent taxonomic work, all known specimens have been assigned to Pterygotus anglicus, a large pterygotid first described from Scotland. These previously discovered eurypterids are from the western exposure of the Campbellton Formation and are believed to have inhabited a coastal deltaic setting, along with a rich vertebrate assemblage that included cephalaspids, placoderms, acanthodians, and sharks. The single eurypterid abdominal fragment described here as cf. Parahughmilleria was found in beds near the eastern exposure of the formation from a lacustrine facies. These beds are from classic plant-rich localities of the Campbellton Formation and, in addition to plants, have yielded the oldest land-animal assemblage in North America. A eurypterid from the lacustrine facies of the Early DevonianCampbellton Formation, New Brunswick, Canada ABSTRACT RÉSUMÉLes premiers fossiles d' euryptéridés dans la Formation de Campbellton du Dévonien précoce, dansle nord du Nouveau-Brunswick, au Canada, ont été découverts en 1881. À la lumière de récents travaux de taxonomie, tous les spécimens connus ont été attribués à l' espèce Pterygotus anglicus, un ptérygotus de grande taille décrit initialement en Écosse. Ces euryptéridés découverts antérieurement proviennent d'un affleurement dans la partie ouest de la Formation de Campbellton et on croit que l' espèce a fréquenté un milieu du delta côtier, de pair avec un assemblage riche en vertébrés, qui a compris des céphalaspides, des placodermes, des acanthodiens et des requins. Le fragment abdominal unique d' euryptéridé décrit ici peut se comparer à celui de l' espèce Parahughmilleria et il a été décou-vert dans les couches d'un faciès lacustre, près de l'affleurement de la partie orientale de la formation. Ces couches proviennent généralement d' emplacements riches en végétaux de la Formation de Campbellton. En plus des plantes, ces sites ont permis de mettre à jour les assemblages d'animaux terrestres les plus anciens d' Amérique du Nord. [Traduit par la redaction]ATLANTIC GEOLOGY 48,

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“…The brackish shoreline environments may have provided a suitable site for moulting. Poschmann and Tetlie (2006) suggested a pterygotid found in New York State, Acutiramus macrophthalmus, may have inhabited different environments depending on the age of the animal. They surmised that solitary, medium-sized individuals represented a marine phase of the life cycle, while in lagoons numerous small individuals found with mature adults might represent a nursery.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nineteenth century collections of Pterygotus anglicus Agassiz (Chelicerata; Eurypterida) from the Campbellton Formation, New Brunswick, Canada

Miller

2007

atgeol

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The Devonian fauna from the Campbellton Formation of northern New Brunswick was discovered in 1881 at the classic locality in Campbellton. About a decade later A.S. Woodward at the British Museum (Natural History) (now the Natural History Museum, London) acquired specimens through fossil dealer R.F. Damon. Woodward was among the first to describe the fish assemblage of ostracoderms, arthrodires, acanthodians and chondrichthyans. At the same time the museum also acquired specimens of a large pterygotid eurypterid. Although the vertebrates received considerable attention, the pterygotids at the Natural History Museum, London are described here for the first time. The first pterygotid specimens collected in 1881 by the Geological Survey of Canada were later identified by Clarke and Ruedemann in 1912 as Pterygotus atlanticus, although they suggested it might be a variant of Pterygotus anglicus Agassiz. An almost complete pterygotid recovered in 1994 from the Campbellton Formation at a new locality in Atholville, less than two kilometres west of Campbellton, has been identified as P. anglicus Agassiz. Like the specimens described by Clarke and Ruedemann, the material from the Natural History Museum, London is herein referred to P. anglicus. RÉSUMÉ La faune dévonienne de la Formation de Campbellton dans le Nord du Nouveau-Brunswick a été découverte en 1881 à l’emplacement classique de Campbellton. Environ une décennie plus tard, A. S. Woodward, du British Museum (Histoire naturelle) (maintenant le Natural History Museum de Londres) a fait l’acquisition de spécimens par l’entremise du négociant de fossiles R. F. Damon. Woodward a figuré parmi les premiers à décrire l’assemblage de poissons d’ostracodermes, d’arthrodires, d’acanthodiens et de chondrichthyens. Le musée a également fait en même temps l’acquisition de spécimens d’un euryptéridé ptérygotide de fortes dimensions. Même si les vertébrés ont bénéficié d’une attention considérable, les ptérygotides du Natural History Museum de Londres sont décrits aux présentes pour la première fois. Les premiers spécimens de ptérygotides recueillis en 1881 par la Commission géologique du Canada ont ultérieurement été identifiés par Clarke et Ruedemann en 1912 en tant que Pterygotus atlanticus, bien que les chercheurs aient avancé qu’il pourrait s’agir d’une variante du Pterygotus anglicus Agassiz. On a récupéré en 1994 un ptérygotide presque complet de la Formation de Campbellton dans un nouvel emplacement situé à Atholville, à moins de deux kilomètres à l’ouest de Campbellton, lequel a été identifié en tant que P. anglicus Agassiz. À l’instar des spécimens décrits par Clarke et Ruedemann, l’article du Natural History Museum de Londres est cité aux présentes à titre de P. anglicus.

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On the Emsian (Lower Devonian) arthropods of the Rhenish Slate Mountains: 5. Rare and poorly known eurypterids from Willwerath, Germany

Cited by 24 publications

References 30 publications

Giant claw reveals the largest ever arthropod

Giant claw reveals the largest ever arthropod

A eurypterid from the lacustrine facies of the Early Devonian Campbellton Formation, New Brunswick, Canada

Nineteenth century collections of Pterygotus anglicus Agassiz (Chelicerata; Eurypterida) from the Campbellton Formation, New Brunswick, Canada

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