Ancient arthropod catalogue A to Z
Tiny fossil valves, complex trilobite eyes and the largest known land arthropod
Arthropods dominate modern animal diversity and have a deep fossil history. Their fossils include mineralised shells, articulated bodies, trackways and rare behavioural assemblages.
Each card opens a complete guide that separates preserved anatomy from functional inference and artistic reconstruction.
A
AAcastella
Acastella spinosa (Salter, 1864)
A phacopid trilobite with large eyes and a spined tail shield; its traditional Silurian-to-Devonian range is under taxonomic review.
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AAcernaspis
Acernaspis orestes (Billings, 1860)
An Early Silurian phacopid trilobite with broad head shields, large schizochroal eyes and documented growth stages.
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AAcratia
Acratia
A microscopic fossil ostracod known mainly from smooth two-valved carapaces in Palaeozoic and Triassic marine rocks.
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AAmphilichas
Amphilichas lineatus (Angelin, 1854)
An Ordovician lichid trilobite with a broad lobed head and a short pygidium bearing modest marginal projections.
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AAmphissites
Amphissites rugosus Girty, 1910
A minute Palaeozoic ostracod with a net-patterned shell, central node, muscle scar and marginal keels.
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AAmpyx
Ampyx priscus
A blind Ordovician trilobite whose aligned Moroccan groups preserve unusually strong evidence for coordinated movement.
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AAparchites
Aparchites whiteavesi Jones, 1889
A small ostracod identified by its paired-valve overlap, straight hinge and subtle velar margin.
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AApatokephalus
Apatokephalus serratus (Boeck, 1838)
An early Ordovician remopleuridid trilobite with a distinctive head shield and spiny tail in several named species.
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AArthropleura
Arthropleura
The largest known terrestrial arthropod, represented by giant body plates, trackways and newly described head material.
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AAsaphus
Asaphus
A broad Ordovician trilobite from Baltica, with some species evolving elevated eye surfaces on long rigid stalks.
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BBairdiacypris
Bairdiacypris
A small smooth-shelled ostracod whose abundant valves help reconstruct marine environments and correlate rock layers.
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BBairdiocypris
Bairdiocypris Kegel, 1932
A minute podocopid ostracod genus recognised from paired carapace valves, with species from Silurian and Devonian marine strata.
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BBasilicus
Basilicus tyrannus (Murchison, 1839)
A broad Ordovician asaphid with eight thoracic segments and a large parabolic pygidium divided by many ribs.
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BBasslerella
Basslerella crassa Kellett, 1935
A minute ostracod genus recognised from paired valves, with a studied species recorded across the Permian–Triassic boundary in Iran.
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BBathyurus
Bathyurus extans; B. mackenziensis; B. sunbloodensis; B. margareti
Ordovician bathyurid trilobite genus anchored to Asaphus? extans from New York; its broad traditional limits remain under phylogenetic review.
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BBeyrichia
Beyrichia kloedeni M’Coy, 1846
A Silurian ostracod genus recognised by its lobed valves, with adult shell forms that may preserve brood-pouch dimorphism.
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BBlattula
Blattula langfeldti (Geinitz, 1880)
A Lower Toarcian cockroach known chiefly from variable forewings recovered from marine deposits in Germany and England.
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BBolbocephalus
Bolbocephalus seelyi (Whitfield, 1886)
An Ordovician bathyurid trilobite genus recognised by a distinctive head shield and pleural grooves that fade inward across the pygidium.
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BBranchiocaris
Branchiocaris pretiosa (Resser, 1929)
A large Middle Cambrian bivalved arthropod from the Burgess Shale, known from multiple specimens with a segmented trunk and forked tailpiece.
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BBumastus
Bumastus barriensis Murchison, 1839
A convex Wenlock trilobite with ten thoracic segments and subdued furrows; Ordovician look-alikes were later separated.
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BBurgessia
Burgessia bella Walcott, 1912
A small Middle Cambrian arthropod with paired gut diverticula, a thin semicircular carapace and long terminal spine.
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CCalymene
Calymene Brongniart, 1822
A Silurian calymenid trilobite remembered through the enrolled fossils of Dudley, England.
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CCalyptaulax
Calyptaulax glabella
An Ordovician pterygometopid trilobite genus whose historical species list is being revised through type comparisons.
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CCarolinites
Carolinites bulbosus; C. genacinaca
An Ordovician telephinid trilobite with large eyes; C. genacinaca is known across widely separated paleocontinents.
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CCavellina
Cavellina pulchella Coryell, 1928
A microscopic ostracod genus known from paired valves, with possible brood chambers documented in some Devonian species.
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CCeratocephala
Ceratocephala goniata Warder, 1838
A heavily ornamented odontopleurid trilobite genus anchored to a fragmentary Silurian type species from Ohio.
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CCeraurinella
Ceraurinella typa Cooper, 1953
An Ordovician cheirurid trilobite genus with eleven thoracic segments and a variable spined pygidium.
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CCeraurus
Ceraurus pleurexanthemus Green, 1832
A Late Ordovician cheirurid known from New York fossils that preserve dorsal anatomy, appendage casts and growth details.
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CChasmops
Chasmops McCoy, 1849
A Baltic Ordovician trilobite genus with a convex head, large compound eyes, 11 thoracic segments and a short broad pygidium.
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CCheirurus
Cheirurus insignis Beyrich, 1845
A Wenlock trilobite from Bohemia with eleven thoracic segments and three pairs of broad pygidial lobes.
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CColpocoryphe
Colpocoryphe arago (Rouault, 1847)
An Ordovician cheirurid trilobite genus; two specimens of C. bohemica preserve rare internal gut traces.
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CConiproetus
Coniproetus novaki (Přibyl, 1964)
A proetid trilobite genus with a cone-shaped glabella and a historically broad species list now in need of revision.
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CCretiscalpellum
Cretiscalpellum spp.
A Cretaceous stalked barnacle known mainly from separate calcified plates and a revised, narrower genus concept.
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CCryptolithus
Cryptolithus tessellatus Green, 1832
An Ordovician blind trinucleid trilobite with a broad, pitted fringe and six adult thoracic segments.
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CCyathus
Cyathus ulrichi Roth & Skinner, 1930; later species assignments debated
A tiny fossil ostracod genus whose type species may be based on an uninformative internal cast.
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CCyclopyge
Cyclopyge spp.
An Ordovician cyclopygid trilobite with huge compound eyes and evidence consistent with a pelagic life.
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CCyphaspis
Cyphaspis ceratophthalmus and other species
A small Silurian–Devonian aulacopleurid trilobite genus with raised eyes and variable spines.
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DDalmanites
Dalmanites caudatus and related species
A Silurian phacopid trilobite genus with large eyes, long cheek spines and a pointed tail shield.
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DDalmanitina
Dalmanitina socialis
An Ordovician trilobite with large schizochroal eyes, long cheek spines and a pointed tail shield.
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DDechenella
Dechenella verneuili and Middle Devonian species
A Middle Devonian proetid trilobite genus diagnosed by the head and a broad, many-ringed tail shield.
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DDecoroproetus
Proetus decorus and other assigned species
A compact proetid trilobite genus anchored to a Silurian Prague Basin type species.
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DDitomopyge
Ditomopyge scitula and related species
A small late Palaeozoic phillipsiid trilobite, best documented by North American D. scitula.
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EEldredgeops
Eldredgeops rana
A Middle Devonian phacopid trilobite known for its large schizochroal eyes and population-level anatomical variation.
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EElvinia
Elvinia roemeri and related species
A late Cambrian trilobite genus associated with North American Furongian shelf faunas and the Elvinia Zone.
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EEmeraldella
Emeraldella brocki Walcott, 1912
A long-bodied Middle Cambrian arthropod with antennae, biramous limbs and a segmented posterior spine.
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EEncrinurus
Encrinurus punctatus and allied species
A Silurian encrinurid trilobite genus recognised by tuberculate shell ornament and combinations of head and tail characters.
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EEoleperditia
Eoleperditia fabulites
An Ordovician leperditicopid ostracod with unequal valves, a dense muscle-scar field and a complex name history.
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EEurychilina
Eurychilina reticulata and related species
An Ordovician ostracod genus recognised by paired valves with specialised velar margins and variable surface ornament.
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EEurypterus
Eurypterus remipes and related species
A Silurian eurypterid genus with segmented bodies and paddle-shaped swimming appendages, best known from New York fossils.
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FFabalicypris
Fabalicypris wileyensis and related species
A microscopic Paleozoic ostracod genus with smooth overlapping valves and a debated relationship to Bairdiacypris.
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FFlexicalymene
Flexicalymene senaria and related species
An Ordovician calymenid trilobite known for enrolled fossils and rare preservation of ventral anatomy.
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GGerastos
Gerastos cuvieri and related species
A variable proetid trilobite genus from Lower and Middle Devonian marine strata in Europe and North Africa.
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GGraphiadactyllis
Graphiadactyllis arkansana and related species
A microscopic Paleozoic ostracod genus recognised by curved concentric ribs and a narrow anterior shell flange.
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GGravicalymene
Gravicalymene convolva and related species
A calymenid trilobite genus known for its broad head shield and ribbed, convex tail shield.
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GGreenops
Greenops boothi and related species
A Middle Devonian phacopid trilobite with long cheek spines and a distinctive enrolment posture.
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HHabelia
Habelia optata Walcott, 1912
A tuberculate Middle Cambrian arthropod from the Burgess Shale; its elaborate head and appendages remain central to debates about early chelicerate evolution.
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HHarpidella
Harpidella megalops and related species
A small trilobite genus with large rear-set eyes, long cheek spines and a twelve-segment thorax.
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HHealdia
Healdia simplex and related species
A microscopic ostracod genus with convex paired valves and a fossil range that requires taxonomic review.
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HHelmetia
Helmetia expansa Walcott, 1918
A rare Middle Cambrian arthropod with a broad serrated shield, six tergites, 15 pairs of biramous limbs and possible moult fossils.
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HHollinella
Hollinella dentata and related species
A fossil ostracod genus with lobed valves and variable ventral flanges, sometimes interpreted as brood structures.
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HHoploparia
Hoploparia McCoy, 1849
A fossil genus of clawed lobsters with an extensive but taxonomically unsettled record.
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HHystricurus
Hystricurus conicus; H. oculilunatus; H. millardensis
An early Ordovician trilobite genus with large eyes, a waisted glabella and distinctive rear pygidial spines.
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IIllaenus
Illaenus Dalman, 1827
An Ordovician illaenid trilobite with a broad, vaulted shell; Baltic species diversity and an unusual pygidial trace are subjects of continuing study.
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IIsoteloides
Isoteloides canalis; I. peri; I. flexus
An Ordovician asaphid trilobite distinguished by broad shield borders and species-specific pygidial proportions.
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JJaekelopterus
Jaekelopterus rhenaniae (Jaekel, 1914)
A giant Early Devonian pterygotid eurypterid known for a 46 cm cheliceral fragment and a scaled body-length estimate.
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JJeffersonia
Jeffersonia exterminata Poulsen, 1927
An Early Ordovician trilobite genus anchored by a pygidial lectotype from North Greenland.
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KKinkelinella
Kinkelinella Martin, 1960
A minute Mesozoic ostracod genus identified by paired sculptured valves.
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KKirkbya
Kirkbya Jones, 1859
A minute Paleozoic ostracod genus identified by reticulate valves and a characteristic subcentral pit.
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KKrausella
Krausella Ulrich, 1894
An early Palaeozoic ostracod genus identified by the outline and overlap of its paired valves.
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LLeonaspis
Leonaspis Richter & Richter, 1917
A spiny odontopleurid trilobite whose historical species assignments have been revised.
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LLeperditella
Leperditella
An Ordovician ostracod genus known from small two-valved carapaces, with soft anatomy and genus-wide ecology unresolved.
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LLeperditia
Leperditia britannica
A bivalved leperditicopid genus whose historical Cambrian records and broad range require taxonomic caution.
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LLeptoplastides
Leptoplastides salteri
An olenid trilobite known from Early Ordovician shells and a detailed sequence of changing juvenile spines.
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LLonchodomas
Lonchodomas Angelin, 1854
An Ordovician raphiophorid trilobite with a forward-extended head and median spine.
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MMastigobolbina
Mastigobolbina Ulrich & Bassler, 1923
A Silurian ostracod genus known for lobed valves and regional Clinton Group biozones.
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MMegalaspides
Megalaspides Brøgger, 1886
An Early Ordovician asaphid trilobite known for its broad cephalon and pygidium.
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MMeganeura
Meganeura monyi Brongniart, 1893
A giant Late Carboniferous griffinfly known chiefly from wings, with a reconstructed span of about 65 cm.
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MMicrocheilinella
Microcheilinella Geis, 1933
A minute ostracod genus recognised from paired shell valves and internal hinge details.
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MMollisonia
Mollisonia symmetrica Walcott, 1912
A small Burgess Shale arthropod with seven trunk tergites and debated fossil neural traces relevant to early chelicerate evolution.
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MMonoceratina
Monoceratina Roth, 1928
A marine ostracod genus with an elongate shell, median groove and posterior process.
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MMucronaspis
Mucronaspis Destombes, 1963
A late Ordovician dalmanitid with large eyes, paired cheek spines and a pointed pygidial axis.
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NNaraoia
Naraoia Walcott, 1912
A soft-bodied Cambrian artiopod with two shields, biramous limbs and preserved digestive anatomy.
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NNeseuretus
Neseuretus Hicks, 1873
An Ordovician calymenid with thirteen thoracic segments and a compact segmented pygidium.
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NNileus
Nileus armadillo; Nileus deynouxi
An Ordovician nileid trilobite known from a Swedish type species and rare early stages in Morocco.
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NNiobe
Niobe frontalis
An Ordovician asaphid trilobite genus whose complete Niobe yangtzeensis specimens helped resolve a disputed assignment.
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OOgmoconcha
Ogmoconcha Triebel, 1941
A Lower Jurassic ostracod genus recognised from smooth paired valves and internal shell details.
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OOgmoconchella
Ogmoconchella Gründel, 1964
A tiny marine ostracod genus with a changing classification and Early Jurassic records.
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OOrthobairdia
Orthobairdia Sohn, 1960
A bairdiid ostracod genus recognised by its nearly parallel-sided carapace in dorsal view.
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OOrthophlebia
Orthophlebia Westwood, 1845
A historically broad scorpionfly genus known chiefly from detailed fossil wings.
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OOtarion
Otarion Zenker, 1833
A small aulacopleurid trilobite narrowed by revisions of its head and thoracic anatomy.
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PPaladin
Paladin morrowensis (Mather, 1915)
A revised late Palaeozoic trilobite genus with large eyes, nine thoracic segments and a rounded pygidium.
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PPanorpidium
Panorpidium Westwood, 1854
Cretaceous elcanid orthopterans known from diagnostic wing veins, jointed hind-leg spurs and amber inclusions.
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PParaparchites
Paraparchites Ulrich & Bassler, 1906
Palaeozoic ostracods with smooth oval paired valves and species-specific growth and environmental records.
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PPetasobairdia
Petasobairdia Chen, 1982
Spined marine bairdiid ostracods whose Permian and Triassic records reflect ongoing taxonomic revision.
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PPhacops
Phacops latifrons and related species
A Devonian phacopid trilobite genus with a vaulted head shield and large separated schizochroal eye lenses.
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PPhyloblatta
Phyloblatta Handlirsch, 1906
Late Carboniferous stem dictyopterans diagnosed chiefly from detailed forewing venation.
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PPraeschuleridea
Praeschuleridea Bate, 1963
Jurassic European ostracods distinguished by their hinge, muscle scars, pore canals and growth series.
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PPrimitia
Primitia Jones & Holl, 1865
A historic ostracod name that illustrates the limits of classifying small fossils by outline alone.
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PPrionocheilus
Prionocheilus Rouault, 1847
An Ordovician trilobite known from nearly complete armour and rare possible digestive traces.
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PProetus
Proetus Steininger, 1831
The Silurian type genus behind Proetidae, narrowed after a long history of broad assignments.
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PPseudobythocypris
Pseudobythocypris Cooper, 1941
A minute ostracod genus whose varied marine records depend on careful valve comparison.
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PPseudosphaerexochus
Pseudosphaerexochus Schmidt, 1881
An Ordovician cheirurid with a swollen glabella and four paired pygidial projections.
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RRemopleurides
Remopleurides Portlock, 1843
An Ordovician trilobite genus with extended palpebral lobes; incomplete records and differing facies leave its ecology open to study.
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SSamarella
Samarella Polenova, 1952
Minute Permian ostracods known mainly from paired valves in marine microfossil assemblages.
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SScutellum
Scutellum Pusch, 1833
Devonian trilobites distinguished by a broad, ribbed pygidium and a three-part body plan.
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SSilenites
Silenites Coryell & Booth, 1933
Minute marine ostracods with compact, often smooth carapaces and a classification refined through shell comparison.
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SSphaerexochus
Sphaerexochus Beyrich, 1845
Cheirurid trilobites with a strongly inflated glabella, recorded from Ordovician and Silurian seas.
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SSphaerocoryphe
Sphaerocoryphe Angelin, 1854
Spiny deiphonine trilobites with a greatly inflated glabella, anchored by a nearly complete Swedish holotype.
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SStenopareia
Stenopareia Holm, 1886
Broad-shelled illaenid trilobites, including a nine-segmented type species and several debated referrals.
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SStrigigenalis
Strigigenalis cassinensis
A Lower Ordovician bathyurid trilobite known from diagnostic head and tail shields in the Fort Cassin Formation.
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SSymphysurina
Symphysurina woosteri; S. ethingtoni; S. straatmannae
Boundary-interval trilobite genus whose species help distinguish upper Cambrian from lower Ordovician parts of the historical Symphysurina Zone.
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TTelephina
Telephina Marek, 1952
Large-eyed Ordovician telephinid trilobites with compact shells and evidence consistent with life in the water column.
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TThaleops
Thaleops Conrad, 1843
Laurentian Ordovician illaenid trilobites, including a complete ten-segmented type species and diagnostic tail articulations.
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TTomagnostella
Tomagnostella Kobayashi, 1939
Cambrian agnostine trilobites represented mainly by separate rounded head and tail shields.
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TToxochasmops
Toxochasmops McNamara, 1979
Baltic and Scandinavian Ordovician trilobites with a narrow, elongated pygidium and a well-studied moulting record.
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TTretaspis
Tretaspis McCoy, 1849
Blind Ordovician trinucleid trilobites with a broad, perforated cephalic brim and six-segment thorax.
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TTriarthrus
Triarthrus Green, 1832
Late Ordovician olenid trilobites famous for rare pyritized appendages, gills and possible eggs.
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TTricrepicephalus
Tricrepicephalus Kobayashi, 1935
Late Cambrian trilobites with three frontal pits, genal spines and a pair of long pygidial spines.
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TTrinodus
Trinodus M'Coy, 1846
A small Ordovician metagnostid whose incomplete Irish type fuels debate over Arthrorhachis synonymy.
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WWarburgella
Warburgella Reed, 1931
Silurian and Early Devonian proetid trilobites with diagnostic head ridges and ribbed tail shields.
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ZZygobolba
Zygobolba Ulrich & Bassler, 1923
Silurian ostracod with a lobed shell, connecting ridge and a dimorphic form bearing a brood-chamber-like crumina.
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