Carcinosomatidae

Carcinosomatidae is a family of extinct arthropods in the class Eurypterida. These eurypterids are found from the Silurian to the Devonian periods. The family contains four genera; Carcinosoma, Eocarcinosoma, Eusarcana and Rhinocarcinosoma.

Carcinosomatidae
Temporal range: Late Ordovician - Early Devonian, 449–412.3 Ma
Fossil of Carcinosoma newlini
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Order: †Eurypterida
Infraorder: †Diploperculata
Superfamily: †Carcinosomatoidea
Family: †Carcinosomatidae
Størmer, 1934
Type species
†Carcinosoma newlini
Claypole, 1890
Genera

Description

Carcinosomatids were characterized by small to large exoskeletons with scattered minute tubercules or raised tongue-shaped scales. The prosoma (head) was subtriangular, with small compound eyes at the front. The chelicerae (claws in front of the mouth) were small. The walking legs were covered with long spines, and the second pair of walking legs was the longest. The preabdomen, the front portion of the body, was broad and ovate, while the postabdomen was cylindrical and narrow. The telson was a curved spine.[1] The family contains four genera with at most 14 species:[2]

References
  1. L. Størmer (1955). "Merostomata". Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology, Part P Arthropoda 2, Chelicerata. p. 34.
  2. Simon J. Braddy, Paul A. Seldon & Doan Nhat Truong (2002). "A new carcinosomatid eurypterid from the Upper Silurian of northern Vietnam" (PDF). Palaeontology. 45: 897–915. doi:10.1111/1475-4983.00267.


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