Jaekelopterus
| Jaekelopterus Temporal range: Pragian–Early Emsian, 410.8–402.5 Ma
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| Artist's reconstruction of Jaekelopterus rhenaniae | |
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| Superfamily: | †Pterygotioidea
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| Family: | †Pterygotidae
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| Genus: | †Jaekelopterus Waterston, 1964
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| Type species | |
| †Jaekelopterus rhenaniae Jaekel, 1914
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Jaekelopterus is an extinct genus of eurypterids from the Lower Devonian period. The two species are J. rhenaniae from the Rhineland, and J. howelli from Wyoming.
Etymology
The name Jaekelopterus comes from the discoverer of the type species, Otto Jaekel, and Greek pteron, meaning "wing".
Description
Jaekelopterus is the largest sea scorpions and is possibly the largest arthropod to have ever existed, this is based on a chelicera that is 36.4 cm long.[1]
Characteristics
This sea scorpion is similar to other types of pterygotid in its morphology,[2] distinguished by a triangular telson.[3]
Visual system
Both Jaekelopterus rhenaniae and Pterygotus anglicus have high visual acuity, and this is suggested by the low IOA and that they have many lenses in their compound eyes.[4]
Classification
Discovery
Jaekelopterus was discovered by Otto Jaekel in 1914 as a Pterygotus species. However, in 1964, British paleontologist Charles D. Waterston decided to make the genus Jaekelopterus because the abdominal appendages were segmented as opposed to those of Pterygotus.[5]
Species
- †Jaekelopterus rhenaniae Jaekel, 1914
- †Jaekelopterus howelli Kjellesvig-Waering & Størmer, 1952
Gallery
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Drawing of Jaekelopterus
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Fossil of J. rhenaniae
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Size comparison
Related pages
References
- ↑ Braddy, Poschmann, Tetlie, Simon J.; Markus; Erik O. (20 Nov 2007). "Giant claw reveals the largest ever arthropod". Biology Letters.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ↑ "An isolated pterygotid ramus (Chelicerata: Eurypterida) from the Devonian Beartooth Butte Formation, Wyoming". Journal of Paleontology.
- ↑ "Babes in the wood – a unique window into sea scorpion ontogeny". BMC Ecology and Evolution.
- ↑ "New poraspids (Agnatha, Heterostraci) from the Early Devonian of the western United States". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.
- ↑ D. Waterston,, Charles; (1964). "II. Observations on Pterygotid Eurypterids". Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)