Onychopterella
Encyclopedia
Onychopterella is a genus of prehistoric eurypterid
in the Family Eurypteridae
.
, which lived from the Ordovician to the Late Carboniferous period, were characterized by small to large exoskeletons with inconspicuous semilunar scales or curved ridges. The telson
, (tail) was styliform, or pointed. Eurypteridae
also had chelicerae (appendages in front of the mouth) that were small. Their walking legs were covered in spines. The prosoma (head) was subrectangular, with slightly curved compound eyes located relatively centrally on the dorsal surface. Genital appendages in the female were very short with lateral lobes in the female, but long in the nale, with diverging distal spines.
Onychopterella is distinguishable from other Eurypteridae
by its long last walking leg, and the inconspicuous paddle on the swimming leg, which ends in a spur. Its body, which is medium sized (for a eurypterid
), tapers gradually .
Eurypterid
Eurypterids are an extinct group of arthropods related to arachnids which include the largest known arthropods that ever lived. They are members of the extinct order Eurypterida ; which is the most diverse Paleozoic chelicerate order in terms of species...
in the Family Eurypteridae
Eurypteridae
Eurypteridae are an extinct family of eurypterids. They were members of the superfamily Eurypteroidea.-Description:Eurypteridae, which lived during the Silurian period, were characterized by small to large exoskeletons with inconspicuous semilunar scales or curved ridges. The telson, was...
.
Description
EurypteridaeEurypteridae
Eurypteridae are an extinct family of eurypterids. They were members of the superfamily Eurypteroidea.-Description:Eurypteridae, which lived during the Silurian period, were characterized by small to large exoskeletons with inconspicuous semilunar scales or curved ridges. The telson, was...
, which lived from the Ordovician to the Late Carboniferous period, were characterized by small to large exoskeletons with inconspicuous semilunar scales or curved ridges. The telson
Telson
The telson is the last division of the body of a crustacean. It is not considered a true segment because it does not arise in the embryo from teloblast areas as do real segments. It never carries any appendages, but a forked "tail" called the caudal furca is often present. Together with the...
, (tail) was styliform, or pointed. Eurypteridae
Eurypteridae
Eurypteridae are an extinct family of eurypterids. They were members of the superfamily Eurypteroidea.-Description:Eurypteridae, which lived during the Silurian period, were characterized by small to large exoskeletons with inconspicuous semilunar scales or curved ridges. The telson, was...
also had chelicerae (appendages in front of the mouth) that were small. Their walking legs were covered in spines. The prosoma (head) was subrectangular, with slightly curved compound eyes located relatively centrally on the dorsal surface. Genital appendages in the female were very short with lateral lobes in the female, but long in the nale, with diverging distal spines.
Onychopterella is distinguishable from other Eurypteridae
Eurypteridae
Eurypteridae are an extinct family of eurypterids. They were members of the superfamily Eurypteroidea.-Description:Eurypteridae, which lived during the Silurian period, were characterized by small to large exoskeletons with inconspicuous semilunar scales or curved ridges. The telson, was...
by its long last walking leg, and the inconspicuous paddle on the swimming leg, which ends in a spur. Its body, which is medium sized (for a eurypterid
Eurypterid
Eurypterids are an extinct group of arthropods related to arachnids which include the largest known arthropods that ever lived. They are members of the extinct order Eurypterida ; which is the most diverse Paleozoic chelicerate order in terms of species...
), tapers gradually .
Species
- Onychopterella Størmer, 1951
- O. kokomoensis (as Eurypterus kokomoensis) Miller & Gurley, 1896 — Silurian, North America