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A new specimen ofWeinbergina opitzi (Chelicerata: Xiphosura) from the Lower Devonian Hunsriick Slate, Germany

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Kurzfassung

Aus dem unterdevonischen Hunsrückschiefer Deutschlands (Unter-Ems, Rheinisches Schiefergebirge) wird ein neues Exemplar des synziphosurinen ArthropodenWeinbergina opitzi beschrieben. Es handelt sich um das kleinste und erst um das fünfte veröffentlichte Exemplar dieser Art. Es ist ventralseitig exponiert und zeigt außergewöhnlich gut erhaltene Gliedmaßen des Prosoma und Opisthosoma. Das Exemplar belegt das Vorhandensein eines siebten, dem ersten Segment des Opisthosoma zugeordneten Gliedmaßenpaares, das morphologisch den vorangehenden prosomalen Anhängen ähnelt. Zusätzlich wird das Auftreten von wenigstens drei opisthosomalen Platten bestätigt, die randliche Zähnchen tragen. Ein Vergleich der Podomere der Anhänge des Prosoma zwischenWeinbergina und ausgewählten Cheliceraten zeigt, dass die Struktur der Gliedmaßen sehr stark derjenigen der Eurypteriden-Anhänge III–IV sowie der Gliedmaßen III–VI der Araneae ähnelt. Dies unterscheidetWeinbergina von modernen Pfeilschwänzen, deren Gliedmaßen II–V aufgrund eines undifferenzierten Tibiotarsus weniger Podomere aufweisen.

Abstract

A new specimen of the synziphosurine arthropodWeinbergina opitzi is described from the Lower Devonian (Lower Emsian) Hunsrück Slate of Germany (Rhenish Slate Mountains). It is the smallest and only the fifth specimen of this taxon to be described and is preserved in ventral aspect with exceptional preservation of prosomal and opisthosomal appendages. This specimen confirms the presence of a seventh appendage, similar in morphology to the preceding prosomal appendages, associated with opisthosomal segment one. In addition, at least three opisthosomal plates fringed with teeth are confirmed. Correlation of prosomal appendage podomeres betweenWeinbergina and selected chelicerate taxa shows that appendage structure is most similar to eurypterid appendages III–IV and Araneae appendages III–VI. This is in contrast to modern horseshoe crabs which have fewer podomeres in appendages II–V due to an undifferentiated tibiotarsus.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, University of Kansas, 1475 Jayhawk Blvd., 120 Lindley Hall, 66045, Lawrence, KS, U.S.A.

    Rachel A. Moore

  2. Department of Geology and Geophysics, Yale University, P.O. Box 208109, 06520-8109, New Haven, CT, U.S.A.

    Derek E. G. Briggs

  3. Deutsches Bergbau-Museum, Am Bergbaumuseum 28, D-44791, Bochum, Germany

    Christoph Bartels

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  1. Rachel A. Moore
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Moore, R.A., Briggs, D.E.G. & Bartels, C. A new specimen ofWeinbergina opitzi (Chelicerata: Xiphosura) from the Lower Devonian Hunsriick Slate, Germany. Paläontol Z 79, 399–408 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02991931

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