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On the Emsian (Early Devonian) arthropods of the Rhenish Slate Mountains: 3. The chasmataspididDiploaspis

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Abstract

New specimens of the chasmataspidDiploaspis casteri Størmer, 1972 (Chelicerata: Chasmataspidida) are described from the late Lower Emsian of Alken an der Mosel, Germany. Chasmataspidids represent a distinct clade within Chelicerata, sharing characters with both xiphosurans and eurypterids.Diploaspis is significant in having the most complete appendage series of any known chasmataspidid, while we question previous interpretations of the ventral preabdominal plate.Diploaspis has unmineralized cuticle and is therefore preserved with a number of different morphologies. Study of both our new fossils andStørmer’s type material suggests that the co-occurring Alken fossilHeteroaspis novojilovi Størmer, 1972 is a preservational variant, which is regarded here as a junior synonym, ofD. casteri.

Kurzfassung

Neufunde vonDiploaspis casteri Størmer, 1972 (Chelicerata: Chasmataspidida) aus dem oberen UnterEmsium von Alken an der Mosel werden beschrieben. Die Chasmataspididen repräsentieren eine eigenständige Gruppe innerhalb der Chelicerata, welche Merkmalsübereinstimmungen sowohl mit Xiphosuren als auch mit Eurypteriden aufweist.Diploaspis kommt unter allen bekannten Chasmataspididen eine besondere Bedeutung zu, da seine Extremitäten am besten bekannt sind. Allerdings bezweifeln wir die früheren Interpretationen des ventralen praeabdominalen Schildes. Aufgrund der nicht-mineralisierten Cuticula lassen die Funde vonDiploaspis verschiedene Erhaltungszustände und damit morphologische Unterschiede erkennen. Die Untersuchung der Neufunde unter Einbeziehung vonStørmer’s Typusmaterial lässt den Schluss zu, dass der ebenfalls von Alken beschriebeneHeteroaspis novojilovi St0ørmer, 1972 eine erhaltungsbedingte Variante und folglich ein jüngeres Synonym vonD. casteri darstellt.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Systematische Zoologie, Museum für Naturkunde der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstraße 43, D-10115, Berlin, Germany

    Jason A. Dunlop

  2. Antoniusstraße 2, D-56323, Waldesch, Germany

    Markus Poschmann

  3. Department of Geology and Zoology, National Museums of Scotland, Chambers Street, EH1 1JF, Edinburgh, Scotland

    Lyall I. Anderson

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  1. Jason A. Dunlop
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  3. Lyall I. Anderson
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Correspondence to Jason A. Dunlop.

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Dunlop, J.A., Poschmann, M. & Anderson, L.I. On the Emsian (Early Devonian) arthropods of the Rhenish Slate Mountains: 3. The chasmataspididDiploaspis . Paläontol Z 75, 253–269 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02988018

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