Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Note on the morphology and systematic position of Alkenopterus burglahrensis (Chelicerata: Eurypterida: Eurypterina) from the Lower Devonian of Germany

  • ShortCommunication
  • Published:
Paläontologische Zeitschrift Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The holotype of the eurypterid Alkenopterus burglahrensis from the Lower Devonian (Siegenian) of the Westerwald area (Rhineland-Palatinate, SW Germany) is re-examined. In contrast to a previous concept, this species has flattened distal podomeres seven and eight and a movable flattened spine on the seventh podomere of the sixth prosomal appendage (podomere VI-7a). Based on the presence of such a slender paddle, A. burglahrensis has to be regarded as a basal ‘swimming eurypterid’ (Eurypterina) and is formally transferred here to the family Onychopterellidae, extending the stratigraphical range of this family into the Lower Devonian.

Kurzfassung

Der Holotypus der Eurypteridenart Alkenopterus burglahrensis aus dem Unterdevon (Siegenium) des Westerwaldes (Rheinland-Pfalz, SW-Deutschland) wurde neu untersucht. Im Gegensatz zu früheren Auffassungen zeigt diese Art verbreiterte, distale Segmente 7 und 8 in der sechsten prosomalen Extremität (VI) und einen ebenfalls verbreiterten, beweglichen, stachelartigen Fortsatz am siebten Segment dieses Beines (Podomer VI-7a). Solch ein schlankes Paddel kennzeichnet A. burglahrensis als basalen Angehörigen der „schwimmenden Eurypteriden“ (Eurypterina) und die Art wird hier formal der Familie Onychopterellidae zugeordnet. Damit wird die stratigrafische Reichweite dieser Familie bis in das Unterdevon ausgedehnt.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

References

  • Burmeister, H. 1843. Die Organisation der Trilobiten, aus ihren lebenden Verwandten entwickelt; nebst einer systematischen Uebersicht aller zeither beschriebenen Arten.—XII, 147 pp., 6 pls.; Berlin (Reimer).

  • Diener, C. 1924. Fossilium Catalogus, I: Animalia, Pars 25: Eurypterida. 28 pp. Berlin.

  • Lamsdell J.C. 2011. The eurypterid Stoermeropterus conicus from the Lower Silurian of the Pentland Hills, Scotland. Monograph of the Palaeontographical Society London 165 (636): 1–84, 15 pls.

  • Lamsdell, J.C. 2012. Redescription of Drepanopterus pentlandicus Laurie, 1892, the earliest known mycteropoid (Chelicerata: Eurypterida) from the early Silurian (Llandovery) of the Pentland Hills, Scotland. Earth and Environmental Science, Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 103: 27 pp.

  • Lamsdell, J.C., S.J. Braddy, and O.E. Tetlie. 2009. Redescription of Drepanopterus abonensis (Chelicerata: Eurypterida: Stylonurina) from the Late Devonian of Portishead, UK. Palaeontology 52: 1113–1139.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lamsdell, J.C., S.J. Braddy, and O.E. Tetlie. 2010a. The systematics and phylogeny of the Stylonurina (Arthropoda: Chelicerata: Eurypterida). Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 8: 49–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lamsdell, J.C., S.J. Braddy, E.J. Loeffler, and D.L. Dineley. 2010b. Early Devonian stylonurine eurypterids from Arctic Canada. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 47: 1405–1415.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laurie, M. 1892. On some eurypterid remains from the Upper Silurian rocks of the Pentland Hills. Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 37: 151–162.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, S.A., and W.F.E. Gurley. 1896. New species of Echinodermata and a new crustacean from the Palaeozoic rocks. Illinois State Museum Natural History Bulletin 10: 1–91.

    Google Scholar 

  • Poschmann, M., and O.E. Tetlie. 2004. On the Emsian (Early Devonian) arthropods of the Rhenish Slate Mountains: 4. The eurypterids Alkenopterus and Vinetopterus n. gen. (Arthropoda: Chelicerata). Senckenbergiana Lethaea 84: 173–193.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Størmer, L. 1936. Eurypteriden aus dem Rheinischen Unterdevon. Abhandlungen der Preußischen Geologischen Landesanstalt n.F. 175: 1–74.

    Google Scholar 

  • Størmer, L. 1951. A new eurypterid from the Ordovician of Montgomeryshire, Wales. Geological Magazine 88: 409–422.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Størmer, L. 1973. Arthropods from the Lower Devonian (Lower Emsian) of Alken an der Mosel, Germany. Part 3: Eurypterida, Hughmilleriidae. Senckenbergiana Lethaea 54: 119–205.

    Google Scholar 

  • Størmer, L. 1974. Arthropods from the Lower Devonian (Lower Emsian) of Alken an der Mosel, Germany. Part 4: Eurypterida, Drepanopteridae, and other groups. Senckenbergiana Lethaea 54: 359–451.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tetlie, O.E., and M.B. Cuggy. 2007. Phylogeny of the basal swimming eurypterids (Chelicerata; Eurypterida; Eurypterina). Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 5: 345–356.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tollerton, V.P., Jr. 1989. Morphology, taxonomy, and classification of the order Eurypterida Burmeister, 1843. Journal of Paleontology 63: 642–657.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wehrmann, A., G. Hertweck, R. Brocke, U. Jansen, P. Königshof, G. Plodowski, E. Schindler, V. Wilde, A. Blieck, and S. Schultka. 2005. Paleoenvironment of an early devonian land-sea transition: a case study from the southern margin of the Old Red Continent (Mosel Valley, Germany). Palaios 20: 101–120.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

I thank Jason Dunlop (Berlin) for critical reading of an earlier version of this manuscript and for improving the English. I am also grateful to Carsten Brauckmann (Clauthal-Zellerfeld) and Michael B. Cuggy (Saskatchewan) for their reviews.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Direktion Landesarchäologie, Referat Erdgeschichte, Generaldirektion Kulturelles Erbe RLP, Große Langgasse 29, 55116, Mainz, Germany

    Markus Poschmann

Authors
  1. Markus Poschmann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Markus Poschmann.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Poschmann, M. Note on the morphology and systematic position of Alkenopterus burglahrensis (Chelicerata: Eurypterida: Eurypterina) from the Lower Devonian of Germany. Paläontol Z 88, 223–226 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12542-013-0189-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12542-013-0189-x

Keywords

Schlüsselwörter

Search

Navigation