A New Eurypterid (Chelicerata: Eurypterida) from the Upper Devonian Gogo Formation of Western Australia, With A Review of the Rhenopteridae |
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| Authors: | O Erik Tetlie Simon J Braddy Piers D Butler & Derek E G Briggs |
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| Institution: | Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queen's Road, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK. e-mail;, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queen's Road, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK. e-mail;, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queen's Road, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK,;Department of Geology and Geophysics, Yale University, PO Box 208109, New Haven, CT 06520-8109, USA. e-mail |
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| Abstract: | A new eurypterid, Rhenopterus waterstoni sp. nov., is described from the Gogo Formation (Frasnian, Upper Devonian) of Western Australia. This species is distinguished from related forms by the tuberculation of the anteriormost tergite and crenulated posterior margins of the carapace and opisthosomal segments. It is the only eurypterid specimen known from the Gogo Formation, the most complete eurypterid from Australia, and also the youngest representative of Rhenopterus in the fossil record. Structures retrieved from between the prosomal-opisthosomal juncture comprise polygonal tubes 30–40 μm in diameter, which are interpreted as sarcomeral sheaths of muscular tissue. Rhenopterus is reviewed: R. latus Størmer, 1936 is synonymized with R. diensti Størmer, 1936 as it is here recognized as a female sexual dimorph; R. maccarthyi (Kjellesvig-Waering, 1934) is an orthocone nautiloid. |
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| Keywords: | Eurypterida Rhenopterus Rhenopteridae Gogo Devonian Western Australia taphonomy |
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