A new arthropod from the early Devonian Rhynie chert, Aberdeenshire (Scotland), with a remarkable filtering device in the mouthparts

A new arthropodSaccogulus seldeni n. gen. n. sp. is described from the Early Devonian Rhynie cherts, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, UK. Although an incomplete thin section preparation, this enigmatic fossil differs substantially in overall shape and in various morphological details from previous named discoveries at Rhynie. A remarkable feature is what appears to be a very thick cuticle, albeit with a curious spongiform texture and ducts running through it. Secondly, associated with the mouth is a unique, elongate, steeply-rising structure comprising filamentous or platelet-like projections. This probably acted as some sort of post-oral (?) filtering device and implies a terrestrial animal; a liquid-feeder that practised preoral digestion. Affinities of this new fossil remain equivocal, but preoral digestion implies an arachnid. Indeed the overall outline present in the thin section and, perhaps, the filtering device show some intriguing similarities to spiders (Araneae).