Chlupacaris dubia
Phylum: Arthropoda, Aglaspida Incertae sedis, formerly Subphylum: Chelicerata, Class Merostomata, Order Aglaspida
Geological Time: Ordovician
Size: Fossils are 3/16 to 5/16” (4-8 mm) on a 4 ¾ x 2 5/8” positive and negative plate
Fossil Site: Upper Tiouririne Formation, Dra Valley, Erfoud, Southeast Morocco
Fossil Code: PFT628
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 Description:
All three specimens are preserved as positives on the one plate,
and negatives on the other. One has a well-preserved thorax, with
the head disarticulated and turned around. One is a thorax only.
The third has a decent head, with the thorax tailing off at the
bottom. Typical preservation, and the best available of the ones
for sale by the Moroccan dealer. This multi-specimen plate is directed
to the specialist collector.
Aglaspidids are a poorly known group of rare, Early Palaeozoic,
arthropods. A new aglaspidid arthropod, Chlupacaris dubia gen.
et sp. nov. has been recently described from the Pusgillian (lower
Ashgill, Upper Ordovician) Upper Tiouririne Formation near Erfoud,
Southeastern Morocco. Although somewhat trilobite-like in appearance,
the lack of facial sutures, a well-defined axis with articulating
half-rings and a pygidium clearly prove Chlupacaris is not a trilobite.
Aglaspidids are probably more closely related to trilobites than
they are to chelicerates. |
