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Archopterus
Temporal range: Late Ordovician, 455 Ma
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Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Order: †Eurypterida
Family: †Adelophthalmidae
Genus: †Archopterus
Wang et al., 2023
Species:
†A. anjiensis
Binomial name
†Archopterus anjiensis
Wang et al., 2023

Archopterus is an early form of sea scorpion (Eurypterid) from the family of Chelicerata, is a genus in the family Adelophthalmidae, represented by one species. It was discovered in the Wenchang Formation of Tianfucun, Anji County, Zhejiang Province, South China. This genus is represented by a single species (Archopterus anjiensis) from the Ordovician, the oldest species from China and also of its family.[1][2]

Description

The adelophthalmid was likely a predator that fed on small mollusks, crustaceans and worms.[2]

Fossil importance

The only known fossil, found with various sponges, graptolites, and nautiloids in deep-water shale, now extends the range of the family of Adelophthalmidae from the early Silurian to late Ordovician. This also now supports the theory of the evolution of eurypterids in Gondwana.[1][2]


References

  1. ^ a b Wang, Han; Braddy, Simon J.; Botting, Joseph; Zhang, Yuandong (2023). "The first documentation of an Ordovician eurypterid (Chelicerata) from China". Journal of Paleontology. 97 (3): 606–611. doi:10.1017/jpa.2023.21. ISSN 0022-3360.
  2. ^ a b c Ma, Zhenhuan (2023). "Ancient sea scorpion fossil discovered in Zhejiang". China Daily. Retrieved 2024-01-31.


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