Dicranurus
Encyclopedia
Dicranurus was a genus of Lower Devonian lichid trilobite
s that lived in a shallow sea that lay between Euramerica and Gondwanaland, corresponding to modern-day Oklahoma
and Morocco
, respectively. As such, their fossils are found in Oklahoma and Morocco.
Their bodies averaged about 1 inches (25.4 mm) or so, in length, though their large spines made them at least 2 inches (50.8 mm) in length. It is speculated that such tremendous spines hampered the ability of predators, such as arthrodire placoderms, to attack them, as well as to help prevent them from sinking into the soft mud of their environment. Dicranurus trilobites are distinguished from other lichids by the pair of large, curled, horn-like spines that emanate from behind the glabellum. The genus name refers to these distinctive horns, in fact.
Trilobite
Trilobites are a well-known fossil group of extinct marine arthropods that form the class Trilobita. The first appearance of trilobites in the fossil record defines the base of the Atdabanian stage of the Early Cambrian period , and they flourished throughout the lower Paleozoic era before...
s that lived in a shallow sea that lay between Euramerica and Gondwanaland, corresponding to modern-day Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
and Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, respectively. As such, their fossils are found in Oklahoma and Morocco.
Their bodies averaged about 1 inches (25.4 mm) or so, in length, though their large spines made them at least 2 inches (50.8 mm) in length. It is speculated that such tremendous spines hampered the ability of predators, such as arthrodire placoderms, to attack them, as well as to help prevent them from sinking into the soft mud of their environment. Dicranurus trilobites are distinguished from other lichids by the pair of large, curled, horn-like spines that emanate from behind the glabellum. The genus name refers to these distinctive horns, in fact.
External links
- Description of Haragan Formation, Oklahoma http://www.trilobites.info/OK.htm
- Fossil Mall's description of D. elegans http://www.fossilmall.com/Fossil_Archive/trilobite_fossils/North_American_Trilobites/Oklahoma_trilobites/Dicranurus_elegans/Dicranurus%20elegans%20trilobite.htm
- Fossil Mall's description of D. hamatus http://www.fossilmall.com/Black_Cat_Mountain_Fossils/C3_Dic/C3.htm
- Fossil Museum's description of D. monstrosus http://www.fossilmuseum.net/Fossil_Galleries/TrilobitesMorocco/DicanurusMonstrosus/Dicanurus.htm