Asaphidae

Asaphidae; Temporal range: Upper Cambrian–Ordovician PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
	Megistaspidella triangularis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Trilobita
Order:	Asaphida
Family:	Asaphidae; Burmeister, 1843
subfamilies
	Asaphinae ; Isotelinae ; Niobinae ; Ogygiocarellinae ;

Asaphidae is a family of asaphid trilobites. Although the first genera originate in Upper Cambrian marine strata, the family becomes the most widely distributed and most species-rich trilobite family during the Ordovician. 754 species assigned to 146 genera are included in Asaphidae.

Distribution

Most Asaphinae are characteristic of Baltica. Isotelinae genera are concentrated in Laurentia. The genera of Nobiliasaphinae are distributed in tropical Gondwana and South China. The genera of Ogygiocaridinae occur in Avalonia, Gondwana and Baltica. Asaphidae asaphids were already fairly common during the Upper-Cambrian, when 14 genera are known from Australia, North- and South-China. The last members of the family died-out at the end of the Ordovician.^[2]

Assigned genera

Asaphidae contains the following genera:^[3]

References

^ Bell, Mark A.; Braddy, Simon J. (2011). "Cope's rule in the Ordovician trilobite family Asaphidae (order Asaphida): patterns across multiple most parsimonious trees". Historical Biology: 1–8.
^ J.M. Adrian (2014). "20. A synopsis of Ordovician trilobite distribution and diversity". Early Palaeozoic Biogeography and Palaeogeography. Memoirs of the Geological Society of London. Vol. 38. Geological Society of London. p. 490. ISBN 1862393737. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |editors= ignored (|editor= suggested) (help)
^ S. M. Gon III. "Order Asaphida". Archived from the original on 6 January 2011. Retrieved December 7, 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

Links

drawings of many asaphids

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[1] Bell, Mark A.; Braddy, Simon J. (2011). "Cope's rule in the Ordovician trilobite family Asaphidae (order Asaphida): patterns across multiple most parsimonious trees". Historical Biology: 1–8.

[HarperServais-2] J.M. Adrian (2014). "20. A synopsis of Ordovician trilobite distribution and diversity". Early Palaeozoic Biogeography and Palaeogeography. Memoirs of the Geological Society of London. Vol. 38. Geological Society of London. p. 490. ISBN 1862393737. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |editors= ignored (|editor= suggested) (help)

[3] S. M. Gon III. "Order Asaphida". Archived from the original on 6 January 2011. Retrieved December 7, 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

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