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Pentecopterus

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Pentecopterus
Temporal range: Ordovician
Artist's reconstruction
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Order: †Eurypterida
Superfamily: †Carcinosomatoidea
Family: †Megalograptidae
Genus: †Pentecopterus
Lamsdell, James C et al., 2015
Binomial name
Pentecopterus decorahensis
Lamsdell, James C et al., 2015

Pentecopterus is an extinct genus of sea scorpion that lived during the Ordovician period, as early as 467.3 million years ago.[1] One species is P. decorahensis.[1][2][3][4] It is the oldest described eurypterid, and, at an estimated length of up to 1.83 metres (6 ft 0 in),[2][5] one of the largest known arthropods ever discovered, similar in size to the famous millipede-like Arthropleura. Other notable sea scorpions include the more recent Silurian-aged Acutiramus, and Devonian Jaekelopterus, the only arthropod currently known to surpass P. decorahensis in size.[6] According to researcher James Lamsdell, of Yale University, P. decorahensis "is the first real big predator".[3]

Description

The generic name refers to the "penteconter", an ancient Greek warship, due to similarities in shape and predatory behavior.[2][4][5] It is the oldest described eurypterid, living as early as 467.3 million years ago;[1] at an estimated length of 1.7 metres (5 ft 7 in),[3] or up to 1.83 metres (6 ft 0 in),[2][5] it is also one of the largest known arthropods.[1][3] According to researcher James Lamsdell, of Yale University, the species "is the first real big predator".[3]

Discovery

Scientists from the Iowa Geological Survey and Yale University discovered, as early as 2005 but mostly in 2010, 150 fossil pieces, from at least 30 individuals,[4] about 60 feet below the Upper Iowa River, within the Decorah crater, an ancient meteorite impact crater.[1][3][4]

See also

References

Look up pentecopterus in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Wikispecies has information related to Pentecopterus.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Eurypterida.
Wikisource has original works on the topic: Eurypterids
  1. ^ a b c d e Lamsdell, James C.; Briggs, Derek E. G.; Liu, Huaibao; Witzke, Brian J.; McKay, Robert M. (September 1, 2015). "The oldest described eurypterid: a giant Middle Ordovician (Darriwilian) megalograptid from the Winneshiek Lagerstätte of Iowa". BMC Evolutionary Biology. 15: 169. doi:10.1186/s12862-015-0443-9. Retrieved September 1, 2015.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link)
  2. ^ a b c d Shelton, Jim (August 31, 2015). "Meet Pentecopterus, a new predator from the prehistoric seas". Yale University. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Borenstein, Seth (August 31, 2015). "Fossils show big bug ruled the seas 460 million years ago". AP News. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  4. ^ a b c d Netburn, Deborah (August 31, 2015). "Found: A 6-foot-long 'sea scorpion' that lived 450 million years ago". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  5. ^ a b c Staff (September 1, 2015). "Pentecopterus decorahensis: Ancient Giant Sea Scorpion Unearthed in Iowa". Sci-news.com. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  6. ^ Lamsdell, James C.; Selden, Paul A (2013). "Babes in the wood – a unique window into sea scorpion ontogeny". BMC Evolutionary Biology. 13: 98. doi:10.1186/1471-2148-13-98. Retrieved September 1, 2015.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link)
Preceded by
the Proterozoic Eon 		Phanerozoic Eon
Paleozoic Era Mesozoic Era Cenozoic Era
Cambrian Ordovician Silurian Devonian Carboniferous Permian Triassic Jurassic Cretaceous Paleogene Neogene 4ry
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