Cryptolithus Explained

Cryptolithus is a genus of extinct epifaunal, suspension-feeding, trinucleid trilobites that lived during the Ordovician period.^[1] They were mostly blind.^[2] They are found in the United States, Canada, Venezuela, the United Kingdom, France, the Czech Republic, Morocco and Turkey.^[3]

Species

Valid species of Cryptolithus include:^[4]

• Cryptolithus bellulus (Ulrich, 1879)
• Cryptolithus carimatus
• Cryptolithus fittsi (Ulrich & Whittington)
• Cryptolithus goldfussi (Barrande)
• Cryptolithus inopinatus (Whittard)
• Cryptolithus intertetus (Whittard)
• Cryptolithus lorerainensis (Ruedemann)
• Cryptolithus lorettensis (Foerste, 1924)
• Cryptolithus ornatus (Sternberg)
• Cryptolithus portlockii
  • Cryptolithus portlockii girvanensis
• Cryptolithus quadrillatus
• Cryptolithus recurvus (Ulrich, 1919)
• Cryptolithus tessellatus (Green, 1832)
• Cryptolithus ultimus (Barrande)

Notes and References

1. Encyclopedia: Cryptolithus. 6 August 2019. 7 December 2020. Encyclopædia Britannica.
2. Web site: Cryptolithus . Stigall . A.L. . Atlas of Ordovician Life. 12 November 2013 .
3. Web site: †Cryptolithus Green 1832 (trilobite) . fossilworks . 17 December 2021.
4. https://mczbase.mcz.harvard.edu/Taxa.cfm?execute=true&genus=Cryptolithus Museum of Comparative Zoology