Phytophilaspis Explained

Phytophilaspis is a phosphatized^[1] genus of trilobite-like arthropod with eyes, found in association with algal remains.^[2] It dwelt in well-lit, shallow waters.^[3]

Description

Phytophilaspis has several features in common with trilobites, including: tripartite division ofthe dorsal shield; presence of prominent pygidium; large eyes, situated on the pleural area of the cephalon; facial sutures, and shape of the hypostome. However, it differs from trilobites in many ways, including a reduced thorax, thoracic pleura fused to each other and to the cephalon and pygidium, facial sutures not crossing the eyes, and weak original mineralization of the cuticle.^[2] Because of these differences, Phytophilaspis was originally assigned to the Artiopodan subclass Concilliterga, in an undetermined order and family.^[2] It was later considered by Bergström and Hou as a xandarellid, along with Cindarella, Xandarella and Sinoburius.^[4] A position that was supported in subsequent studies.^[5]

See also

• Arachnomorpha

External links

• Phytophilaspis occurrence data. Paleobiology Database
• Photograph

Notes and References

1. Lin . J. ‐P. . Ivantsov . A. Y. U. . Briggs . D. E. G. . The cuticle of the enigmatic arthropod Phytophilaspis and biomineralization in Cambrian arthropods . Lethaia . 44 . 3 . 344 . 2010 . 10.1111/j.1502-3931.2010.00245.x.
2. Trilobite-like arthropod from the Lower Cambrian of the Siberian Platform. A. Yu. . Ivantsov. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 44. 4. 1999. 455–466.
3. Acta Geologica Polonica. 54. Articulated palaeoscolecid sclerite arrays from the Lower Cambrian of eastern Siberia. 2004. 1. 1–2. 2010-11-03. https://web.archive.org/web/20110716061730/http://www.geo.uw.edu.pl/agp/table/pdf/54-1/wrona.pdf. 2011-07-16. dead.
4. Bergström, J. . Hou, X. G. . 2003. Arthropod origins. Bulletin of Geosciences. 78. 4. 323–334. 2014-03-03. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304023625/http://www.mzp.cz/ris/ekodisk-new.nsf/1a76d1df1a0e29f0c1256e2800520b9d/9a21746463a798e9c125708f002d7766/$FILE/str.%20323-334.pdf. 2016-03-04. dead.
5. Chen. Xiaohan. Ortega-Hernández. Javier. Wolfe. Joanna M.. Zhai. Dayou. Hou. Xianguang. Chen. Ailin. Mai. Huijuan. Liu. Yu. December 2019. The appendicular morphology of Sinoburius lunaris and the evolution of the artiopodan clade Xandarellida (Euarthropoda, early Cambrian) from South China. BMC Evolutionary Biology. en. 19. 1. 165. 10.1186/s12862-019-1491-3. 1471-2148. 6685191. 31387545 . free .