Chasmataspis Temporal range: Early
Ordovician
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Holotype specimen | |
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Life reconstruction of C. laurencii | |
Scientific classification
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Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
Clade: | Dekatriata |
Order: | † Chasmataspidida |
Family: | †
Chasmataspididae Caster & Brooks, 1956 |
Genus: | †
Chasmataspis Caster & Brooks, 1956 |
Type species | |
†Chasmataspis laurencii Caster & Brooks, 1999
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Chasmataspis is a genus of chasmataspidid, a group of extinct aquatic chelicerate arthropods. [1] [2] It was found in the Early Ordovician deposits of Tennessee, United States. [3]
Just like other chasmataspidids, the body of Chasmataspis compose of a prosoma and a 13-segmented opisthosoma, with the latter subdivided into a 4-segmented preabdomen and a 9-segmented postabdomen. [4] Dorsal to the carapace were pairs of ridges, lateral eyes and median ocelli. [4] Chasmataspis characterized by a semicircular carapace (prosomal dorsal shield) with pointed genal spines and preabdomen with fused body segments. [4] Rows of tubercles and spines run through the axial and lateral regions of opisthosoma. [4] The body terminated with a spine-like telson. [4]
There is no body fossils of Chasmataspis with unambiguous appendages being discovered. [4] The only evidence were 2 specimens of disarticulated, claw-bearing appendages discovered from the same stratum which may represent the prosomal appendage (possibly appendage VI [3]) of Chasmastaspis. [4]