| Aulacopleura Temporal range: 443–416 Ma Silurian |
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| Aulacopleura Konickii, Silurian shale,Czech Republic | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Trilobita |
| Order: | Proetida |
| Family: | Aulacopleuroidea |
| Genus: | Aulacopleura |
| Species | |
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Aulacopleura, also known as Arethusa, Arethusina, and Paraaulacopleura, is a genus of trilobite that lived during the Silurian. The cephalon is semicircular or semielliptical, with border and preglabellar field. The glabella is short with variable eyes variable, with or without defined eye ridges, genal spines present; hypostome natant (primitive condition); exoskeleton pitted, or with small tubercles. The thorax has between 11 and 22 segments and pleural ends usually rounded. The pygidium can be small (micropygous), with even margin (Aulacopleuridae), or longer with spines (some Brachymetopidae).