Eophrynus
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| Eophrynus Temporal range: Late Carboniferous, 318–299Ma | |
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| Fossil | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | †Trigonotarbida |
| Family: | †Eophrynidae |
| Genus: | † Eophrynus Woodward, 1871 |
| Species | |
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Eophrynus is an extinct genus of arachnids from the trigonotarbid group, which lived during the Late Carboniferous period in Europe. The genus was first described in 1871 by Henry Woodward (geologist).[1] The name comes from Eo, meaning 'dawn', and Phrynus, a genus of living whip spider (Amblypygi).
Two species have been recognised:
- E. prestvicii in England
- E. udus in Germany
Eophrynus were similar to modern spiders but could not produce silk and the back-half of their body was made up of small plates.[2]
The English species, E. prestvici, is known from a handful of good quality fossils preserved inside siderite concrections. Recent x-ray imaging revealed that these arachnids were covered by protective spikes.[2]
References
- ↑ Woodward, H. 1871. On the discovery of a new and very perfect Arachnide from the ironstone of the Dudley Coal-field. Geological Magazine, 8 (9): 1–4.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "X-rays bring extinct spiders back to life". Planet Earth online. 5 August 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-05.
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