Eurypteridae

Eurypteridae Temporal range: Silurian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Merostomata
Order:	†Eurypterida
Suborder:	†Eurypterina
Superfamily:	†Eurypteroidea
Family:	†Eurypteridae De Kay, 1825
Genera
Synonyms
See text

Eurypteridae are an extinct family of eurypterids. They were members of the superfamily Eurypteroidea.

Description

Eurypteridae, which lived during the Silurian period, were characterized by small to large exoskeletons with inconspicuous semilunar scales or curved ridges. The telson (tail) was styliform or pointed. Eurypteridae also had chelicerae (appendages in front of the mouth) that were small. Their walking legs were covered in spines. The prosoma (head) was subrectangular, with slightly curved compound eyes located relatively centrally on the dorsal surface. Genital appendages in the female were very short with lateral lobes; but long in the male with diverging distal spines.^[1]

Genera

• Class Merostomata Dana, 1852
• Order Eurypterida Burmeister, 1843
• Suborder Eurypterina Burmeister, 1843
• Superfamily Eurypteroidea Burmeister, 1843

  Family Eurypteridae Burmeister, 1843

  Genus Eurypterus De Kay, 1825

References