Weymouthia (trilobite)
| Weymouthia Temporal range: Lower Cambrian | |
|---|---|
 | |
| linedrawing of Weymouthia nobilis | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Trilobita |
| Order: | Agnostida |
| Suborder: | Eodiscina |
| Superfamily: | Eodiscoidea |
| Family: | Weymouthiidae |
| Genus: | Weymouthia Raymond, 1913 |
| Type species | |
| Agnostus nobilis Ford, 1872 | |
| species | |
| |
Weymouthia is an extinct genus of eodiscinid agnostid trilobites, which lived at the end of the Lower Cambrian, in what are now the eastern United States, England, Siberia and China.
Description
Like all Agnostida, Weymouthia is diminutive and the headshield (or cephalon) and tailshield (or pygidium) are of approximately the same size (or isopygous) and outline. Like all Weymouthiidae, Weymouthia lacks eyes and rupture lines (or sutures). The headshield (or cephalon) is approximately as long as wide, lacks facial sutures and is eyeless. The tailshield (or pygidium) is about 1.2× as wide as long. Both are effaced except for a furrow close to their borders. The cephalic border bears lateral tubercles. The thorax consists of three segments.[1]
Etymology
Weymouthia is named after Weymouth, Massachusetts.[2]
Distribution
- W. nobilis occurs in the Lower Cambrian of Massachusetts (Hoppin Slate, North Attleboro), and of the United Kingdom (Comley Quarry, Comley, 52.6° N, 2.8° W).[3]
References
- ↑ Whittington, H. B. et al. Part O, Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology. Revised, Volume 1 – Trilobita – Introduction, Order Agnostida, Order Redlichiida. 1997
- ↑ "Weymouth, MA, history". Retrieved 3 December 2012.
- ↑ Hinz, I. (1987). "The Lower Cambrian microfauna of Comley and Rushton, Shropshire, England". Palaeontographica Abteilung A 198 (1-3): 41–100. cited in Paleobiology Database. "Weymouthia nobilis".