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Neodrepanura

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Neodrepanura
Temporal range: Guzhangian
Neodrepanura premesnili
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Phylum:
Class:
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Genus:
Neodrepanura

Özdikmen, 2006
Type species
Drepanura premesnili
Bergeron, 1899
Species
  • N. crassispina Peng et al. 2004
  • N. ketteleri Woodward 1905
  • N. premesnili (Bergeron, 1899)
  • N. transversa Chu 1959
Synonyms

Drepanura

Neodrepanura is an extinct genus of damesellid odontopleurid trilobite.

Taxonomy

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Species of Neodrepanura are better known under the older synonym, Drepanura: the genus was renamed as Neodrepanura in 2006 by Özdikmen when "Drepanura" was discovered to be preoccupied by a springtail described by Schoett 1891.[1]

Fossil record

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Fossil pygidium of Neodrepanura premesnili

The various species of Neodrepanura are known from numerous, mostly disarticulated fossils found in Late Cambrian-aged marine limestones of Eastern and Southeastern Asia, especially of Northern China.[1] The genus ranged from about 501 to 497 million years ago during the Guzhangian faunal stage of the late Cambrian Period.

Description

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The pygidia, particularly those of N. premesnili, are mined by the Chinese for use as "bat stones" or "swallow stones," as good luck charms and traditional medicines.[2][3] In 2011, the first intact specimen of N. premensnili was found in the Kushan Formation, enabling researchers to better examine the external anatomy of the genus.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Liu, Qing, and Qianping Lei. "First known complete specimen of Neodrepanura (Trilobita: Damesellidae) from the Cambrian Kushan Formation, Shandong, China." Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology 35.3 (2011): 397-403. [1]
  2. ^ Peng, S. C. "Historical review of trilobite research in China." Fabulous Fossils—300 years of Worldwide Research on Trilobites. NY State Museum Bulletin, New York State Museum, Albany, New York (2007): 171-191.
  3. ^ KOBAYASHI, Teiichi. "On the Damesellidae (Trilobita) in Eastern Asia."Proceedings of the Japan Academy, Series B 63.3 (1987): 59-62.