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Examples of telson and uropod morphology in some Tealliocaris species and decapods, ExDi = uropodal exopod diaeresis, TeDi = telson diaeresis. A. Tealliocaris etheridgei, after SCHRAM (1979), setation omitted, scale = 5 mm. B. T. holthuisi, after IRHAM et al. (2010), setation omitted, scale = 5 mm. C. T. palincsari, after SCHRAM (1988), scale = 2 mm. D. Polycheles typhlops HELLER, 1862, extant, scale = 10 mm. E. Litopenaeus setiferus (LINNAEUS, 1767), after YOUNG (1959), extant, scale = 10 mm. F. Astacus spp., after HUXLEY (1884), extant, no scale available. G. Palaeopalaemon newberryi, after SCHRAM et al. (1978), scale = 10 mm.
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Tealliocarid eumalacostracans, known from Late Devonian–Carboniferous marine, non-marine, and estuarine strata of North America, continental Europe, and the United Kingdom, are here transferred from Eucarida: Decapoda back to Peracarida: Pygocephalomorpha. Species included in Tealliocaris exhibit a suite of peracaridan and pygocephalomorphan synapo...
Contexts in source publication
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... e l s o n : The telsons of Tealliocaris spp. exhibit a suite of typically pygocephalomorphan characters not seen in any decapod taxon. The first of these is that the telson of Tealliocaris bears a pair of lateral furcal lobes (PEACH 1883(PEACH , 1908SCHRAM 1979;BRIGGS & CLARKSON, 1985;SCHRAM 1988;IRHAM et al. 2010) (Fig. 4A-C). The second is that the telson also bears a distinct, articulated terminal lobe (PEACH 1883(PEACH , 1908SCHRAM 1979;BRIGGS & CLARKSON 1985;SCHRAM 1988;IRHAM et al. 2010) (Fig. ...
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... is that the telson of Tealliocaris bears a pair of lateral furcal lobes (PEACH 1883(PEACH , 1908SCHRAM 1979;BRIGGS & CLARKSON, 1985;SCHRAM 1988;IRHAM et al. 2010) (Fig. 4A-C). The second is that the telson also bears a distinct, articulated terminal lobe (PEACH 1883(PEACH , 1908SCHRAM 1979;BRIGGS & CLARKSON 1985;SCHRAM 1988;IRHAM et al. 2010) (Fig. ...
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... degree of variation apparently existed in the lateral telson lobe morphology of tealliocarids, with Tealliocaris woodwardi, T. etheridgei, and T. palinc- sari exhibiting robust, distinctly lateral, lobate elements, apparently articulating at approximately one half the axial telson length (see SCHRAM 1979, figs. 34, 45) (Fig. 4A, C). Tealliocaris holthuisi, in contrast, bears two pairs of lateral telson lobes, the first being long, robust, heav- ily setose, and articulating at approximately one third the axial length of the telson, posterior to the anterior telson margin (SCHRAM 1988, figs. 1D, 2), the second being very minute, and articulating in a more distal ...
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... in contrast, bears two pairs of lateral telson lobes, the first being long, robust, heav- ily setose, and articulating at approximately one third the axial length of the telson, posterior to the anterior telson margin (SCHRAM 1988, figs. 1D, 2), the second being very minute, and articulating in a more distal position (SCHRAM 1988, figs. 1D, 2) (Fig. ...
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... combination of an articulated terminal telson lobe and lateral furcal lobes are characteristic of pygocephalo- morph peracarids, but are not typical of any known deca- pod taxon (Fig. 4D-G). For example, Pygocephalus dubius and P. cooperi both bear two pairs of lobate, articulated lateral telson lobes and an acuminate or lobate terminal telson lobe (SCHRAM 1979, fig. 39A, C). Pseudogalathea macconochiei, also exhibits a telson with a single pair of lobate lateral lobes, and a lobate terminal lobe (PEACH 1883;SCHRAM 1979). ...
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... decapods, including the Devonian species Palaeo- palaemon newberryi, articulated lateral lobes are absent from the telson. Palaeopalaemon newberryi exhibits an apparently primitive (SCHOLTZ & RICHTER 1995), sim- ple, lanceolate telson, similar to that of dendrobranchs, caridean shrimp, and polychelid lobsters (Fig. 4D, E, G) SCHOLTZ & RICHTER 1995;DIXON et al. 2003) (Fig. 4G). Lobsters within Eureptantia sensu DIXON et al. (2003) generally exhibit a roughly quadran- gular telson, with or without a diaeresis (Fig. 4F), or distal weak sclerotization typical of achelate lobsters (SCHOLTZ & RICHTER 1995;DIXON et al. 2003). Caudal elements of ...
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... the Devonian species Palaeo- palaemon newberryi, articulated lateral lobes are absent from the telson. Palaeopalaemon newberryi exhibits an apparently primitive (SCHOLTZ & RICHTER 1995), sim- ple, lanceolate telson, similar to that of dendrobranchs, caridean shrimp, and polychelid lobsters (Fig. 4D, E, G) SCHOLTZ & RICHTER 1995;DIXON et al. 2003) (Fig. 4G). Lobsters within Eureptantia sensu DIXON et al. (2003) generally exhibit a roughly quadran- gular telson, with or without a diaeresis (Fig. 4F), or distal weak sclerotization typical of achelate lobsters (SCHOLTZ & RICHTER 1995;DIXON et al. 2003). Caudal elements of paguroideans and brachyurans differ substantially from those of ...
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... primitive (SCHOLTZ & RICHTER 1995), sim- ple, lanceolate telson, similar to that of dendrobranchs, caridean shrimp, and polychelid lobsters (Fig. 4D, E, G) SCHOLTZ & RICHTER 1995;DIXON et al. 2003) (Fig. 4G). Lobsters within Eureptantia sensu DIXON et al. (2003) generally exhibit a roughly quadran- gular telson, with or without a diaeresis (Fig. 4F), or distal weak sclerotization typical of achelate lobsters (SCHOLTZ & RICHTER 1995;DIXON et al. 2003). Caudal elements of paguroideans and brachyurans differ substantially from those of tealliocarids and are not discussed here. Thus, the telson morphology of tealliocarids is not consistent with their inclusion in ...
Citations
... The telson has two lateral spines, a crenulated median ridge with posteriorly directed spines, and six spines on the posterolateral ridges (Fig. 10c). The specimen used by Jones et al. (2016) to place Tealliocaris in the Peracarida (GLAHM A2407b) has a series of overlapping plates on the ventral surface of the thorax (Fig. 10a, b). These were suggested by Clark (2013) to be epipods, or gill structures, and by Jones et al. (2016) as the elements of 'a distended marsupium'. ...
... The specimen used by Jones et al. (2016) to place Tealliocaris in the Peracarida (GLAHM A2407b) has a series of overlapping plates on the ventral surface of the thorax (Fig. 10a, b). These were suggested by Clark (2013) to be epipods, or gill structures, and by Jones et al. (2016) as the elements of 'a distended marsupium'. However, on further examination of the specimen, the overlapping plates are rectangular and similar in structure to the sternites of Tealliocaris or the tergites of an overlying crustacean of a different genus (e.g., Crangopsis), rather than the marsupium (Fig. 10a, b). ...
... However, on further examination of the specimen, the overlapping plates are rectangular and similar in structure to the sternites of Tealliocaris or the tergites of an overlying crustacean of a different genus (e.g., Crangopsis), rather than the marsupium (Fig. 10a, b). Another difference between the interpretation of structures of Tealliocaris between Clark (2013) and Jones et al. (2016) is whether there are lateral furcal lobes of the telson. This was clearly shown not to be the case by Clark (2013; Fig. 12). ...
The descriptions of two co-occurring cardioid crustaceans from the Ballagan Formation (Tournaisian, Lower Carboniferous) of Chirnside, Scottish Borders, help to resolve the taxonomy of the genus Tealliocaris. Tealliocaris robusta Peach, 1908 is assigned to Schramocaris to form S. robusta (Peach, 1908) comb. nov. on the basis of morphological characters such as the rugosity and position of the branchial carinae as well as the nature of the pleon, and becomes the earliest representative of this genus in Scotland. A new species of Tealliocaris is also recognised from this locality and is described as T. briggsi sp. nov., based on the smooth carapace, lack of pleonic grooves and the number of spines on the scaphocerite and lateral margin of the anterior carapace. The systematic position of the Pendleian specimens identified by Peach (1908) as ‘Tealliocaris robusta var.’ is finally resolved and described as T. weegie sp. nov.
... From the groups recently reported from the Piesberg, representatives of Syncarida are found today in fresh and mainly groundwater environments in all continents, except for Antarctica (Camacho and Valdecasas, 2008); as for pygocephalomorphans, they are fossil crustaceans with shrimp-to lobster-like appearance that were a common element of near marine and deltaic assemblages from the Late Devonian to the Cisuralian (Early Permian) (Taylor et al., 1998;Gueriau et al., 2014). Fossils generally accepted as representatives of Pygocephalomorpha have already been interpreted as representatives of Peracarida (Jones et al., 2016), but also of Decapoda (Clark, 2013). Pygocephalomorpha potentially refers to a non-monophyletic assemblage of species, part of the early diversification of Caridoida (Jones et al., 2016), i.e., the group characterized by a tail-flip reaction (Richter and Scholtz, 2001). ...
... Fossils generally accepted as representatives of Pygocephalomorpha have already been interpreted as representatives of Peracarida (Jones et al., 2016), but also of Decapoda (Clark, 2013). Pygocephalomorpha potentially refers to a non-monophyletic assemblage of species, part of the early diversification of Caridoida (Jones et al., 2016), i.e., the group characterized by a tail-flip reaction (Richter and Scholtz, 2001). ...
... Thoracic sternites 2-8 increase gradually in width from anterior to posterior and the corresponding thoracic appendages have small, non-drawn-out, proximal elements ( Figure 5). Species of Pygocephalus have two pairs of ellipsoidal structures on the telson, also referred as 'furcal lobes' in literature (Jones et al., 2016), while the specimen recorded from the Piesberg quarry possesses only one pair. Additionally, records of Pygocephalus remain restricted to stages Westphalian A and Westphalian B in the European system, between approximately 318-314 million years ago, while the records from the Piesberg quarry come from the stage Westphalian D, circa of 311-307 Other quite similar-appearing species, Anthracaris gracilis and Mamayocaris jaskoskii, were described based on fossils found in fossiliferous concretions of the Mazon Creek Lagerstätte, in Illinois, USA. ...
The Upper Carboniferous Piesberg quarry close to Osnabrück, in Lower Saxony, Germany, has provided a high number of exceptionally preserved fossils of Euarthropoda. This includes “horseshoe crabs” (Xiphosurida), scorpions (Scorpionida), and other now extinct forms of Euchelicerata, namely spider-like species of Trigonotarbida, remains of true spiders ( Arthrolycosa ) and Phalangiotarbida Furthermore, representatives of Insecta have also been recorded. Here we report on the remains of a pygocephalomorphan crustacean, a representative of an extinct, possibly non-monophyletic, ingroup of Eumalacostraca. The comparison to other pygocephalomorphan fossils from the literature suggests that it is a record of Anthracaris gracilis , a species previously reported from the Pennsylvanian Konservat-Lagerstätten of Mazon Creek, Moscovian of the U.S.A., and Bickershaw, Bashkirian-Moscovian of England. The frequency and geographical distribution of eumalacostracan records from several Carboniferous deposits of North America, the UK, and continental Europe shows that Hoplocarida is the predominant group throughout the Carboniferous faunas, followed by Pygocephalomorpha in the Mississippian and Syncarida in the Pennsylvanian. Anthracaris gracilis is not the only faunal overlap between the Piesberg quarry, Mazon Creek, and the Bickershaw Lagerstätte; other such similarities are briefly listed and further emphasize a “faunal continuum” that persisted during the early Pennsylvanian across the deltaic depositional environments of North America, the UK, and continental Europe.
... P3989). We included in a second analysis †Tealliocaris, a Late Devonian-Carboniferous eumalacostracan with debated peracarid or decapod affinities[12,[51][52][53][54][55][56] that has been reported from late Fammenian (VCo Oppel biozone) freshwater (or at least continental water) horizons of Belgium[57,58]. Undetermined and not preserved characters were scored as '?', and inapplicable characters as '-'. ...
Peracarida (e.g. woodlice and side-swimmers) are, together with their sister-group Eucarida (e.g. krill and decapods), the most speciose group of modern crustaceans, suggested to have appeared as early as the Ordovician. While eucarids' incursion onto land consists of mainly freshwater and littoral grounds, some peracarids have evolved fully terrestrial ground-crawling ecologies, inhabiting even our gardens in temperate regions (e.g. pillbugs and sowbugs). Their fossil record extends back to the Carboniferous and consists mainly of marine occurrences. Here, we provide a complete re-analysis of a fossil arthropod— Oxyuropoda— reported in 1908 from the Late Devonian floodplains of Ireland, and left with unresolved systematic affinities despite a century of attempts at identification. Known from a single specimen preserved in two dimensions, we analysed its anatomy using digital microscopy and multispectral macroimaging to enhance the contrast of morphological structures. The new anatomical characters and completeness of Oxyuropoda , together with a phylogenetic analysis with representatives of all major Eumalacostraca groups, indicate that Oxyuropoda is a crown peracarid, part of a clade including amphipods and isopods. As such, Oxyuropoda is the oldest known species Peracarida, and provides evidence that derived peracarids had an incursion into freshwater and terrestrial environments as early as the Famennian, more than 360 Ma.
... Final data matrices after [5] (25 OTUs with 181 adult morphological characters) were built in Mesquite 3.51 [50]. We included in a second analysis †Tealliocaris, a Late Devonian-Carboniferous eumalacostracan with debated peracarid or decapod affinities [12,[51][52][53][54][55][56] that has been reported from late Fammenian (VCo Oppel biozone) freshwater (or at least continental water) horizons of Belgium [57,58]. Undetermined and not preserved characters were scored as '?', and inapplicable characters as '-'. ...
Peracarida (e.g., woodlice & side-swimmers) are, together with their sister-group Eucarida (e.g. krill & decapods), the most speciose group of modern crustaceans, suggested to have appeared as early as the Ordovician. While the incursion of eucarids onto land consists of mainly freshwater and littoral grounds, some peracarids have evolved fully terrestrial ground-crawling ecologies, inhabiting even our gardens in temperate regions (e.g. pillbugs and sowbugs). Their fossil record extends back to the Carboniferous and consists mainly of marine occurrences. Here, we provide a complete re-analysis of a fossil arthropod - Oxyuropoda - reported in 1908 from the Late Devonian floodplains of Ireland, and left with unresolved systematic affinities despite a century 40 of attempts at identification. Known from a single specimen preserved in two-dimensions, we analysed its anatomy using digital microscopy and multispectral macro-imaging to enhance contrast of morphological structures. The new anatomical characters and completeness of Oxyuropoda, together with a phylogenetic analysis with representatives of all major Eumalacostraca groups, indicate that Oxyuropoda is a crown-peracarid, part of a clade including amphipods and isopods. As such, Oxyuropoda is the oldest known Peracarida, and provides evidence that derived peracarids had an incursion into freshwater and terrestrial environments as early as the Famennian, more than 360 million years ago.
... From the discussion above it is clear that several lineages of decapod crustaceans independently invaded freshwater habitats, including dendrobranchiatans 139 , carideans, axiideans, astacideans, anomurans and brachyurans 11,24,118,140 . The enigmatic Tealliocaris Peach, 1908 141 , considered by some authors as a decapod crustaceans 142 (but see also 143 ), might represent yet another freshwater lineage. And among carideans, at least palaeomonoid, atyoid, and alpheoid shrimps independently invaded freshwater environments 108 . ...
With approximately 1,500 extant species, freshwater crabs (Decapoda: Brachyura) are among the most diverse decapod crustaceans. Nevertheless, their fossil record is extremely limited: only Potamidae, Potamonautidae and Trichodactylidae are reported up to the Eocene of the Neotropics so far. This work documents unusually large decapod claws from the Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) continental deposits of Velaux and vicinity (southern France), in close association with large vertebrate remains. In addition to (1) the systematic assignment of these claws, the study addresses (2) the salinity trends in the deposit environment from its faunal assemblage and the elementary chemical patterns of fossils, and (3) the likely scenario for their auto/allochthony in the Velaux fluvial system. These claws belong to a new taxon, Dinocarcinus velauciensis n. gen. n. sp., referred to as Portunoidea sensu lato, a group of “true” crabs nowadays linked to marine systems. However, the faunal assemblage, the claw taphonomy and the carbonates Y/Ho signatures support their ancient freshwater/terrestrial ecology, making them the oldest reported continental brachyurans and extending the presence of crabs in freshwater environments by 40 Ma. Either as primary or as secondary freshwater crabs, the occurrence of these portunoids in Velaux is an evidence for the independent colonizations of continental environments by multiple brachyuran clades over time, as early as the Campanian.
... From the discussion above it is clear that several lineages of decapod crustaceans independently invaded freshwater habitats, including dendrobranchiatans 126 , carideans, axiideans, astacideans, 410 anomurans and brachyurans 6,19,105,127 . The enigmatic Tealliocaris Peach, 1908 128 , considered by some authors as a decapod crustaceans 129 (but see also 130 however, fully freshwater shrimps are known from the Early Cretaceous (Barremian) onward 116,122 . ...
With approximately 1,500 extant species, freshwater crabs (Decapoda: Brachyura) are among the most diverse decapod crustaceans. Nevertheless, their fossil record is extremely limited: only Potamidae, Potamonautidae and Trichodactylidae are reported up to the Eocene of the Neotropics so far. This work documents unusually large decapod claws from the Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) continental deposits of Velaux and vicinity (southern France), in close association with large vertebrate remains. In addition to (1) the systematic assignment of these claws, the study addresses (2) the salinity trends in the deposit environment from its faunal assemblage and the elementary chemical patterns of fossils, and (3) the likely scenario for their auto/allochtony in the Velaux fluvial system. These claws belong to a new taxon, Dinocarcinus velauciensis n. gen. n. sp., referred to as Portunoidea sensu lato, a group of "true" crabs nowadays linked to marine systems. However, the faunal assemblage, the claw taphonomy and the carbonates Y/Ho signatures support their ancient freshwater/terrestrial ecology, making them the oldest reported continental brachyurans and extending the presence of crabs in freshwater environments by 40 Ma. Either as primary or as secondary freshwater crabs, the occurrence of these portunoids in Velaux is an evidence for the independent colonizations of continental environments by multiple brachyuran clades over time, as early as the Campanian.
... Evidence of cephalothoracic fusion, including the presence of characteristic decapod carapace groove patterns, supports placement in Decapoda. Complete fusion of the carapace with all cephalic and thoracic tergites is a nearly universally recognized synapomorphy of Eucarida (Moore, 1969;Davie, 2002), but one that is often difficult to identify in the fossil record (Jones et al., 2016). Jones et al. (2016) asserted that complete cephalothoracic fusion with the carapace can be recognized in fossils by identifying evidence of a decapod-like skeletal endophragm, i.e., reduction of the thoracic pleurites such that they mirror the shape of the skeletal apodemes (cuticular infoldings) along the pleurite boundaries (see Fig. 5A -B and Jones et al., 2016: fig. ...
... Complete fusion of the carapace with all cephalic and thoracic tergites is a nearly universally recognized synapomorphy of Eucarida (Moore, 1969;Davie, 2002), but one that is often difficult to identify in the fossil record (Jones et al., 2016). Jones et al. (2016) asserted that complete cephalothoracic fusion with the carapace can be recognized in fossils by identifying evidence of a decapod-like skeletal endophragm, i.e., reduction of the thoracic pleurites such that they mirror the shape of the skeletal apodemes (cuticular infoldings) along the pleurite boundaries (see Fig. 5A -B and Jones et al., 2016: fig. 1). ...
... 1). The presence of such endophragmal pleurites has been demonstrated in Palaeopalaemon (Jones et al., 2016: fig. 1) (Fig. 5A, B). ...
Palaeopalaemon newberryi Whitfield, 1880 is redescribed based upon a large collection of specimens including those collected in the nearly 40 years since P. newberryi was last evaluated. Previously undescribed aspects of its morphology include a large, pectinate maxilliped; the dactylus of pereiopod I; a triangular sternal field; well-preserved antennae, including an endopod with an antennulate flagellum; and a broad, roughly triangular scaphocerite. Phylogenetic analysis supports the position of P. newberryi as a lobster and suggests that Palaeopalaemonoidea is the sister taxon of Polychelida. Palaeopalaemon newberryi is distinct from Angustidontus, and pectinate claws shared by the two taxa may be a convergent morphology and not phylogenetically informative. Palaeopalaemon newberryi probably exhibited a benthic habit.
... Clark (2013), in a revision of the Tealliocaris Peach, 1908 material from the Carboniferous of Scotland, highlighted a suite of characters indicating a closer relationship to decapod crustaceans, in particular Astacida Scholtz and Richter, 1995, Homarida Scholtz and Richter, 1995and Glypheoidea Zittel, 1885, than to any other crustacean clade. However, Jones et al. (2016) transferred them back to Pygo cephalomorpha Beurlen, 1930(Peracarida Calman, 1904 based upon the presence of an oostegite marsupium in females, a distinct terminal telson lobe, and a pair of lateral telson lobes. The last two features were shown by Clark (2013: fig. ...
... 12) to be an artefact of preservation of a single, large membrane. Teallio caridids have been recorded from the Late Devonian of Belgium (Gueriau et al. 2014) and the Carboniferous of Scotland (Etheridge 1877;Peach 1881Peach , 1882Peach , 1908Briggs and Clarkson 1985;Briggs et al. 1991;Cater et al. 1989;Clark 2013;Clark et al. 2016), France (Carpentier 1913), northern England (Peach 1908;Schram 1979), Canada (Copeland 1957;Dewey and Fåhraeus 1982), and the USA (Schram 1988; but note that, although reported as Carboniferous in age, this material is now consid-ered as Late Devonian; see Jones et al. 2016). They were therefore widespread in Euramerica, exclusively along the Rheic Ocean suture (Fig. 1), occupying marine marginal, brackish, lagoonal, hypersaline and freshwater environments (Dewey and Fåhraeus 1982;Clarkson 1983, 1985;Briggs et al. 1991;Hes selbo and Trewin 1984;Cater 1987;Cater et al. 1989;Clark 1990Clark , 1991Gueriau et al. 2014; see also Clark et al. 2018 for further precisions and discussion about their temporal distribution). ...
... Remarks.-This study does not aim at clarifying the affinities of tealliocaridids, as the specimen described herein does not provide new characters in that regard. However, we disagree with the actual occurrence, in the telson of Tealliocaris, of a terminal and two lateral lobes, as proposed by Jones et al. (2016), who further considered this morphology as an autapomorphy of Peracarida. The remaining putative autapomorphy of this taxon is the presence of oostegites (as interpreted by Jones et al. 2016). ...
A new tealliocaridid eumalacostracan is described from the Late Carboniferous Tupo Formation (Ningxia, China). Laevitealliocaris xiaheyanensis gen. et sp. nov. is represented by a single specimen, characterised by the possession of a short rostrum without dorsal spine, a short postcervical carina and only one weak branchial carina, both tuberculate, and a short sixth pleonal somite. This is the first unequivocal record of tealliocaridids outside Euramerica, which occurrence along the eastern inner margin of the Palaeotethys suggests that these crustaceans were more widely distributed than previously recognised, very likely extending to the whole intertropical area. The new occurrence demonstrates that tealliocaridids had strong dispersal capacities, interestingly challenging their affinities with peracarids, which today do not have free-living larvae, unlike decapod crustaceans.
... T. walloniensis was, therefore, thought to document the earliest occurrence of continental decapod crustaceans and to indicate that decapods have been part of continental ecosystems at least since the Late Devonian. However, the phylogenetic affinities of Tealliocaris remain under debate, as its assignment to Decapoda has recently been contested by Jones et al. (2016), who transferred it back to Peracarida: Pygocephalomorpha, based particularly on the presence of an oostegite marsupium in females (interpreted by Clark (2013, fig. 6) as phyllobranchiate gills), a distinct terminal telson lobe and a pair of lateral telson lobes (shown by Clark (2013, fig. ...
Arthropods are the first animals to colonize land habitats, with myriapods and arachnids having done so at least by the Silurian. Much later several lineages of Pancrustacea (hexapods and the paraphyletic crustaceans) also venture onto land: the hexapods by the Early Devonian, and later at least four other groups of pancrustaceans, namely isopods, amphipods, ostracods and decapods, which most generally colonised the continental water bodies. All faced a series of challenges, in particular gas exchange, desiccation, reproduction, osmoregulation and exposure to ultraviolet radiation, resulting in many morphological, physiological and ecological adaptations. Nonetheless, whether they reached land via salt or freshwater remains poorly documented, mainly because relevant localities are few. The Famennian (Late Devonian) Strud locality in Belgium provided an exceptional source of information on early aquatic continental ecosystems and their plant, vertebrate and arthropod colonizers at a crucial step in the terrestrialization process. Here, we review and update its crustacean fauna, which inhabited floodplain and temporary pool waters. New anatomical details of the notostracan Strudops goldenbergi Lagebro et al., 2015, as well as a new genus and species of spinicaudatan, are described. We also discuss the ecology of this unique, early continental ecosystem and its insights into the terrestrialization process.
... T. walloniensis was, therefore, thought to document the earliest occurrence of continental decapod crustaceans and to indicate that decapods have been part of continental ecosystems at least since the Late Devonian. However, the phylogenetic affinities of Tealliocaris remain under debate, as its assignment to Decapoda has recently been contested by Jones et al. (2016), who transferred it back to Peracarida: Pygocephalomorpha, based particularly on the presence of an oostegite marsupium in females (interpreted by Clark (2013, fig. 6) as phyllobranchiate gills), a distinct terminal telson lobe and a pair of lateral telson lobes (shown by Clark (2013, fig. ...
Arthropods were the first known animals to colonise land habitats, with myriapods and arachnids having done so at least by the Silurian. Much later, several lineages of Pancrustacea (hexapods and the paraphyletic crustaceans) also ventured onto land; the hexapods by the Early Devonian, and later at least four other groups of crustaceans, namely isopods, amphipods, ostracods and decapods, most of which generally colonised the continental water bodies. All faced a series of challenges (in particular: gas exchange; desiccation; reproduction; osmoregulation; and exposure to ultraviolet radiation), resulting in many morphological, physiological and ecological adaptations. Nonetheless, whether they reached land via saltwater or freshwater remains poorly documented, mainly because relevant localities are few. The Famennian (Late Devonian) Strud locality in Belgium provided an exceptional source of information on early aquatic continental ecosystems and their plant, vertebrate and arthropod colonisers at a crucial step in the terrestrialisation process. Here, we review and update its crustacean fauna, which inhabited floodplain and temporary pool waters. New anatomical details of the notostracan Strudops goldenbergi Lagebro et al. , 2015, as well as a new genus and species of spinicaudatan, are described. We also discuss the ecology of this unique, early continental ecosystem and the insights it gives into the terrestrialisation process.
