A novel antennal form in trilobites

Known antennae of trilobites are all flagelliform, in marked contrast to the varied first antennae of marine pancrustaceans. An exceptionally preserved specimen of the Early Ordovician (late Tremadocian) asaphid Asaphellus tataensis Vidal, 1998, from the Fezouata Shale in Morocco, exhibits both ante...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of paleontology 2023-01, Vol.97 (1), p.152-157
Main Authors: Edgecombe, Gregory D., Fortey, Richard. A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Africa
Antennae
Anti-Atlas
Arthropoda
Arthropods
Asaphellus
Asaphellus tataensis
Asaphidae
Atlas Mountains
Body organs
Exoskeleton
Exoskeletons
Fezouata Shale
Fossil animals
Homology
invertebrate
Lower Ordovician
Marine invertebrates
Moroccan Atlas Mountains
Morocco
Morphology
North Africa
Ordovician
Paleontology
Paleozoic
Predators
Prey
Ptychopariida
REGULAR ARTICLES
Sedimentary rocks
Sensilla
Shale
Tremadocian
Trilobita
Trilobitomorpha
Zagora Morocco
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Summary:Known antennae of trilobites are all flagelliform, in marked contrast to the varied first antennae of marine pancrustaceans. An exceptionally preserved specimen of the Early Ordovician (late Tremadocian) asaphid Asaphellus tataensis Vidal, 1998, from the Fezouata Shale in Morocco, exhibits both antennae in situ; they are relatively short, widen distally, and bear a series of round, dome-shaped organs along both their dorsal and ventral surfaces. These organs are vastly larger than chemo- or mechanosensory sensilla on the antennae of other arthropods, rendering their homology and function uncertain. The clavate antennae of Asaphellus reveal the furthest deviation from the inferred ancestral state of the trilobite antenna known to date. This could be an adaptation for detection of prey, because most Asaphidae have been claimed as predators and scavengers on the basis of specialized features of the calcified exoskeleton.
ISSN:0022-3360
1937-2337
DOI:10.1017/jpa.2022.59