Land animals in the Silurian: arachnids and myriapods from Shropshire, England

A new assemblage of arthropod cuticles from Upper Silurian rocks in Shropshire, England, includes at least two centipedes and a trigonotarbid arachnid. This unequivocal terrestrial fauna from the Silurian constitutes the earliest direct record of land animals. The presence of predatory arthropods su...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 1990-11, Vol.250 (4981), p.658-661
Main Authors: Jeram, A.J. (University of Manchester, Manchester, UK), Selden, P.A, Edwards, D
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
ANGLETERRE
Animal cuticle
Animals
Antiquities
ARACHNIDA
Arthropoda, Fossil
Arthropods
Biota
EVOLUCION
EVOLUTION
Fauna
Fossil arthropods
Fossils
Geology
INGLATERRA
Land
Legs
MYRIAPODA
Myriapods
Paleontology
Silurian
Silurian period
Tibia
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Summary:A new assemblage of arthropod cuticles from Upper Silurian rocks in Shropshire, England, includes at least two centipedes and a trigonotarbid arachnid. This unequivocal terrestrial fauna from the Silurian constitutes the earliest direct record of land animals. The presence of predatory arthropods suggests that complex terrestrial ecosystems were in place by the late Silurian (414 x 10(6) years before present) and that the amimal invasion of the land occurred earlier than was previously thought
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.250.4981.658