The Appendages, Anatomy, and Relationships of Trilobites — John Shaqi
The Appendages, Anatomy, and Relationships of TrilobitesRaymond, Percy E. (Percy Edward)
Science
The Appendages, Anatomy, and Relationships of Trilobites
Raymond, Percy E. (Percy Edward)
Trilobites
On the same slab with specimens 209 and 210 there is an individual
which, although retaining the test, has had the proximal ends of the
antennules so pressed against it that the course of the one on the
left side is readily visible. It originates in a small oval mound
whose posterior margin impinges upon the third glabellar furrow near
the middle of its course, and just outside the outer end of the second
glabellar furrow. The cephalon of this specimen is 5 mm. long, and the
point of origin of the left antennule is 2.75 mm. in front of the
posterior margin and 0.75 mm. from the dorsal furrow.
It is therefore evident that the antennules in this species are not
attached beneath the dorsal furrows, but within them and opposite the
second pair of glabellar furrows.
All cephalic appendages behind the antennules are attached somewhat
within the dorsal furrows, the first pair as far forward as the
antennules and the last pair apparently under the anterior edge of
the neck ring. They do not appear to correspond in position to the
posterior glabellar furrows and neck ring, being more crowded. The
last pair is attached to appendifers beneath the nuchal segment, and
the first pair beneath the third glabellar furrows. There are no
depressions on the dorsal surface corresponding to the points of
attachment of the mandibles.
Anal Plate.
Professor Beecher, during his first studies of _Triarthrus_, found no
appendages pertaining to the anal segment, but later evidently came
upon a spinose anal plate which he caused to be figured. The specimen
(No. 201) on which this appendage is preserved is cleaned from the
dorsal side, and the anal plate is a small, bilaterally symmetrical,
nearly semicircular structure margined with small spines. Specimen 202
also shows the same plate (pl. 5, fig. 6), but it is imperfectly
preserved. It has a large perforation in the anterior half. Both of
these specimens are in the Yale University Museum.
[Illustration: Fig. 11.--_Triarthrus becki_ Green. Anal plate of
specimen 65525 in the U. S. National Museum. Drawn by Doctor Wood. ×
20.]
The anal plate is especially well shown by specimen 65525 in the
United States National Museum (fig. 11). This specimen is from Rome,
New York, and two photographs of it have been published by Walcott
(1918, pl. 29, fig. 6; pl. 30, fig. 19). It is developed from the
dorsal side, and the anal plate is displaced, so that it projects
behind the end of the pygidium. It is semicircular in shape, with a
hemispheric mound at the middle of the anterior half. Two furrows
starting from the anterior edge on either side of the mound border its
sides, and, uniting back of it, continue as an axial furrow to the
posterior margin. The mound is perforated for the opening of the
posterior end of the alimentary canal. The lateral borders of the
plate bear five pairs of short, symmetrically placed spines. The plate
is 1 mm. wide and 0.5 mm. long, and the entire trilobite is 11.5 mm.
long.
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