An enigmatic spiny harvestman from Baltic amber
A new harvestman (Arachnida: Opiliones) from Baltic amber (Palaeogene: Eocene; ca. 44–49 Ma) is described as Piankhi steineri n. gen., n. sp. This enigmatic fossil expresses long, slender pedipalps without a tarsal claw, which is characteristic for the suborder Dyspnoi. The chelicerae are notably en...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Pensoft Publishers
2012-08-01
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| Series: | Fossil Record |
| Online Access: | https://fr.pensoft.net/article/30458/download/pdf/ |
| _version_ | 1797369976783372288 |
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| author | J. A. Dunlop C. Bartel P. G. Mitov |
| author_facet | J. A. Dunlop C. Bartel P. G. Mitov |
| author_sort | J. A. Dunlop |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A new harvestman (Arachnida: Opiliones) from Baltic amber (Palaeogene: Eocene; ca. 44–49 Ma) is described as Piankhi steineri n. gen., n. sp. This enigmatic fossil expresses long, slender pedipalps without a tarsal claw, which is characteristic for the suborder Dyspnoi. The chelicerae are notably enlarged and the dorsal body surface is formed from a carapace with a separate prosomatic tergite (metapeltidium), plus a large opisthosomal scute (or scutum parvum). However these characters, combined with the distinctly spiny limbs and further rows of spines across the fossil's opisthosoma, have no parallel among the modern dyspnoid harvestmen that we are aware of. The fossil resolves features reminiscent of modern members of the dyspnoid families Ceratolasmatidae, Nipponopsalididae, Ischyropsalididae and Sabaconidae, but does not show unequivocal apomorphies of any one particular family. We must entertain the possibility that this is an extinct body plan from the Eocene of north-central Europe, and we tentatively refer the fossil to a new genus in an unresolved position among the Ischyropsalidoidea (Dyspnoi). An amorphous triangular structure behind the anal region is assumed to be faecal matter, rather than part of the original anatomy.doi:10.1002/mmng.201200007 |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T17:55:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e3810b84b48b46b3801449332c910bc3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2193-0074 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T17:55:42Z |
| publishDate | 2012-08-01 |
| publisher | Pensoft Publishers |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Fossil Record |
| spelling | doaj.art-e3810b84b48b46b3801449332c910bc32024-01-02T05:29:33ZengPensoft PublishersFossil Record2193-00742012-08-011529110110.1002/mmng.20120000730458An enigmatic spiny harvestman from Baltic amberJ. A. Dunlop0C. Bartel1P. G. Mitov2current address: Department of Geology & Geophysics, Yale University, P.O. Box 208109, New HavenBirkholzer Allee 97Department of Zoology and Anthropology, Faculty of Biology, University of Sofia, 8 Dragan Tsankov Blvd.A new harvestman (Arachnida: Opiliones) from Baltic amber (Palaeogene: Eocene; ca. 44–49 Ma) is described as Piankhi steineri n. gen., n. sp. This enigmatic fossil expresses long, slender pedipalps without a tarsal claw, which is characteristic for the suborder Dyspnoi. The chelicerae are notably enlarged and the dorsal body surface is formed from a carapace with a separate prosomatic tergite (metapeltidium), plus a large opisthosomal scute (or scutum parvum). However these characters, combined with the distinctly spiny limbs and further rows of spines across the fossil's opisthosoma, have no parallel among the modern dyspnoid harvestmen that we are aware of. The fossil resolves features reminiscent of modern members of the dyspnoid families Ceratolasmatidae, Nipponopsalididae, Ischyropsalididae and Sabaconidae, but does not show unequivocal apomorphies of any one particular family. We must entertain the possibility that this is an extinct body plan from the Eocene of north-central Europe, and we tentatively refer the fossil to a new genus in an unresolved position among the Ischyropsalidoidea (Dyspnoi). An amorphous triangular structure behind the anal region is assumed to be faecal matter, rather than part of the original anatomy.doi:10.1002/mmng.201200007https://fr.pensoft.net/article/30458/download/pdf/ |
| spellingShingle | J. A. Dunlop C. Bartel P. G. Mitov An enigmatic spiny harvestman from Baltic amber Fossil Record |
| title | An enigmatic spiny harvestman from Baltic amber |
| title_full | An enigmatic spiny harvestman from Baltic amber |
| title_fullStr | An enigmatic spiny harvestman from Baltic amber |
| title_full_unstemmed | An enigmatic spiny harvestman from Baltic amber |
| title_short | An enigmatic spiny harvestman from Baltic amber |
| title_sort | enigmatic spiny harvestman from baltic amber |
| url | https://fr.pensoft.net/article/30458/download/pdf/ |
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