Ptychopariida

Asaphiscus wheeleri

Order Ptychopariida / Suborder Ptychopariina / Superfamily Ptychoparioidea / Family Asaphiscidae

Drumian (Miaolingian, Cambrian)USA
Asaphiscus wheeleri — photo 1
Photo 1 · Topotype USNM 15460 (USA; Palmer 1954) Restoration (McNamara et al., 1984) KUMIP 159157 (USA; McNamara et al., 1984) Injury-healed MWC9973 (USA; Bicknell et al., 2022) Complete dorsal exoskeleton Complete dorsal exoskeleton (USA; Baishui) (USA; Y.W)
Asaphiscus wheeleri — photo 2
Photo 2 · Topotype USNM 15460 (USA; Palmer 1954) Restoration (McNamara et al., 1984) KUMIP 159157 (USA; McNamara et al., 1984) Injury-healed MWC9973 (USA; Bicknell et al., 2022) Complete dorsal exoskeleton Complete dorsal exoskeleton (USA; Baishui) (USA; Y.W)
Asaphiscus wheeleri — photo 3
Photo 3 · Topotype USNM 15460 (USA; Palmer 1954) Restoration (McNamara et al., 1984) KUMIP 159157 (USA; McNamara et al., 1984) Injury-healed MWC9973 (USA; Bicknell et al., 2022) Complete dorsal exoskeleton Complete dorsal exoskeleton (USA; Baishui) (USA; Y.W)
Asaphiscus wheeleri — photo 4
Photo 4 · Topotype USNM 15460 (USA; Palmer 1954) Restoration (McNamara et al., 1984) KUMIP 159157 (USA; McNamara et al., 1984) Injury-healed MWC9973 (USA; Bicknell et al., 2022) Complete dorsal exoskeleton Complete dorsal exoskeleton (USA; Baishui) (USA; Y.W)
Asaphiscus wheeleri — photo 5
Photo 5 · Topotype USNM 15460 (USA; Palmer 1954) Restoration (McNamara et al., 1984) KUMIP 159157 (USA; McNamara et al., 1984) Injury-healed MWC9973 (USA; Bicknell et al., 2022) Complete dorsal exoskeleton Complete dorsal exoskeleton (USA; Baishui) (USA; Y.W)
Asaphiscus wheeleri — photo 6
Photo 6 · Topotype USNM 15460 (USA; Palmer 1954) Restoration (McNamara et al., 1984) KUMIP 159157 (USA; McNamara et al., 1984) Injury-healed MWC9973 (USA; Bicknell et al., 2022) Complete dorsal exoskeleton Complete dorsal exoskeleton (USA; Baishui) (USA; Y.W)
Classification
Order Ptychopariida / Suborder Ptychopariina / Superfamily Ptychoparioidea / Family Asaphiscidae
Genus
Asaphiscus Meek, 1873
Genus author
Meek F. B.
Genus etymology
asaph-, Asaphus, a trilobite genus name; -iscus, Greek, a diminutive ending
Species
A. wheeleri Meek, 1873
Species author
Meek F. B.
Species etymology
Wheeler, a surname
Age
Drumian (Miaolingian, Cambrian)
Distribution
USA
Diagnosis
Dorsal shield long-ovate, smooth. Cephalon semicircular; border wide; glabella conical with indistinct glabellar furrows; occipital furrow wide and shallow; eyes small, crescentic. Thorax of 9 segments; axis narrower than pleurae; pleural furrows wide and deep, pleural spines short. Pygidium subsemicircular; axis with 8-10 rings; pleural region nearly smooth and flat, but segmentation distinct where the cuticle is exfoliated; border wide.
Remarks
This species is the type species of the genus Asaphiscus.