Odontopleurida

Dicranurus monstrosus

Order Odontopleurida / Family Odontopleuridae

Pragian (Early Devonian)Czech Republic, Morocco

Dicranurus monstrosus — photo 1 — Photo 1 · Unique specimen (Czech Republic; Barrande Restoration (Samuel M. Gon III 2009) Complete dorsal exoskeleton 1852) (Morocco; Yuzhao) Complete dorsal exoskeleton Complete dorsal exoskeleton (Morocco; (Morocco; Ting Richu) Mr. Heiyanquan)

Dicranurus monstrosus — photo 2 — Photo 2 · Unique specimen (Czech Republic; Barrande Restoration (Samuel M. Gon III 2009) Complete dorsal exoskeleton 1852) (Morocco; Yuzhao) Complete dorsal exoskeleton Complete dorsal exoskeleton (Morocco; (Morocco; Ting Richu) Mr. Heiyanquan)

Dicranurus monstrosus — photo 3 — Photo 3 · Unique specimen (Czech Republic; Barrande Restoration (Samuel M. Gon III 2009) Complete dorsal exoskeleton 1852) (Morocco; Yuzhao) Complete dorsal exoskeleton Complete dorsal exoskeleton (Morocco; (Morocco; Ting Richu) Mr. Heiyanquan)

Dicranurus monstrosus — photo 4 — Photo 4 · Unique specimen (Czech Republic; Barrande Restoration (Samuel M. Gon III 2009) Complete dorsal exoskeleton 1852) (Morocco; Yuzhao) Complete dorsal exoskeleton Complete dorsal exoskeleton (Morocco; (Morocco; Ting Richu) Mr. Heiyanquan)

Dicranurus monstrosus — photo 5 — Photo 5 · Unique specimen (Czech Republic; Barrande Restoration (Samuel M. Gon III 2009) Complete dorsal exoskeleton 1852) (Morocco; Yuzhao) Complete dorsal exoskeleton Complete dorsal exoskeleton (Morocco; (Morocco; Ting Richu) Mr. Heiyanquan)

Dicranurus monstrosus — photo 6 — Photo 6 · Unique specimen (Czech Republic; Barrande Restoration (Samuel M. Gon III 2009) Complete dorsal exoskeleton 1852) (Morocco; Yuzhao) Complete dorsal exoskeleton Complete dorsal exoskeleton (Morocco; (Morocco; Ting Richu) Mr. Heiyanquan)

Classification

Order Odontopleurida / Family Odontopleuridae

Genus

Dicranurus Conrad, 1841

Genus author

Conrad T. A.

Genus etymology

Greek dikranon (pitchfork) + ura (tail)

Species

D. monstrosus (Barrande, 1852)

Species author

Barrande J.

Species etymology

monstrosus, monstrous, malformed

Age

Pragian (Early Devonian)

Distribution

Czech Republic, Morocco

Synonyms

Acidaspis monstrosa

Diagnosis

Very similar to Dicranurus hamatus elegantus, the main differences being that this species has more strongly curved occipital spines and distinct paired axial spines on the axis from thoracic segment 4 onward, and that the lengths and curvature of the librigenal genal spines and pleural spines are also clearly different.

Remarks

This species is commonly known as the "demon two-horned trilobite".