Odontopleurida

Gondwanaspis mrirtensis

Order Odontopleurida / Family Odontopleuridae

Frasnian (Late Devonian)Morocco

Gondwanaspis mrirtensis — photo 1 — Photo 1 · Holotype UM2-RF 170 (Morocco; Feist 2002) Literature specimen (Morocco; Feist 2002) Complete dorsal exoskeleton (Morocco; Baishui)

Gondwanaspis mrirtensis — photo 2 — Photo 2 · Holotype UM2-RF 170 (Morocco; Feist 2002) Literature specimen (Morocco; Feist 2002) Complete dorsal exoskeleton (Morocco; Baishui)

Gondwanaspis mrirtensis — photo 3 — Photo 3 · Holotype UM2-RF 170 (Morocco; Feist 2002) Literature specimen (Morocco; Feist 2002) Complete dorsal exoskeleton (Morocco; Baishui)

Classification

Order Odontopleurida / Family Odontopleuridae

Genus

Gondwanaspis Feist, 2002

Genus author

Feist R.

Genus etymology

Gondwana, a supercontinent that existed in the Palaeozoic; -aspis, Greek, shield

Species

G. mrirtensis Feist, 2002

Species author

Feist R.

Species etymology

Mrirt, a locality in Morocco, near the type locality

Age

Frasnian (Late Devonian)

Distribution

Morocco

Diagnosis

Cephalon wide; glabellar median lobe with subparallel sides and 2 pairs of weakly developed lateral lobes; occipital furrow wide and shallow; occipital ring with lateral lobes; eye ridges very long; eyes small and protruding; anterior border with 6 horizontal small spines medially; lateral border with 12 pairs of downward small spines; genal spines medium-length. Thorax of 10 segments; axis subequal in width to pleurae; pleural furrows deep, dividing each pleura into anterior and posterior parts, the anterior pleural spines small and the posterior ones large. Pygidium wide; 5 pairs of pygidial spines, the third pair largest.

Remarks

This species is the type species of the genus Gondwanaspis.