Asaphida

Monkaspis asiatica

Order Asaphida / Superfamily Uncertain / Family Monkaspidae

Guzhangian (Miaolingian, Cambrian)Shandong, Northeast China and other parts of North China

Monkaspis asiatica — photo 1 — Photo 1 · Greek, shield Lectotype USNM58004 (Shandong; Zhang et al., 1987) Enrolled specimen (Shandong; Restoration (illustrated by Haixiang) zhjinhui) Probable meraspid specimen (Shandong; Liangliang Fengqing) Complete dorsal exoskeleton Complete dorsal exoskeleton Complete dorsal exoskeleton (Shandong; Dai Xu) (Shandong; Pengcheng Jianke) (Shandong; Mr. Heiyanquan)

Monkaspis asiatica — photo 2 — Photo 2 · Greek, shield Lectotype USNM58004 (Shandong; Zhang et al., 1987) Enrolled specimen (Shandong; Restoration (illustrated by Haixiang) zhjinhui) Probable meraspid specimen (Shandong; Liangliang Fengqing) Complete dorsal exoskeleton Complete dorsal exoskeleton Complete dorsal exoskeleton (Shandong; Dai Xu) (Shandong; Pengcheng Jianke) (Shandong; Mr. Heiyanquan)

Monkaspis asiatica — photo 3 — Photo 3 · Greek, shield Lectotype USNM58004 (Shandong; Zhang et al., 1987) Enrolled specimen (Shandong; Restoration (illustrated by Haixiang) zhjinhui) Probable meraspid specimen (Shandong; Liangliang Fengqing) Complete dorsal exoskeleton Complete dorsal exoskeleton Complete dorsal exoskeleton (Shandong; Dai Xu) (Shandong; Pengcheng Jianke) (Shandong; Mr. Heiyanquan)

Monkaspis asiatica — photo 4 — Photo 4 · Greek, shield Lectotype USNM58004 (Shandong; Zhang et al., 1987) Enrolled specimen (Shandong; Restoration (illustrated by Haixiang) zhjinhui) Probable meraspid specimen (Shandong; Liangliang Fengqing) Complete dorsal exoskeleton Complete dorsal exoskeleton Complete dorsal exoskeleton (Shandong; Dai Xu) (Shandong; Pengcheng Jianke) (Shandong; Mr. Heiyanquan)

Monkaspis asiatica — photo 5 — Photo 5 · Greek, shield Lectotype USNM58004 (Shandong; Zhang et al., 1987) Enrolled specimen (Shandong; Restoration (illustrated by Haixiang) zhjinhui) Probable meraspid specimen (Shandong; Liangliang Fengqing) Complete dorsal exoskeleton Complete dorsal exoskeleton Complete dorsal exoskeleton (Shandong; Dai Xu) (Shandong; Pengcheng Jianke) (Shandong; Mr. Heiyanquan)

Monkaspis asiatica — photo 6 — Photo 6 · Greek, shield Lectotype USNM58004 (Shandong; Zhang et al., 1987) Enrolled specimen (Shandong; Restoration (illustrated by Haixiang) zhjinhui) Probable meraspid specimen (Shandong; Liangliang Fengqing) Complete dorsal exoskeleton Complete dorsal exoskeleton Complete dorsal exoskeleton (Shandong; Dai Xu) (Shandong; Pengcheng Jianke) (Shandong; Mr. Heiyanquan)

Monkaspis asiatica — photo 7 — Photo 7 · Greek, shield Lectotype USNM58004 (Shandong; Zhang et al., 1987) Enrolled specimen (Shandong; Restoration (illustrated by Haixiang) zhjinhui) Probable meraspid specimen (Shandong; Liangliang Fengqing) Complete dorsal exoskeleton Complete dorsal exoskeleton Complete dorsal exoskeleton (Shandong; Dai Xu) (Shandong; Pengcheng Jianke) (Shandong; Mr. Heiyanquan)

Monkaspis asiatica — photo 8 — Photo 8 · Greek, shield Lectotype USNM58004 (Shandong; Zhang et al., 1987) Enrolled specimen (Shandong; Restoration (illustrated by Haixiang) zhjinhui) Probable meraspid specimen (Shandong; Liangliang Fengqing) Complete dorsal exoskeleton Complete dorsal exoskeleton Complete dorsal exoskeleton (Shandong; Dai Xu) (Shandong; Pengcheng Jianke) (Shandong; Mr. Heiyanquan)

Classification

Order Asaphida / Superfamily Uncertain / Family Monkaspidae

Genus

Monkaspis Kobayashi, 1935

Genus author

Kobayashi T.

Genus etymology

Monk, a surname, in honour of the early Chinese trilobite researcher, the German scholar H. Monke; aspis,

Species

M. asiatica (Walcott, 1905)

Species author

Walcott C. D.

Species etymology

Asia

Age

Guzhangian (Miaolingian, Cambrian)

Distribution

Shandong, Northeast China and other parts of North China

Synonyms

Pterocephalus asiaticus; Monkaspis jilinensis

Diagnosis

Dorsal shield nearly rectangular, smooth. Cephalon subsemicircular; glabella small, cylindrical, constricted forward with rounded front; three pairs of short glabellar furrows; fixigenae wide, with a pair of ovate lateral lobes near the posterior part of the glabella; palpebral lobes about one-third the glabellar length, eye ridges stout; posterior wings short and wide; preglabellar field long, flatly concave; anterior border narrow and convex; anterior branches of facial sutures long, divergent outward. Thorax of 12 segments; axis narrow, about half the width of the pleural region; anterior pleural ends rounded, posterior ones pointed. Pygidium subsemicircular; axis conical, rather long, tapering slowly, with 6 or 7 rings and a terminal piece; pleural region wide and flat with deep pleural furrows; 6 short serrate spines present, border arched medially.