Corynexochida

Oryctocephalus indicus

Order Corynexochida / Suborder Corynexochina / Family Oryctocephalidae / Family Oryctocephalinae

Cambrian, Miaolingian, WuliuanSouthern China; northern India, North America, Greenland and Siberia
Oryctocephalus indicus — photo 1
Photo 1 · Type specimen (India; Jell et al., 1997) Reconstruction (Esteve et al., 2017) Complete dorsal shield, part and counterpart (Hunan; Guodong) Figured specimen (Guizhou; Esteve et al., Complete dorsal shield 2017) (Hunan; Guodong) Complete dorsal shield (Hunan; Yufeng)
Oryctocephalus indicus — photo 2
Photo 2 · Type specimen (India; Jell et al., 1997) Reconstruction (Esteve et al., 2017) Complete dorsal shield, part and counterpart (Hunan; Guodong) Figured specimen (Guizhou; Esteve et al., Complete dorsal shield 2017) (Hunan; Guodong) Complete dorsal shield (Hunan; Yufeng)
Oryctocephalus indicus — photo 3
Photo 3 · Type specimen (India; Jell et al., 1997) Reconstruction (Esteve et al., 2017) Complete dorsal shield, part and counterpart (Hunan; Guodong) Figured specimen (Guizhou; Esteve et al., Complete dorsal shield 2017) (Hunan; Guodong) Complete dorsal shield (Hunan; Yufeng)
Oryctocephalus indicus — photo 4
Photo 4 · Type specimen (India; Jell et al., 1997) Reconstruction (Esteve et al., 2017) Complete dorsal shield, part and counterpart (Hunan; Guodong) Figured specimen (Guizhou; Esteve et al., Complete dorsal shield 2017) (Hunan; Guodong) Complete dorsal shield (Hunan; Yufeng)
Oryctocephalus indicus — photo 5
Photo 5 · Type specimen (India; Jell et al., 1997) Reconstruction (Esteve et al., 2017) Complete dorsal shield, part and counterpart (Hunan; Guodong) Figured specimen (Guizhou; Esteve et al., Complete dorsal shield 2017) (Hunan; Guodong) Complete dorsal shield (Hunan; Yufeng)
Oryctocephalus indicus — photo 6
Photo 6 · Type specimen (India; Jell et al., 1997) Reconstruction (Esteve et al., 2017) Complete dorsal shield, part and counterpart (Hunan; Guodong) Figured specimen (Guizhou; Esteve et al., Complete dorsal shield 2017) (Hunan; Guodong) Complete dorsal shield (Hunan; Yufeng)
Classification
Order Corynexochida / Suborder Corynexochina / Family Oryctocephalidae / Family Oryctocephalinae
Genus
Oryctocephalus Walcott, 1886
Genus author
Walcott C. D.
Genus etymology
orycto-, Greek, digging; -cephalus, head
Species
O. indicus (Reed, 1910)
Species author
Reed F. R. C.
Species etymology
India
Age
Cambrian, Miaolingian, Wuliuan
Distribution
Southern China; northern India, North America, Greenland and Siberia
Synonyms
Zacanthoides indicus; Oryctocephalus cf. O. reynoldsi; O. kobayashii; Oryctocephalina reticulata; Oryctocephalus reticulatus; O. incurvus; O. tongrenensis; Oryctocephalus(Oryctocephalus)indicus indicus; O.(O.)indicus latus; O. (O.)Orientalis oriental oryctocephalus
Diagnosis
Dorsal shield elongate-elliptical, body rather small. Cranidium transversely broad; glabella elongate columnar-conical, slightly tapering anteriorly, with four pairs of rounded pit-like glabellar furrows, S1-S3 connected medially, none reaching the dorsal furrow; occipital furrow distinct; occipital ring of uniform width; fixed cheek broad; palpebral lobe of moderate size, opposite the lower middle of the glabella; eye ridge narrower than the palpebral lobe, its front end joining the S4 furrow; free Cheek narrow, genal spines long, reaching the 4th thoracic segment. Thorax of 12 segments; Axis slightly narrower than pleural lobes; Pleural region flat, pleural furrow distinct, pleural spines long. Pygidium small, with two to three axial rings and postaxial Ridges; Pleural and interpleural furrows developed, with two to three pairs of pygidial pleural spines, gradually smaller medially.
Remarks
The index fossil of the GSSP of the Miaolingian Series, Wuliuan Stage (formerly Series 3, Stage 5) — the 11th golden spike of China