Asaphida

Prospectatrix exquisita

Order Asaphida / Superfamily Cyclopygoidea / Family Cyclopygidae

Tremadocian (Early Ordovician)Xinjiang

Prospectatrix exquisita — photo 1 — Photo 1 · Wenwei, Zhang Tairong Restoration Holotype NI 120569 (Xinjiang; Zhou et al., 1994) (illustrated by Zhuoyi) (Xinjiang; Lin Tianrui et al. Librigena and eye 2001) (Xinjiang; Zhou et al., 1994)

Prospectatrix exquisita — photo 2 — Photo 2 · Wenwei, Zhang Tairong Restoration Holotype NI 120569 (Xinjiang; Zhou et al., 1994) (illustrated by Zhuoyi) (Xinjiang; Lin Tianrui et al. Librigena and eye 2001) (Xinjiang; Zhou et al., 1994)

Prospectatrix exquisita — photo 3 — Photo 3 · Wenwei, Zhang Tairong Restoration Holotype NI 120569 (Xinjiang; Zhou et al., 1994) (illustrated by Zhuoyi) (Xinjiang; Lin Tianrui et al. Librigena and eye 2001) (Xinjiang; Zhou et al., 1994)

Prospectatrix exquisita — photo 4 — Photo 4 · Wenwei, Zhang Tairong Restoration Holotype NI 120569 (Xinjiang; Zhou et al., 1994) (illustrated by Zhuoyi) (Xinjiang; Lin Tianrui et al. Librigena and eye 2001) (Xinjiang; Zhou et al., 1994)

Classification

Order Asaphida / Superfamily Cyclopygoidea / Family Cyclopygidae

Genus

Prospectatrix Fortey, 1981

Genus author

Fortey R. A.

Genus etymology

pro-, before, forward; spectat-, spectatus, looking

Species

P. exquisita Zhou, McNamara, Yuan & Zhang, 1994

Species author

Zhou Zhiyi, McNamara K. J., Yuan

Species etymology

exquisita, Latin, exquisite, excellent, referring to the fine preservation of the type specimen

Age

Tremadocian (Early Ordovician)

Distribution

Xinjiang

Diagnosis

Dorsal shield ovate, surface with fine reticulate ridges. Glabella large and convex, with three pairs of faint, isolated ovate depressions laterally; median node present only on the shell surface, absent in exuviae- like specimens; fixigenae narrow; palpebral lobes band-like; librigenae consisting largely of the enormous eyes, which are curved and strongly convex, with lenses arranged hexagonally. Thorax of 6 segments; axis convex, tapering gradually backward; pleural lobes broadly rounded laterally, the first pair shortest, pleural furrows deep, ends truncate. Pygidium semicircular; axis strongly convex, of three rings and a terminal piece; postaxial ridge short; pleural lobes slightly convex; border wide, low and flat.