Ptychopariida
Szeaspis conicus
Order Ptychopariida / Suborder Ptychopariina / Superfamily Ptychoparioidea / Family Anomocarellidae
Drumian (Miaolingian, Cambrian)Shandong
Classification
Order Ptychopariida / Suborder Ptychopariina / Superfamily Ptychoparioidea / Family Anomocarellidae
Genus
Szeaspis Chang, 1959
Genus author
Zhang Wentang
Genus etymology
Sze, a surname; the genus is dedicated to Prof. Sze Hsing-chien; aspis, Greek, shield
Species
S. conicus Yuan, Li, Mu, Lin & Zhu, 2012
Species author
Yuan Jinliang, Li Yue, Mu Xinan, Lin Ribai,
Species etymology
conicus, Latin, conical, referring to the conical glabella of this species
Age
Drumian (Miaolingian, Cambrian)
Distribution
Shandong
Synonyms
Szeaspis (Pseudoszeaspis) conicus
Diagnosis
Dorsal shield long-ovate, smooth. Cranidium trapezoidal with slightly arched anterior margin; glabella conical with rounded front; dorsal furrows narrow and shallow; occipital ring gently convex, wider medially; fixigenae between the two palpebral lobes wide; palpebral lobes narrow, medium-long, in the mid-posterior part of the cranidium; preglabellar field wide, sloping slightly down to the anterior border furrow; anterior border wide and flatly convex, with an undeveloped triangular posterior spine extending backward on the sagittal line; anterior border furrow medium-deep; librigenae wide with medium-length genal spines. Thorax of 9 segments; pleurae slightly wider than the axis, pleural furrows distinct. Pygidium rather short and transversely wide, broad-semi-elliptical; axis narrow, medium-long, inverted-conical, with 3-4 axial rings and a terminal piece, postaxial ridge absent; border very wide and concave.
Remarks
The first complete dorsal exoskeleton of this species was discovered by Zuoshanling, a fossil enthusiast from Shandong.