Asaphida

Taklamakania tarimensis

Order Asaphida / Superfamily Trinucleoidea / Family Raphiophoridae

Katian (Late Ordovician)Xinjiang

Taklamakania tarimensis — photo 1 — Photo 1 · Holotype (Xinjiang; Zhang Wentang 1979) The so-called "Xinjiangia yinganensis" (Xinjiang; Zhang Tairong 1981) (Xinjiang; Baishui) Literature specimen (Xinjiang; Zhou et al., 1995)

Taklamakania tarimensis — photo 2 — Photo 2 · Holotype (Xinjiang; Zhang Wentang 1979) The so-called "Xinjiangia yinganensis" (Xinjiang; Zhang Tairong 1981) (Xinjiang; Baishui) Literature specimen (Xinjiang; Zhou et al., 1995)

Taklamakania tarimensis — photo 3 — Photo 3 · Holotype (Xinjiang; Zhang Wentang 1979) The so-called "Xinjiangia yinganensis" (Xinjiang; Zhang Tairong 1981) (Xinjiang; Baishui) Literature specimen (Xinjiang; Zhou et al., 1995)

Taklamakania tarimensis — photo 4 — Photo 4 · Holotype (Xinjiang; Zhang Wentang 1979) The so-called "Xinjiangia yinganensis" (Xinjiang; Zhang Tairong 1981) (Xinjiang; Baishui) Literature specimen (Xinjiang; Zhou et al., 1995)

Classification

Order Asaphida / Superfamily Trinucleoidea / Family Raphiophoridae

Genus

Taklamakania Zhang, 1979

Genus author

Zhang Wentang

Genus etymology

The Taklamakan Desert, Xinjiang, the largest desert in China

Species

T. tarimensis Zhang, 1979

Species author

Zhang Wentang

Species etymology

Tarim, the Tarim Basin, Xinjiang, the largest inland basin in China

Age

Katian (Late Ordovician)

Distribution

Xinjiang

Synonyms

Xinjiangia yinganensis

Diagnosis

Dorsal shield circular or subcircular. Cephalon semicircular; dorsal furrows deep and wide; glabella convex, club-shaped, expanded distally, with a median spine pointing forward; occipital ring flat and narrow, lobe-like structures small, node-like; cheeks convex, subtriangular, posterior border furrow wide and deep, posterior border widening outward, facial sutures probably close to the margin. Thorax of 3 segments; pleural furrows shallow and wide, without pleural spines. Pygidium subsemicircular; axis with 8 axial rings; pleural region with 4 pairs of oblique pleural ribs; border narrow.

Remarks

This species is the type species of the genus Taklamakania.