Erettopterus
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Erettopterus Temporal range: Silurian–Devonian |
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| E. bilobus at the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Merostomata |
| Order: | †Eurypterida |
| Superfamily: | †Pterygotioidea |
| Family: | †Pterygotidae |
| Genus: |
†Erettopterus Salter in Huxley & Salter, 1859 |
Erettopterus is a genus of prehistoric eurypterid. It was related to another large eurypterid, Pterygotus.
Pterygotidae, which lived from the Ordovician to Devonian periods, were characterized by small to large exoskeletons with semilunar scales. The telson, (tail) was expanded, or flatter than it was tall. Pterygotidae also had chelicerae (claws in front of the mouth) that were large and long, with strong, well developed teeth on the claws. Their walking legs were small and slender, without spines.
Erettopterus is distinguishable from other Pterygotidae by its telson, which is bilobed. The distal margins of the chelicerae are angular. The prosoma (head) is semielliptical, with compound eyes located at the edge.
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