Furca (genus)
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Furca Temporal range: Upper Ordovician 458–453 Ma |
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| Furca mauretanica | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Marrellomorpha |
| Order: | Marrellida |
| Family: | Mimetasteridae |
| Genus: |
Furca Fritsch, 1908 |
| Type species | |
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Furca bohemica Fritsch, 1908 |
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| Species | |
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Furca bohemica Fritsch, 1908 |
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Furca bohemica Fritsch, 1908
Furca pilosa Chlupáč, 1999
Furca sp. Chlupáč, 1999
"Furca mauretanica" Van Roy, 2006 (Nom. nud.)
Furca (Latin for "fork") is an extinct genus of Marrellomorph arthropod known from the Sandbian stage (upper Ordovician period) of the Czech Republic. At least three distinct species have been described although they may all be synonyms of the type species, Furca bohemica. A tentative additional species, "Furca mauretanica": was proposed for specimens discovered in Morocco, but this species remains a nomen nudum until formally published.
Furca is characterized by a broad head shield with three pairs of prominent spines: front (anterolateral), side (mediolateral) and rear (posterolateral). The head shield of Furca ranged from 21–31 mm (0.83–1.22 in) long and 18–29 mm (0.71–1.14 in) at maximum width. The mediolateral spines are long and strongly curved. The outline of the head shield possess a fringe of small, gently curving secondary spines, between 1.5–7 mm (0.059–0.276 in) long. Appendages are unknown from fossils.
Furca fossils have been found in sediments indicative of shallow marine habitats. Since appendages and other body parts are unknown, no firm conclusions can be made of the biology of Furca. However, comparisons to other marrellomorphs and living arthropods such as horseshoe crabs suggest a benthic marine lifestyle: dwelling on the sea floor.
Furca is assigned to the Marrellomorph family Mimetasteridae, which also includes Mimetaster of the Lower Devonian. Other, more distantly related marrellomorphs include the well-known Marrella of the Burgess Shale as well the less-common Vachonisia and Xylokorys.
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