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At Every part Dinosaur, we obtain numerous emails from prospects and followers of prehistoric animals. Many of those emails are requests asking for extra details about prehistoric animal figures. Nonetheless, prospects additionally contact us wanting assist with answering a selected question about extinct creatures and life previously. For instance, we have been not too long ago requested what animals alive right this moment are the closest relative of the eurypterids?
Image credit score: Every part Dinosaur
Answering a Query About Eurypterids
Eurypterids have been members of the Arthropoda phylum. Particularly, they’re a part of the Subphylum Chelicerata (pronounced kel-iss-ser-rat-ah), which additionally accommodates the spiders, mites, scorpions and horseshoe crabs. These animals have a pair of jointed appendages which might be positioned in entrance of their mouths (chelicerae – kel-iss-ser-ray). For many, they’re modest feeding appendages corresponding to seen in horseshoe crabs. Within the spiders these chelicerae kind venom injecting fangs. In some eurypterids such because the Pterygotidae, these appendages advanced into big pincers designed for grabbing prey.
Image credit score: Every part Dinosaur
Scorpiones or Xiphosurans?
Scientists stay unsure as as to if extant scorpions or xiphosurans such because the horseshoe crab are the closest dwelling relations to the extinct eurypterids. Scorpions share an identical physique plan, though scorpions are solely terrestrial. Xiphosurans share the aquatic behavior and still have an anatomy that’s just like the “sea scorpions” in some respects. Eurypterid feeding was in all probability extra just like that of xiphosurans.
The query of phylogeny stays unresolved. The dearth of soppy tissue preservation in “sea scorpions” and the flattened nature of most eurypterid fossils have hampered analysis. The absence of a transparent eurypterid analogue from dwelling chelicerates might point out that the eurypterids occupied an ecological area of interest that was intermediate between xiphosurans and the Order Scorpiones.
The Every part Dinosaur web site: Every part Dinosaur.
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