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Eurypterids from the Viséan of East Kirkton, West Lothian, Scotland

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 November 2011

Andrew J. Jeram  and
Paul A. Selden
Andrew J. Jeram
Affiliation:
Geology Department, Ulster Museum, Botanic Gardens, Belfast BT9 5AB, N. Ireland, U.K.
Paul A. Selden
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, U.K.
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Abstract

The hibbertopteroid eurypterid genera Hibbertopterus, Dunsopterus, and Cyrtoctenus occur in the East Kirkton Limestone of Bathgate, West Lothian. Most specimens are fragmentary and appear to have been washed into the depositional area with plant debris and tuffaceous sediment. Nearly all of the identifiable material can be attributed to Hibbertopterus scouleri (Hibbert), but two isolated Cyrtoctenus combs, and a femur comparable with Dunsopterus have also been recognised.

New material of Hibbertopterus scouleri (Hibbert) reveals that the posterior legs and telson resemble those of the cyrtoctenids more closely than was previously thought. It is possible that Hibbertopterus, Dunsopterus, and Cyrtoctenus are indistinguishable except by relatively minor characteristics, and that all of the material from East Kirkton Quarry might be derived from a single eurypterid species. However, associations of the diagnostic sclerites which would demonstrate that these taxa are either cogeneric or distinct have not yet been found.

Keywords

Cuticlefunctional morphologyappendagessystematicsfeedinglocomotionPalaeozoicViséanEast KirktonScotland
Type
Research Article
Information
Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of The Royal Society of Edinburgh , Volume 84 , Issue 3-4: Volcanism and early terrestrial biotas , 1993 , pp. 301 - 308
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Society of Edinburgh 1993

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