Neodrepanura
| Neodrepanura Temporal range: Guzhangian | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Neodrepanura premesnili | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Trilobita |
| Order: | Odontopleurida |
| Family: | Damesellidae |
| Genus: | Neodrepanura Özdikmen, 2006 |
| Type species | |
| Drepanura premesnili Bergeron, 1899 | |
| Species | |
| |
| Synonyms | |
|
Drepanura | |
Neodrepanura is an extinct genus of damesellid odontopleurid trilobite known from numerous, mostly disarticulated fossils found in Late Cambrian-aged marine limestones of Eastern and Southeastern Asia, especially of Northern China.[1] It lived about from 501 to 497 million years ago during the Guzhangian faunal stage of the late Cambrian Period.
Species of Neodrepanura are better known under the older synonym, Drepanura: the genus was renamed as Neodrepanura in 2006 by Özdikmen when "Drepanura" was discovered to be preoccupied by a springtail described by Schoett 1891.[1]
The pygidia, particularly those of N. premesnili, are mined by the Chinese for use as "bat stones" or "swallow stones," as good luck charms and traditional medicines.[2][3] In 2011, the first intact specimen of N. premensnili was found in the Kushan Formation, enabling researchers to better examine the external anatomy of the genus.[1]
References
- 1 2 3 Liu, Qing, and Qianping Lei. "First known complete specimen of Neodrepanura (Trilobita: Damesellidae) from the Cambrian Kushan Formation, Shandong, China." Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology 35.3 (2011): 397-403.
- ↑ Peng, S. C. "Historical review of trilobite research in China." Fabulous Fossils—300 years of Worldwide Research on Trilobites. NY State Museum Bulletin, New York State Museum, Albany, New York (2007): 171-191.
- ↑ KOBAYASHI, Teiichi. "On the Damesellidae (Trilobita) in Eastern Asia."Proceedings of the Japan Academy, Series B 63.3 (1987): 59-62.