Acantherpestes
| Acantherpestes Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
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| Fossil of Acantherpestes major | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Myriapoda |
| Class: | Diplopoda |
| Order: | †Euphoberiida |
| Family: | †Euphoberiidae |
| Genus: | †Acantherpestes Meek and Worthen, 1868 |
| Type species | |
| Euphoberia major (Meek and Worthen, 1868) | |
| Other species | |
| |
Acantherpestes is an extinct genus of euphoberiid millipedes from the Pennsylvanian subperiod of the Carboniferous period. It is distinguished from other euphoberiids by its stout, laterally-directed spikes, which are curved backwards and bear an anterior ridge.[1] It is known from the Mazon Creek fossil beds in Illinois.[2]
Acantherpestes was a relatively large millipede, about 12 inches (30 cm) to 15 inches (38 cm) long.[3] Paleoentomologist J.J. Burke speculated that Acantherpestes could have lived in open habitats adjacent to coal swamp forests,[2] and that it was possibly carnivorous,[1] but later authors have rejected the latter proposal.[4][5]
References
[edit]- 1 2 Burke, J.J. (1979). "A new millipede genus, Myriacantherpestes (Diplopoda, Archipolypoda) and a new species, Myriacantherpestes bradebirksi, from the English coal measures". Kirtlandia. 30: 1–24.
- 1 2 Burke, J.J. (1973-06-29). "Notes on the morphology of Acantherpestes (Myriapoda, Archypolypoda) with the description of a new species from the Pennsylvanian of West Virginia". Kirtlandia. 17: 1–24.
- ↑ Meek, F.B.; Worthen, A.H. (1868-07-01). "Preliminary notice of a Scorpion, a Eurypterus ? and other fossils, from the Coal-measures of Illinois". American Journal of Science. s2-46 (136): 19–28. doi:10.2475/ajs.s2-46.136.19.
- ↑ Shear, William A. (1993). "Myriapodous arthropods from the Viséan of East Kirkton, West Lothian, Scotland" (PDF). Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh: Earth Sciences. 84: 309–316. doi:10.1017/S026359330000612X.
- ↑ Shear, William A.; Kukalová-Peck, Jarmila (1990). "The ecology of Paleozoic terrestrial arthropods: the fossil evidence" (PDF). Canadian Journal of Zoology. 68: 1807–1833. doi:10.1139/z90-262.