Ctenopterus

Extinct genus of sea scorpions

Ctenopterus Temporal range: Early Silurian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N

Restoration and fossils
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Order:	†Eurypterida
Family:	†Stylonuridae
Subfamily:	†Laurieipterinae
Genus:	†Ctenopterus Clarke & Ruedemann, 1912
Species:	†C. cestrotus
Binomial name
†Ctenopterus cestrotus (Clarke, 1907)

Ctenopterus is a genus of prehistoric eurypterid of the family Stylonuridae. It contains only one species, Ctenopterus cestrotus from the Early Silurian of Otisville, New York, United States.^[1]

Description

Stylonurids, which lived from the Ordovician to Lower Permian periods, were small to very large forms with scales developing into tubercules and knobs. The prosoma (head) exhibited variable shape, with arcuate compound eyes located subcentrally, or anteriorly. Their abdomens were slender. Their walking legs were long and powerful, sometimes characterized by spines. Most genera did not have swimming legs.^[2]

Ctenopterus is distinguished by its prosoma (head), which narrows towards the front. All of its legs are walking legs; the second and third pairs are strongly developed, with a double row of numerous flat spines; the last pair is long, without spines. Ctenopterus dates from the Silurian period.^[3]

References

^ Dunlop, J. A., Penney, D. & Jekel, D. 2015. A summary list of fossil spiders and their relatives. In World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern, online at http://wsc.nmbe.ch , version 16.0 http://www.wsc.nmbe.ch/resources/fossils/Fossils16.0.pdf (PDF).
^ Størmer, L 1955. Merostomata. Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology, Part P Arthropoda 2, Chelicerata, P36.
^ Størmer, L 1955. Merostomata. Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology, Part P Arthropoda 2, Chelicerata, P38.

Eurypterids

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Clade: Euchelicerata
Clade: Prosomapoda
Clade: Planaterga
Clade: Dekatriata
Clade: Sclerophorata

Taxonomy

Genera

List of eurypterid genera

Suborder
Stylonurina

Rhenopteroidea	Rhenopteridae
Stylonuroidea	Parastylonuridae Stylonuridae
Kokomopteroidea	Kokomopteridae Hardieopteridae
Mycteropoidea	Drepanopteridae Hibbertopteridae Mycteroptidae

Suborder
Eurypterina

Onychopterelloidea

Onychopterellidae

Moselopteroidea

Moselopteridae

Eurypteroidea

Infraorder
Diploperculata

Carcinosomatoidea	Carcinosomatidae Megalograptidae Mixopteridae
Waeringopteroidea	Waeringopteridae
Adelophthalmoidea	Adelophthalmidae
Pterygotioidea	Hughmilleriidae Slimonidae Pterygotidae