Attenborolimulus is an extinct genus of horseshoe crab with one known species: Attenborolimulus superspinosus. This genus is known from the Petropavlovka Formation in Russia, dating to the Olenekian age (early Triassic).[1]
| Attenborolimulus Temporal range:
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| Reconstruction | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Order: | Xiphosura |
| Family: | †Austrolimulidae |
| Genus: | †Attenborolimulus Bicknell & Shcherbakov, 2021 |
| Species: | †A. superspinosus
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| Binomial name | |
| †Attenborolimulus superspinosus Bicknell & Shcherbakov, 2021
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Etymology
editThe genus is named after David Attenborough for his work in conservation and science communication, whose name was combined with "Limulus", the most well documented living genus of horseshoe crab. The specific epithet "superspinosus" reflects the species' hypertrophied genal spines.[2]
Palaeoecology
editAttenborolimulus inhabited brackish to freshwater environments.[2]
While the beds of the Petropavlovka Formation are mostly red in colour, Attenborolimulus specimens were instead discovered within a one metre thick lens of grey siltstone to sandstone. This sediment likely accumulated within an ephemeral pond during a flood.[2]
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Reconstruction
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Bicknell, Russell Dean Christopher (30 June 2021). "We discovered a new fossil species of horseshoe crab (and named it after David Attenborough)". The Conversation. Archived from the original on 22 August 2021. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
- ^ a b c Bicknell, Russell D. C.; Shcherbakov, Dmitry E. (30 June 2021). "New austrolimulid from Russia supports role of Early Triassic horseshoe crabs as opportunistic taxa". PeerJ. 9: e11709. doi:10.7717/peerj.11709. ISSN 2167-8359. PMC 8254475. PMID 34249518.
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