Arthropod, Crustacean, Jurassic, Solnhofen Plattenkalk,
Bavaria, Germany
Shrimps, crabs, lobsters, insects and the extinct trilobites
are all members of the Phylum Arthropoda. A group united by their
characteristic bilateral symmetry and segmented, hard outer skeleton
(exoskeleton). Crustaceans which include shrimps, crabs and lobsters
are members of a special group of arthropods called Decapoda.
All have 5 pairs of legs with one or more pairs equipped with
a pincer.
Eryma sp. is one of the species of lobsters found
in the Solnhofen quarry. It's powerful pincers must have enabled
this animal to capture even relatively large prey. Glyphaea,
another member of the lobster group is remarkable because of
the unique designs on the surface of its cephalothorax. The first
large walking legs bear no pincers, but are instead equipped
with a mobile claw which probably helped this benthic crustacean
dig into the sea floor. Palinuria longipes a member of
the lobster group frequently embedded in a posture which hides
its posterior body beneath the shield.
|
