Fossil Crustaceans
15th February 2008

I've long had an interest in fossil crustaceans since collecting phyllocarids in the Welsh Borders and Lesmahagow as a teenager. Here's a selection of examples, from Cambrian to Eocene in age.

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Canadaspis perfecta, 50 mm phyllocarid crustacean showing excellent preservation of abdomen and limbs. Burgess Shale, Middle Cambrian. British Columbia, Canada.
Canadaspis perfecta, 50 mm phyllocarid crustacean showing excellent preservation of abdomen and limbs. Burgess Shale, Middle Cambrian. British Columbia, Canada.
 Hymenocaris vermicauda Salter 1853, complete phyllocarid crustacean, 40 mm around curve. Tremadoc Series, Lower Ordovician, Borth-y-Gest, Porthmadog, North Wales.
Hymenocaris vermicauda Salter 1853, complete phyllocarid crustacean, 40 mm around curve. Tremadoc Series, Lower Ordovician, Borth-y-Gest, Porthmadog, North Wales.
 Plate from Woodward (1874) showing specimens of Hymenocaris vermicauda Salter 1853 from North Wales.
Plate from Woodward (1874) showing specimens of Hymenocaris vermicauda Salter 1853 from North Wales.
 An 80 mm complete Silurian Ceratiocaris papilio from Lesmahagow, Scotland.
An 80 mm complete Silurian Ceratiocaris papilio from Lesmahagow, Scotland.
Plate from Woodward (1874) showing Silurian Ceratiocaris papilio from lesmahagow, Scotland.
Plate from Woodward (1874) showing Silurian Ceratiocaris papilio from lesmahagow, Scotland.
 Ceratiocaris sp. with curved orthocone. Lower Leintwardine Formation,Upper Silurian Brandon Hill (SO47 40727230), near Leintwardine, Herefordshire, England. 90 mm complete, beautifully preserved fine ornament.
Ceratiocaris sp. with curved orthocone. Lower Leintwardine Formation,Upper Silurian Brandon Hill (SO47 40727230), near Leintwardine, Herefordshire, England. 90 mm complete, beautifully preserved fine ornament.
Nahecaris stuertzi, 125 mm long phyllocarid crustacean. Lower devonian. Hunsruckschiefer. Bundenbach, Germany.
Nahecaris stuertzi, 125 mm long phyllocarid crustacean. Lower devonian. Hunsruckschiefer. Bundenbach, Germany.
 Tealliocaris woodwardi. 30 mm, complete shrimp. Wardie Shale, Oil Shale Group (Upper Border Group), Calciferous Sandstone Measures, Mississippian, Lower Carboniferous. Cheese Bay (NT4985), near Gullane and Archerfield, East Lothian, Scotland.
Tealliocaris woodwardi. 30 mm, complete shrimp. Wardie Shale, Oil Shale Group (Upper Border Group), Calciferous Sandstone Measures, Mississippian, Lower Carboniferous. Cheese Bay (NT4985), near Gullane and Archerfield, East Lothian, Scotland.
Aenigmacaris cornigerum, a complete 10 cm eumalacostracan shrimp. Heath Shale Formation. Bear Gulch Limestone. Bear Gulch, Fergus County, Montana, USA.
Aenigmacaris cornigerum, a complete 10 cm eumalacostracan shrimp. Heath Shale Formation. Bear Gulch Limestone. Bear Gulch, Fergus County, Montana, USA.
 Bairdops beargulchensis Schram & Horner, 50 mm complete in micrite. Heath Shale Formation. Bear Gulch Limestone. Bear Gulch, Fergus County, Montana, USA.
Bairdops beargulchensis Schram & Horner, 50 mm complete in micrite. Heath Shale Formation. Bear Gulch Limestone. Bear Gulch, Fergus County, Montana, USA.
 Tyrannophontes theridion, 38 mm. Bear Gulch. Montana, USA.
Tyrannophontes theridion, 38 mm. Bear Gulch. Montana, USA.
 Group of very rare cycloid crustaceans, 7 to 11 mm diameter, Halicyne montanaensis Schram et al. 2005.
Group of very rare cycloid crustaceans, 7 to 11 mm diameter, Halicyne montanaensis Schram et al. 2005.
Detail of Halicyne montanaensis Schram et al. 2005 individual, 11 mm.
Detail of Halicyne montanaensis Schram et al. 2005 individual, 11 mm.
 A very rare Kellibrooksia macrogaster, 55 mm, scarce phyllocarid (apparently the best one known) Pit 11, Mazon Creek, Will-Grundy-Kankakee Counties, Mazon Creek, Illinois. Thin leaf-like limbs are preserved in this specimen, apparently unknown in published specimens.
A very rare Kellibrooksia macrogaster, 55 mm, scarce phyllocarid (apparently the best one known) Pit 11, Mazon Creek, Will-Grundy-Kankakee Counties, Mazon Creek, Illinois. Thin leaf-like limbs are preserved in this specimen, apparently unknown in published specimens.
 Dithyrocaris rolfei Schram & Horner 1978, a complete 7 cm phyllocarid. Heath Shale Formation. Bear Gulch Limestone. Bear Gulch, Fergus County, Montana, USA.
Dithyrocaris rolfei Schram & Horner 1978, a complete 7 cm phyllocarid. Heath Shale Formation. Bear Gulch Limestone. Bear Gulch, Fergus County, Montana, USA.
 Dithyrocaris sp. Three phyllocarid carapaces, 20-28 mm, Mazon Creek.
Dithyrocaris sp. Three phyllocarid carapaces, 20-28 mm, Mazon Creek.
Ililepas damrowi, a rare barnacle attached to plant debris, 25 mm. Mazon Creek.
Ililepas damrowi, a rare barnacle attached to plant debris, 25 mm. Mazon Creek.
 Concavicaris georgiorum Schram 1990, 1.5 cm, a Thylacocephalan or “flea shrimp” from Pit 11, Mazon Creek. Large eye can be seen to the right.
Concavicaris georgiorum Schram 1990, 1.5 cm, a Thylacocephalan or “flea shrimp” from Pit 11, Mazon Creek. Large eye can be seen to the right.
 Halicyne max. A rare cycloid crustacean. Mazon Creek.
Halicyne max. A rare cycloid crustacean. Mazon Creek.
 Cyclus ?obesus 17 mm wide, showing rare preservation of limbs and antennae.
Cyclus ?obesus 17 mm wide, showing rare preservation of limbs and antennae.
Cyclus ?obesus 17 mm wide, showing rare preservation of limbs and antennae.
Cyclus ?obesus 17 mm wide, showing rare preservation of limbs and antennae.
 Cyclus sp. A cycloid crustacean, 1.8 cm, uppermost Westphalian A, Cranberry Lea Farm, near Ashton-in-Makerfield, Lancashire, England.
Cyclus sp. A cycloid crustacean, 1.8 cm, uppermost Westphalian A, Cranberry Lea Farm, near Ashton-in-Makerfield, Lancashire, England.
 Cyclus
Cyclus
 Pygocephalus cooperi. 17 mm moulted abdomen of a freshwater shrimp, uppermost Westphalian A, Cranberry Lea Farm, near Ashton-in-Makerfield, Lancashire, England.
Pygocephalus cooperi. 17 mm moulted abdomen of a freshwater shrimp, uppermost Westphalian A, Cranberry Lea Farm, near Ashton-in-Makerfield, Lancashire, England.
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