Moderator: 1 revision

2026-05-16T20:03:49Z

1 revision

Abyssal: added Category:Paleontology in Newfoundland and Labrador using HotCat

2017-02-28T04:48:32Z

added Category:Paleontology in Newfoundland and Labrador using HotCat

New page

{{italic title}}
{{Taxobox
| image = Cyclopigid cephalon lateral CRF.jpg
| image_caption = probably ''Symphysops stevaninae'', cephalon 24mm long, lateral view, found near Alnif, Morocco, from the Ordovician
| fossil_range = {{fossil_range|463|444|Middle to Upper [[Ordovician]]}}
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Arthropod]]a
| classis = [[trilobite|Trilobita]]
| ordo = [[Asaphida]]
| subordo =
| superfamilia = [[Cyclopygoidea]]
| familia = [[Cyclopygidae]]
| subfamilia = Pricyclopyginae
| genus = '''''Symphysops'''''
| genus_authority = Raymond, 1925
| subdivision_ranks = [[species]]
| subdivision =
* ''S. armatus'' ([[Joachim Barrande|Barrande]], 1872)'' ([[Type (biology)|type]]) [[Synonym (taxonomy)|synonym]] ''Aeglina armata''
* ''S. dejhaglensis'' Kolova, 1936
* ''S. mitrata'' (Novak, 1883)'' synonym ''Aeglina mitrata''<ref>{{cite journal|last= Novak|first= O. |year= 1883|title= Zur Kenntnis der böhmischen Trilobiten|journal= Beiträge zur Paläontology von Österreich- Ungarns und des Orients|volume= 3|issue= 1-2|pages= 23–83|url= http://www.landesmuseum.at/pdf_frei_remote/BPalOeU_003_0023-0063.pdf|accessdate= 14 June 2013}}</ref>
* ''S. sinensis'' Han, 1983
* ''S. spinifera'' Cooper & Kindle, 1936
* ''S. stevaninae'' López-Soriano & Corbacho, 2012
* ''S. subarmatus '' (Reed, 1914)''
** ''S. subarmatus subarmatus''
** ''S. subarmatus elongatus'' [[Zofia Kielan-Jaworowska|Kielan]], 1959
* ''S. sulcatus'' (Barrande, 1872)'' synonym ''Aeglina sulcata''
}}
'''''Symphysops''''' is a genus of [[trilobite]]s of average size, belonging to the [[Cyclopygidae]] family. It had a cosmopolitan distribution and lived from the Middle to the Upper Ordovician ([[Llanvirn]] to [[Ashgill]]). It has been found in Canada (Quebec and Newfoundland), China, the Czech Republic (Bohemia), Iran, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Poland, Morocco, Spain, Scotland and Wales.<ref name='Treatise'>Whittington, H. B. et al. Part O, Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology. Revised, Volume 1 – Trilobita – Introduction, Order Agnostida, Order Redlichiida. 1997</ref> The name ''Symphysops'' refers to the fused eyes, common to the species of this genus. Some (sub)species of the cyclopygid genera [[Cyclopyge (trilobite)|''Cyclopyge'']] and ''[[Pricyclopyge]]'' share this character, but ''Symphysops'' uniquely combines the merged eye with a frontal thorn on the head and the "lower eyelid".

== Etymology ==
''Symphysops'' is the combination of the Ancient Greek σύν (syn) "together", φύσις (physis) "growth" and ὄψις (opsis) "sight", referring to the fused eyes.

== Description ==
''Symphysops'' is characterized by large [[Arthropod eye#Trilobite eyes|eyes]] that merge at the front of the headshield (or [[Cephalon (arthropod head)#Trilobite cephalon|cephalon]]) to form what looks like a [[Geordi La Forge#VISOR|visor]] with at the back a wide free cheek. The remainder of the cephalon is filled by the [[Cephalon (arthropod head)#Trilobite cephalon|glabella]], which in most species extends into a forward pointing thorn at its frontal tip. The occipital ring cannot be distinguish from the rest of the glabella, which has two pair of transverse furrows, the rear pair distinct, and the frontal pair very shallow. The thorax consists of six segments, the frontal segment carrying backward directed pleural spines.<ref>{{cite journal|last1= López-Soriano|first1= F.J.|last2= Corbacho|first2= J.|year= 2012|title= A new species of Symphysops from the Upper Ordovician of Morocco [Una nueva especie de Symphysops del Ordovícico Superior de Marruecos]|journal= Battaleria|volume= 17|pages= 1–8|url= http://www.elfosil.com/symphysops.htm.pdf|accessdate= 14 June 2013}}</ref>

== Ecology ==
[[File:Symphysopsis eyes frontal.jpg|thumb|left|The fused eyes of a cyclopygid, probably ''Symphysops stevaninae'' 30mm wide, frontal view, collected near Zagora, Morocco]]
''Symphysops'' has features typically associated with a pelagic lifestyle, among which very large eyes, compact thorax and indications of strong musculature. In some later cyclopygids, progressive enlargement resulted in the anterior fusion of their eyes. Given the weight of the [[Dorsal (anatomy)|dorsal]] [[exoskeleton]], it is likely cyclopygids swam upside down, not unlike some [[Extant taxon|extant]] [[crustacean]]s with pelagic lifestyles.

''Symphysops'' is often found in the company of other pelagic trilobites such as ''Cyclopyge'', ''Degamella'', ''Opipeuterella'' and ''Carolinites''.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Portal|Paleontology}}

[[Category:Cyclopygidae]]
[[Category:Asaphida genera]]
[[Category:Ordovician trilobites]]
[[Category:Fossils of Canada]]
[[Category:Fossils of China]]
[[Category:Fossils of the Czech Republic]]
[[Category:Fossils of Iran]]
[[Category:Fossils of Ireland]]
[[Category:Fossils of Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:Fossils of Poland]]
[[Category:Fossils of Morocco]]
[[Category:Fossils of Spain]]
[[Category:Fossils of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Prehistoric animals of China]]
[[Category:Middle Ordovician first appearances]]
[[Category:Late Ordovician extinctions]]
[[Category:Paleontology in Quebec]]
[[Category:Paleontology in Newfoundland and Labrador]]

{{trilobite-stub}}

← Older revision	Revision as of 20:03, 16 May 2026
(No difference)

Symphysops - Revision history

Moderator: 1 revision

Abyssal: added Category:Paleontology in Newfoundland and Labrador using HotCat