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Protobalanus spinicoronatus

Polyplacophora - Multiplacophora - Hercolepadidae

Taxonomy
Protobalanus spinicoronatus was named by Vinther et al. (2012). Its type specimen is CMC 53909 (a complete, partially disarticulated specimen) and is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Medusa Portland Cement Company North Quarry, Silica, bioherm, which is in a Givetian reef, buildup or bioherm limestone in the Silica Formation of Ohio.

Synonymy list
YearName and author
2012Protobalanus spinicoronatus Vinther et al. pp. 1012 - 1013 figs. 1G, 2

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RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
Bilateria
EubilateriaAx 1987
Protostomia
Spiralia
superphylumLophotrochozoa
phylumMollusca
RankNameAuthor
Serialia
classPolyplacophorade Blainville 1816
orderMultiplacophora()
familyHercolepadidaeDzik 1986
genusProtobalanusWhitfield 1888
speciesspinicoronatus

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

Protobalanus spinicoronatus Vinther et al. 2012
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Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
J. Vinther et al. 2012Head and tail plates of subequal width; first outer shell plate with five radial ribs on the lateral area.

This specimen is preserved complete and partially disarticulated. The right outer plate number 3 (Fig. 2) is displaced underneath the first and second outer plate, and the spines are splayed out from the body, except in the anterior left portion. The reconstruction, based on the microCT scan, indicates that the body was about 8 mm long and 6 mm wide excluding the spines. The dimensions of the individual plates are shown in Table 1.
Radial ribs are present on the dorsal surface of all plates. The outer areas show more prominent ribs. The head plate is suboval with a median umbo (Fig. 2F, G) and a flatter anterior area with eight radial ribs. Posteriorly, two ribs form a raised narrow transverse area on the head plate that abuts the first median intermediate plate (Fig. 2F, bottom). The tail plate is subquadrate with a posteriorly positioned umbo. Six more or less pronounced ribs are present in the anterior area. The rest of the tail plate is poorly preserved or concealed by matrix but the left lateral area reveals about six less pronounced ribs with pits concentrically arranged in the furrows. The first median intermediate plate is equidimensional, whereas the following four are elongate, increasing in size to the third (Fig. 2A, I, J). The lateral margins are notched and the plates widen markedly beyond this. The first outer plate overlaps both the head and the second lateral plate. Five radial ribs are present in the outer area and two in the inward-facing area. Three ribs are present on the raised lateral area of outer plates 2–5, although one rib on left lateral plate 4 is subdivided (Fig. 2C). The ribs on the raised inward-facing area of outer plates 3–4 are less prominent. The anteriorly facing area of the outer intermediate plates (referred to as the median area in Fig. 1H) shows 10–12 less pronounced ribs with pits in the furrows that separate them. Outer intermediate plates possess a distinct subapical cavity (Fig. 2E, H).
Measurements
No measurements are available
Composition: aragonitec
Environment: marine, brackishc
Locomotion: facultatively mobilec
Attached: yesc
Life habit: epifaunalc
Diet: grazerc
Vision: limitedc
Created: 2009-09-24 15:57:24
Modified: 2009-09-24 17:57:24
Source: c = class
References: Kiessling 2003, Vendrasco et al. 2004

Age range: Givetian or 387.95000 to 382.31000 Ma

Collections: one only


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Givetian387.95 - 382.31USA (Ohio) Protobalanus spinicoronatus (type locality: 81857)