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Limulidae (horseshoe crab)

Xiphosura - Xiphosurida - Limulidae

Synonyms
Synonymy list
YearName and author
1819Limulidae Leach
1839Limulus priscus Münster p. 71 figs. Pl 5, fig 1
1902Xiphosuridae Pocock
1952Mesolimulidae Størmer p. 638
1955Limulidae Størmer p. 21
1955Mesolimulidae Størmer p. 21
1966Heterolimulidae Vía Boada and Villalta p. 10
1971Mesolimulidae Gall
1975Heterolimulidae Bergström p. 303
1975Limulidae Bergström p. 303
1977Limulidae Romero and Vía
2012Limulidae Dunlop et al. p. 216
2016Limulidae Lamsdell p. 189
2020Limulidae Dunlop et al. p. 13
2020Limulidae Lamsdell p. 23
2021Limulidae Bicknell et al.

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RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
—Bilateria
—EubilateriaAx 1987
—Protostomia
—EcdysozoaAguinaldo et al. 1997
—Panarthropoda
phylumArthropodaLatreille 1829
—Deuteropoda
subphylumChelicerataHeymons 1901
RankNameAuthor
—EuchelicerataWeygoldt and Paulus 1979
—Prosomapoda
classXiphosura()
orderXiphosuridaLatreille 1802
suborderLimulinaRichter and Richter 1929
superfamilyLimuloidea(Leach 1819)
familyLimulidaeLeach 1819
familyLimulidaeLeach 1819

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.

Fm. Limulidae Leach 1819 [horseshoe crab]
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G. †Albalimulus Bicknell and Pates 2019
+
†Albalimulus bottoni Bicknell and Pates 2019
G. †Allolimulus Lamsdell 2020
+
†Allolimulus woodwardi Watson 1909
G. †Casterolimulus Holland et al. 1975
+
†Casterolimulus kletti Holland et al. 1975
G. †Guangyuanolimulus Hu and Huang 2022
+
†Guangyuanolimulus shangsiensis Hu and Huang 2022
G. †Heterolimulus Vía Boada and Villalta 1966
+
†Heterolimulus gadeai Vía Boada and Villalta 1966
G. †Keuperlimulus Lamsdell 2020
+
†Keuperlimulus vicensis Bleicher 1897
Subfm. Limulinae Leach 1819
+
G. †Crenatolimulus Feldmann et al. 2011
+
†Crenatolimulus darwini Kin and Błażejowski 2014
†Crenatolimulus paluxyensis Feldmann et al. 2011
G. Limulus Muller 1785
+
†Limulus coffini Reeside and Harris 1952
†Limulus oculatus Kutorga 1838
Limulus polyphemus Linneaus 1758
Invalid names: Polyphemus Lamarck 1801 [synonym], Xiphosura Gronovius 1764 [synonym]
G. †Limulitella Størmer 1952
+
†Limulitella bronnii Schimper 1853
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Invalid names: Limulus sandbergeri Kirchner 1923 [synonym]
†Limulitella henkeli Fritsch 1902
†Limulitella tejraensis Błażejowski et al. 2017
†Limulitella volgensis Ponomarenko 1985
Invalid names: Limulites Schimper 1853 [replaced]
G. †Mesolimulus Størmer 1952
+
†Mesolimulus crespelli Vía 1987
†Mesolimulus sibiricus Ponomarenko 1985
†Mesolimulus tafraoutensis Lamsdell et al. 2020
†Mesolimulus walchi Desmarest 1822
+
Invalid names: Limulus brevicauda Münster 1838 [synonym], Limulus brevispina Münster 1838 [synonym], Limulus giganteus Münster 1840 [synonym], Limulus intermedius Münster 1838 [synonym], Limulus ornatus Münster 1838 [synonym], Limulus sulcatus Münster 1838 [synonym]
G. †Sloveniolimulus Bicknell et al. 2019
+
†Sloveniolimulus rudkini Bicknell et al. 2019
Subfm. Tachypleinae Pocock 1902
+
G. Carcinoscorpius Pocock 1902
+
G. Tachypleus Leach 1819
+
†Tachypleus decheni Zinken 1862
Tachypleus gigas Mueller 1785
+
Invalid names: Limulus heterodactylus Latreille 1802 [synonym], Limulus latreillii Leach 1819 [synonym], Limulus macleaii Leach 1819 [synonym], Limulus moluccanus Latreille 1802 [synonym], Limulus viriscens Latreille 1806 [synonym], Tachypleus hoeveni Pocock 1902 [synonym]
†Tachypleus syriacus Woodward 1879
+
Invalid names: Limulus longispina van der Hoeven 1838 [synonym]
G. †Tarracolimulus Romero and Vía 1977
+
†Tarracolimulus rieki Romero and Vía 1977
G. †Victalimulus Riek and Gill 1971
+
†Victalimulus mcqueeni Riek and Gill 1971
G. †Volanalimulus Lamsdell 2020
+
G. †Yunnanolimulus Zhang et al. 2009
+
†Yunnanolimulus luopingensis Zhang et al. 2009
Invalid names: Heterolimulidae Vía Boada and Villalta 1966 [synonym], Limulus priscus Münster 1839 [nomen dubium], Mesolimulidae Størmer 1952 [synonym], Xiphosuridae Pocock 1902 [synonym]
Diagnosis
No diagnoses are available
Measurements
No measurements are available
Locomotion: actively mobilec
Life habit: nektobenthicc
Diet: carnivorec
Vision: limitedo
Created: 2010-02-05 01:13:59
Modified: 2010-02-22 02:35:37
Source: o = order, c = class
References: Bambach et al. 2007, Jell and Adrain 2002

Age range

Maximum range based only on fossils: base of the Tournaisian to the top of the Priabonian or 358.90000 to 33.90000 Ma
Minimum age of oldest fossil (stem group age): 346.7 Ma

Collections (44 total)


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Tournaisian358.9 - 346.7United Kingdom (Scotland) Albalimulus bottoni (207111)
Griesbachian251.902 - 250.5China (Sichuan) Guangyuanolimulus shangsiensis (227012)
Smithian - Spathian251.3 - 247.2USA (Utah) Limulidae indet. (222905)
Spathian251.3 - 247.2USA (Nevada) Limulidae indet. (211753)
Olenekian251.2 - 247.2Russian Federation (Yaroslavl) Limulitella volgensis (105043)
Aegean247.2 - 242.0France (Bas-Rhin) Limulitella bronni (206491 206495) Limulites bronni (206545)
Aegean247.2 - 242.0France (Moselle) Limulitella bronni (206489)
Aegean247.2 - 242.0Germany Limulus sandbergeri (216590)
Aegean247.2 - 242.0France Limulites bronni (154038) Limulites bronnii (216765)
Anisian247.2 - 242.0France (Grand Est) Limulitella bronni (206487)
Bithynian247.2 - 242.0Germany (Sachsen-Anhalt) Limulus henkelii (216563)
Illyrian247.2 - 242.0Tunisia Limulitella sp. (203922)
Illyrian247.2 - 242.0Netherlands Limulitella bronnii (186555)
Pelsonian247.2 - 242.0Slovenia Sloveniolimulus rudkini (216434)
Pelsonian247.2 - 242.0China (Yunnan) Yunnanolimulus luopingensis (169408)
Illyrian - Fassanian247.2 - 235.0Germany Limulus priscus (149465)
Fassanian242.0 - 235.0Tunisia Limulitella sp. (203924)
Longobardian242.0 - 235.0Spain (Tarragona) Tarracolimulus rieki, Mesolimulus crespelli, Heterolimulus gadeai (109710)
Norian228.0 - 208.5France Limulus vicensis (216436)
Hettangian201.3 - 199.3Germany Limulus liasokeuperinus (216441)
Hettangian - Sinemurian201.3 - 190.8USA (Utah) Limulidae indet. (184682)
Opalinum - Murchisonae175.6 - 171.6United Kingdom (England) Limulus woodwardi (216791)
Late/Upper Jurassic161.5 - 145.0Russian Federation (Khabarovsk Krai) Mesolimulus sibiricus (225085)
Late/Upper Jurassic161.5 - 145.0Mongolia (Govi-Altay) Limulidae indet. (179195)
Late/Upper Kimmeridgian155.7 - 150.8Germany (Baden-Württemberg) Mesolimulus walchii (154138)
Early/Lower Tithonian150.8 - 145.0Germany (Land Bayern) Limulus giganteus (137801)
Early/Lower Tithonian150.8 - 145.0Poland Limulus darwini (140049)
Early/Lower Tithonian150.8 - 145.0Germany (Bayern) Cancer perversus (216602) Limulus brevicauda, Limulus walchii, Limulus brevispina (216616) Limulus sulcatus (133581) Limulus walchii, Limulus intermedius, Limulus ornatus (123985) Mesolimulus walchi (31991)
Late/Upper Aptian122.46 - 113.0Australia (Victoria) Victalimulus mcqueeni (77192)
Early/Lower Albian112.03 - 109.0USA (Texas) Crenatolimulus paluxyensis (216561)
Late/Upper Cenomanian99.6 - 93.5Morocco Xiphosura indet. (127539)
Late/Upper Cenomanian99.6 - 93.5Lebanon Limulus syriacus (216596) Tachypleus syriacus (60311 212873)
Late/Upper Campanian83.5 - 70.6USA (Colorado) Limulus coffini (216750)
Late/Upper Maastrichtian70.6 - 66.0USA (North Dakota) Casterolimulus kletti (216569)
Priabonian38.0 - 33.9Germany Limulus decheni (216795)