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Cornuproetine (proetide) trilobites with nine thorax segments from the Devonian of Morocco, Germany and the Czech Republic

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Abstract

The majority of cornuproetine taxa known from articulated specimens have ten thoracic segments. Here we record rare, well-preserved specimens with nine segments in the Early and Middle Devonian of Morocco, Germany and the Czech Republic. These encompass the genera Lepidoproetus Erben, Sculptoproetus Erben, Macroblepharum Alberti, Koneprusites Přibyl, Paralepidoproetus Alberti, Timsaloproetus Gibb and Chatterton and Hollandiella gen. nov. Large holaspides of these trilobites are often comparatively small and bear dorsal sculpture consisting of terrace lines in a fingerprint-like configuration, small granules, or a mixture of these features. The holotype of Sculptoproetus sculptus (Barrande) and the lectotype of Lepidoproetus lepidus (Barrande), the type species of these genera, are refigured. Additional topotypical specimens of S. sculptus are illustrated; these provide new insights into the morphology of this species, leading to the putative synonymy of Macroblepharum with Sculptoproetus. The following new cornuproetine taxa are described: Hollandiella curvirostris gen. et sp. nov., Hollandiella lebruni gen. et sp. nov., Hollandiella verecunda gen. et sp. nov., Koneprusites oresibios sp. nov., Lepidoproetus arenicolus sp. nov., Sculptoproetus raki sp. nov., Timsaloproetus weddigei sp. nov., Timsaloproetus gibbae sp. nov., Timsaloproetus pulchistriatus pulchistriatus ssp. nov. and Timsaloproetus pulchistriatus repens ssp. nov. Timsaloproetus haasi is recorded from several localities in Morocco. Additionally, Tafilaltaspis rufa sp. nov. is proposed as a new species of the nine-segmented eremiproetine Tafilaltaspis, which was traditionally classified as a cornuproetine genus.

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Acknowledgements

The idea for this paper was conceived by the late Dieter Holland, who collected, prepared and donated most of the trilobite specimens before his untimely death; he will be missed dearly. Martin Basse (Senckenberg Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseum), Jana Bruthansová (National Museum, Prague) and Štěpán Rak (Museum of the Czech Karst) provided photographs of trilobites in their care. Hammi Ait Hssain, Mohand Ihmadi, Mohamed Koumali, Ivo Kesselaer and Jens Koppka provided valuable information about trilobite localities in Morocco. Martin Basse and Stephan Helling (University of Münster) reviewed the manuscript and provided valuable suggestions for improving it.

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  1. Natuurhistorisch Museum Maastricht, de Bosquetplein 6–7, 6211 kj, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    Allart van Viersen

  2. Department of Agro- and Biotechnology, PXL University College, Elfde-Liniestraat 24, 3500, Hasselt, Belgium

    Frederik Lerouge

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  1. Allart van Viersen
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  2. Frederik Lerouge
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Correspondence to Allart van Viersen.

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van Viersen, A., Lerouge, F. Cornuproetine (proetide) trilobites with nine thorax segments from the Devonian of Morocco, Germany and the Czech Republic. PalZ 94, 227–254 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12542-019-00491-w

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