Trigonotarbida
The order Trigonotarbida is a group of extinct arachnids whose fossil record extends from the late Silurian to the early Permian (Pridoli to Sakmarian). These animals are known from several localities in Europe and North America, as well as a single record from Argentina. Trigonotarbids can be envisaged as spider-like arachnids, but without silk-producing spinnerets. They ranged in size from a few millimetres to a few centimetres in body length and had segmented abdomens (opisthosoma), with the dorsal exoskeleton (tergites) across the backs of the animals' abdomens, which were characteristically divided into three or five separate plates. Probably living as predators on other arthropods, some later trigonotarbid species were quite heavily armoured and protected themselves with spines and tubercles. About seventy species are currently known, with most fossils originating from the Carboniferous coal measures. In July 2014 scientists used computer graphics to re-create a possible walking gait for the animal. However, a subsequent biomechanical analysis proved the proposed coordination pattern as largely non-physiological.
Q36602
order
Concept
Q1358
arachnid
Concept
Q40614
fossil
Concept
Q62412
Silurian
LOC
Q76402
Permian
LOC
Q1062563
Pridoli
Concept
Q912962
Sakmarian
TIME
Q46
Europe
LOC
Q49
North America
LOC
Q414
Argentina
LOC
Q1357
spider
Concept
Q621054
spinneret
Concept
Q2307449
opisthosoma
UNK
Q652546
tergites
UNK
Q1360
arthropod
Concept
Q133738
Carboniferous
LOC
Q5137826
coal measures
UNK
Q19107
Trigonotarbida
Concept
2014-07-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
July 2014
DATE
taxon rank
parent taxon
found in taxon