Oelandocaris oelandica, Muller, 1983

Stein, Martin, Waloszek, Dieter, Maas, Andreas, Haug, Joachim T. & Müller, Klaus J., 2008, The stem crustacean Oelandocaris oelandica re-visited, Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 53 (3), pp. 461-484 : 464-466

Morphology of Oelandocaris oelandica

Assignment of the different specimens from Västergötland to Oelandocaris oelandica rests on the following characters of the holotype from the Isle of Öland :

– simple elongate head shield drawn out anteriorly into short rostrum with flat ventral side;

– head shield bluntly terminated caudally, most likely with lateral spines pointing caudally;

– head incorporates five appendiferous segments;

– elongate, slightly elevated hypostome;

– paired bulbous protrusions (interpreted as eyes) at front of hypostome;

– nearly circular insertion site of antennula;

– proximal limb parts of second appendages in holotype.

The trunk of the holotype comprises four free segments with laterally downward bending tergites extending into short, ill−defined tergopleurae with pointed or spine−bearing postero−lateral corners. The maximum number of segments in the larger specimens from Västergötland is five. The general description is based on the largest specimens in the material, with the younger specimens being used as a complement for missing features.