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Showing results for tags 'uropygid'.
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Mazon Creek Best Of The Best Geralinara Carbonaria Scudder, 1884
RCFossils posted a topic in Member Collections
This is a creature that many collectors are not even aware exists in the Mazon Creek Deposit. This unusual animal is commonly known as a whip scorpion. While it is an arachnid and resembles a scorpion , it belongs to a district order called Uropygids. Whip scorpion are incredibly rare in the fossil record. A handful have been described with the earliest known specimens dating back to the Devonian. Any arachnids in the Mazon Creek deposits are considered a rarity. In a faunal study that I referenced in an earlier post, out of 230,000 concretions collected at Pit 11, nine arachnids were found. Uropygids have been estimated to make up approximately 3% of the arachnids found in the Mazon Creek deposit deposit (do the math)! Modern whip scorpions are non venomous and feed on insects, scorpions and in some cases lizards. The long whip like tail helps to detect vibrations. Modern whip scorpion do have an interesting defense weapon. When disturbed, they can spray a solution primarily consisting of acetic acid to thwart off predators. This amazing specimen was found at Pit 11 on May 3rd 1981. The gentleman who collected it, brought it to the Field Museum and had Dr Eugene Richardson study and prep it. Richardson stated that it was the best example that he had ever seen. It was identified by Dr Richardson as Prothelyphonus giganteus. Geralinura and Prothelyphonus are the only 2 Uropygids described from the Mazon Creek Deposit. I am not certain which species it is and really need an arachnid expert to look at it.- 11 replies
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