Plumulites

{{Short description|Genus of annelids (fossil)}}

{{Italic title}}

{{Taxobox

| image = Plumulites bengstoni.jpg

| image_caption = A digital reconstruction of Plumulites bengstoni

| image2 = Plumulites fossil.jpg

| image2_caption = Fossil of two articulated Plumulites bengstoni

| name = Plumulites

| regnum = Animalia

| phylum = Annelida

| classis =

| ordo = Machaeridia

| familia = Plumulitidae

| genus = †Plumulites

| fossil_range = {{fossil range|Tremadocian|Middle Devonian}}

| type_species = Plumulites canadensis

| type_species_authority = Woodward, 1889

| subdivision_ranks = Species

| subdivision = See text

}}

Plumulites is an extinct genus of machaeridians, extinct annelid group.{{cite journal |author=Jakob Vinther & David Rudkin |year=2010 |title=The first articulated specimen of Plumulites canadensis (Woodward, 1889) from the Upper Ordovician of Ontario, with a review of the anterior region of Plumulitidae (Annelida: Machaeridia) |journal=Palaeontology |volume=53 |issue=2 |pages=327–334 |doi=10.1111/j.1475-4983.2010.00938.x |bibcode=2010Palgy..53..327V |doi-access=free}}

Description

Plumulites is normally small animal, for example complete specimen of P. canadensis reached only {{Convert|16.5|mm|in}}, and P. bengtsoni being {{Convert|28|mm|in}}. However, several largest specimens probably reached around {{Convert|15|cm|in}}, making Plumulites largest machaeridians ever known.

Fossils of Plumulites were mostly known from isolated sclerites, and originally considered as arthropod or an echinoderm. However, complete sclerite assemblages of P. richorum described in 1979 has shown that this animal is more likely to be annelid worm, the group which includes modern-day earthworm, leech and bristleworm.

According to complete specimens, this animal is surrounded by pairs of outer and interior shell plates. Some of anterior outer and interior shell plates different in shape. Specimen of P. bengtsoni shows soft tissue including parapodia and chaetae.

Taxonomy

Preservation of jaw element of P. bengtsoni leads conclusion that machaeridians should be placed within the crown group of Phyllodocida.{{Cite journal |last1=Parry |first1=Luke A. |last2=Edgecombe |first2=Gregory D. |last3=Sykes |first3=Dan |last4=Vinther |first4=Jakob |date=2019-07-24 |title=Jaw elements in Plumulites bengtsoni confirm that machaeridians are extinct armoured scaleworms |journal=Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences |volume=286 |issue=1907 |pages=20191247 |doi=10.1098/rspb.2019.1247 |pmc=6661337 |pmid=31337310}}

= Species =

As of 1929, more than 20 species have been described.{{Cite book |last1=British Museum (Natural History). |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/8581 |title=Catalogue of the Machaeridia (Turrilepas and its allies) in the Department of Geology |last2=History) |first2=British Museum (Natural |last3=Withers |first3=Thomas Henry |date=1926 |location=London}} Subsequent studies have described many more species.

  • P. canadensis Woodward, 1889 (type) Ottawa, Canada, Katian (Upper Ordovician)
  • P. australis Talent, 1963 {{Cite web |title=Mindat.org |url=https://www.mindat.org/taxon-4813911.html |access-date=2022-12-17 |website=www.mindat.org}}
  • P. bengtsoni Vinther, Van Roy & Briggs, 2008 Fezouata Formation, Morocco, Upper Tremadocian (Lower Ordovician){{Cite journal |last1=Vinther |first1=Jakob |last2=Van Roy |first2=Peter |last3=Briggs |first3=Derek E. G. |date=2008 |title=Machaeridians are Palaeozoic armoured annelids |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/nature06474 |journal=Nature |language=en |volume=451 |issue=7175 |pages=185–188 |doi=10.1038/nature06474 |pmid=18185586 |bibcode=2008Natur.451..185V |s2cid=4401508 |issn=1476-4687|url-access=subscription }}
  • P. bohemicus Barrande, 1868 Bohemia, Czech Republic, Lower Ordovician
  • P. chikunensis Kobayashi, 1934 Chikunsan shale (Jigunsan Formation), South Korea, Llandeilian (Middle Ordovician){{Cite journal |last1=Kobayashi |first1=Teiichi |last2=Hamada |first2=Takashi |date=1976 |title=Occurrences of the Machaeridia in Japan and Malaysia |url=https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/pjab1945/52/7/52_7_371/_article/-char/ja/ |journal=Proceedings of the Japan Academy |volume=52 |issue=7 |pages=371–374 |doi=10.2183/pjab1945.52.371|doi-access=free }}{{Cite journal |last1=Choi |first1=Duck Keun |last2=Lee |first2=Dong-Chan |date=1992 |title=PLUMULITES FROM THE JIGUNSAN FORMATION (MIDDLE ORDOVICIAN) DONGJEOM AREA, KOREA |url=https://www.dbpia.co.kr/Journal/articleDetail?nodeId=NODE01385856 |journal=고생물학회지 |language=ko |volume=8 |issue=1 |pages=52–58 |issn=1225-0929}}
  • "P". clarki Shaw, 1966 (=?P. mobergi Clark, 1924) Highgate Formation, Vermont, USA, Lower Ordovician{{Cite journal |last=Shaw |first=Alan B. |date=1966 |title=Paleontology of Northwestern Vermont. XII. Fossils from the Ordovician Highgate Formation |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/1301947 |journal=Journal of Paleontology |volume=40 |issue=6 |pages=1312–1330 |jstor=1301947 |issn=0022-3360}}
  • P. compar Barrande, 1872 Bohemia, Czech Republic, Lower Ordovician
  • P. contarius Barrande, 1872 Bohemia, Czech Republic, Lower Ordovician
  • P. dalecarlicus Moberg, 1914 Scania, Sweden, Middle Ordovician
  • P. delicatus Barrande, 1872 Bohemia, Czech Republic, Lower Silurian
  • P. devonicus J. M. Clarke, 1882 Hamilton group, New York, USA, Middle Devonian
  • P. discretus Barrande, 1872 Bohemia, Czech Republic, Lower Silurian
  • P. esthonicus Withers, 1921 Jewe Station, Esthonia, Middle Ordovician
  • P. eueides Högström et al., 2008 Boda Limestone, Siljan district, Sweden, Lower Ordovician (Katian–Hirnantian){{Cite journal |last1=Högström |first1=Anette E.S. |last2=Ebbestad |first2=Jan Ove R. |last3=Suzuki |first3=Yutaro |date=2009 |title=Armoured annelids and molluscs from the Upper Ordovician Boda Limestone, central Sweden |url=http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/11035890903189801 |journal=GFF |language=en |volume=131 |issue=3 |pages=245–252 |doi=10.1080/11035890903189801 |bibcode=2009GFF...131..245H |s2cid=140672683 |issn=1103-5897|url-access=subscription }}
  • P. folliculum Barrande, 1868 Bohemia, Czech Republic, Lower Ordovician
  • P. fraternus Barrande, 1872 Bohemia, Czech Republic, Middle Ordovician
  • P. gracillimus Ringueberg, 1888 Rochester Shale, New York, USA, Middle Silurian
  • P. gumunsoensis Choi & Kim, 1989 Dumugol Formation, South Korea, Upper Tremadocian{{Cite journal |last1=Choi |first1=Duck Keun |last2=Kim |first2=Keon Ho |date=1989 |title=Problematic Fossils from the Dumugol Formation(Lower Ordovician), Dongjeom Area, Korea |url=https://www.dbpia.co.kr/Journal/articleDetail?nodeId=NODE01603229 |journal=지질학회지 |language=ko |volume=25 |issue=4 |pages=405–412 |issn=0435-4036}}
  • P. kutscheri Schrank, 1978 Germany, Upper Wenlock Epoch (Silurian)
  • P. lamonti Candela & Crighton, 2017 Law Linn Formation, Pentland Hills, Scotland, Telychian (Silurian){{Cite journal |last1=Candela |first1=Y. |last2=Crighton |first2=W. R. B. |date=2017-01-27 |title=Addenda to the record of machaeridian shell plates in the Wether Law Linn Formation (Late Llandovery), Pentland Hills, Scotland |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/312961619 |journal=Scottish Journal of Geology |volume=53 |issue=1 |pages=35–39 |doi=10.1144/sjg2016-006 |bibcode=2017ScJG...53...35C |s2cid=132750137 |issn=0036-9276}}
  • P. llanvirnensis Withers & Henry, 1926 Pembrokeshire, Wales, United Kingdoms, Skiddavian (Lower Ordovician)
  • P. malayensis Kobayashi & Hamada, 1976 Pulau Langgon, Langkawi Islands, Malaysia, Upper Ordovician
  • P. minumus Barrande, 1872 Bohemia, Czech Republic, Lower Silurian
  • P. mitchelli R. Etheridge, 1890 Bowning Creek, New South Wales, Australia, ?Wenlock Epoch (Silurian)
  • P. mobergi T. H. Clark, 1924 Quebec, Canada, Lower Ordovician
  • P. ornatus Chapman, 1910 Victoria, Australia, Melbournian (Silurian)
  • P. peachi Nicholson & Etheridge, 1880 Ayrshire, Scotland, Ashgillian (Upper Ordovician)
  • P. primus Kobayashi, 1934 Dumugol Formation, South Korea, Upper Tremadocian
  • P. pygmaeus Moberg, 1914 Dalarna, Sweden, Lower Silurian
  • P. rastritum Moberg, 1914 Dalarna, Sweden, Lower Silurian
  • P. regius Barrande, 1872 Bohemia, Czech Republic, Middle-Upper Ordovician
  • P. richorum Jell, 1979 Humevale Formation, Victoria, Australia, Early Devonian{{Cite journal |last=Jell |first=Peter A. |date=1979 |title=Plumulites and the machaeridian problem |url=http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03115517908527797 |journal=Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology |language=en |volume=3 |issue=4 |pages=253–259 |doi=10.1080/03115517908527797 |bibcode=1979Alch....3..253J |issn=0311-5518|url-access=subscription }}
  • P. ruskini Lamont, 1978 Wether Law Linn Formation, Pentland Hills, Scotland, Telychian (Silurian){{Cite journal |last1=Candela |first1=Yves |last2=Crighton |first2=William R. B. |date=2015-01-23 |title=Revision of Plumulites ruskini Lamont, and new data from the Silurian of the Pentland Hills, Scotland |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1144/sjg2014-053 |journal=Scottish Journal of Geology |volume=51 |issue=1 |pages=31–42 |doi=10.1144/sjg2014-053 |bibcode=2015ScJG...51...31C |s2cid=131111779 |issn=0036-9276|url-access=subscription }}
  • P. scoticus R. Etheridge, 1878 Balclatchie group, Ayrshire, Scotland, Caradocian (Upper Ordovician)
  • P. tafennaensis Chauvel, 1967 Morocco, Caradoc (Upper Ordovician) and Tafilalt Biota, Morocco, Katian (Upper Ordovician){{Cite journal |last1=Lefebvre |first1=Bertrand |last2=Van Roy |first2=Peter |last3=Zamora |first3=Samuel |last4=Gutiérrez-Marco |first4=Juan Carlos |last5=Nohejlová |first5=Martina |date=2022-03-31 |title=The Late Ordovician Tafilalt Biota, Anti-Atlas, Morocco: a high-latitude perspective on the GOBE |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1144/sp485-2022-29 |journal=Geological Society, London, Special Publications |volume=485 |issue=1 |pages=5–35 |doi=10.1144/sp485-2022-29 |bibcode=2022GSLSP.485....5L |s2cid=247351043 |issn=0305-8719}}
  • P. törnquisti Moberg, 1914 Dalarna, Sweden, Middle Ordovician
  • P. trentonensis Withers & Henry, 1926 Middle Trenton Beds, New York, USA, Middle Ordovician
  • P. yeringiae Chapman, 1910 Victoria, Australia, Yeringian (Silurian)

References

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