''Selenopeltis'' () is an
extinct
Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...
genus of
odontopleurid trilobites in the
family Odontopleuridae
Odontopleuridae is a family of odontopleurid trilobites found in marine strata throughout the world. Odontopleurids of Odontopleuridae first appear in Late Cambrian-aged marine strata, and the last genera perish by the end of the Frasnian stag ...
.
Species in the
genus ''Selenopeltis'' can reach a length of and a width of . These trilobites show long pleural spines and were a low-level
epifaunal
detritivore
Detritivores (also known as detrivores, detritophages, detritus feeders, or detritus eaters) are heterotrophs that obtain nutrients by consuming detritus (decomposing plant and animal parts as well as feces). There are many kinds of invertebrates, ...
. They lived in the
Ordovician period, from the Lower
Arenig stage age until the
Ashgillian
The Ordovician ( ) is a geologic period and system, the second of six periods of the Paleozoic Era. The Ordovician spans 41.6 million years from the end of the Cambrian Period million years ago (Mya) to the start of the Silurian Period Mya.
The ...
age (478.6-443.7 million years ago).
Distribution
During the Ordovician they inhabited Czech Republic, France, Morocco, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom. During the Arenig they lived in France and the UK.
Gallery
Trilobites - Solenopeltis buchi vultuosa.JPG, ''Selenopeltis buchi vultuosa'' from Czech Republic at the National Museum (Prague)
File:Trilobite Selenopeltis buchii.jpg, ''Selenopeltis buchi'' trilobites (and a smaller '' Dalmanatina'') from Mount Boutschrafin, Morocco.
File:Selenopeltis buchii 01.jpg, ''Selenopeltis buchi'' at Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Karlsruhe, Germany
Sources
S. buchii at Fossilmuseum
External links
''Selenopeltis''
in the Paleobiology Database
*Sepkoski, Jac
Sepkoski's Online Genus Database – Trilobita
Odontopleuridae
Odontopleurida genera
Ordovician trilobites of Europe
Fossils of the Czech Republic
Letná Formation
Trilobites of Africa
Fezouata Formation fossils
{{Odontopleurida-stub