Journal
PEERJ
Volume 9, Issue -, Pages -Publisher
PEERJ INC
DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11201
Keywords
Sub-lethal attack; Shergoldia; Predator-prey interactions; Sandu formation; Guangxi
Categories
Funding
- National Natural Science Foundation of China [41702006, 42072041]
- Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan) [G1323520262]
Ask authors/readers for more resources
An injured specimen of Shergoldia laevigata was collected from the Furongian of Guangxi, South China, showing substantial transverse shortening of the left pleural segments and barely perceptible traces of healing. The injuries are interpreted as a sub-lethal attack from an unknown predator, potentially affecting the trilobite's molting process.
An injured Shergoldia laevigata Zhu, Hughes & Peng, 2007 (Trilobita, Asaphida) was collected from the Furongian of Guangxi, South China. The injuries occurred in the left thoracic pleurae possessing two marked V-shaped gaps. It led to substantial transverse shortening of the left pleural segments, with barely perceptible traces of healing. This malformation is interpreted as a sub-lethal attack from an unknown predator. The morphology of injuries and the spatial and temporal distribution of predators indicated that the predatory structure might have been the spines on the ganathobase or ganathobase-like structure of a larger arthropod. There were overlapped segments located in the front of the injuries, and slightly dislocated thoracic segments on the left part of the thorax, suggesting that the trilobite had experienced difficulties during molting. The freshly molted trilobite had dragged forward the old exuvia causing the irregular arrangement of segments. This unusual trilobite specimen indicates that the injuries interfered with molting.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available