Calymene Brongniart, 1822, is a genus of trilobites in the order Phacopida, suborder Calymenina, that are found throughout North America, North Africa, and Europe in primarily Silurian outcrops.[2] Calymene is closely related to Flexicalymene, and both genera are frequently found enrolled.[3] Calymene trilobites are small, typically 2 cm in length. The cephalon is the widest part of the animal and the thorax usually has 13 segments.[4]
Calymene | |
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Calymene clavicula 32mm, Henryhouse Formation, Oklahoma, Cayugan | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | †Trilobita |
Order: | †Phacopida |
Family: | †Calymenidae |
Genus: | †Calymene Brongniart, 1822 |
Type species | |
Calymene blumenbachii Brongniart, 1822 [1]
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The correct genus authorship is Brongniart (1822).[5] A previously published genus description in Desmarest (1816)[6] (often mis-cited as "Calymena" Desmarest, 1817) was suppressed by ICZN Opinion 1433.
Calymene - meaning beautiful crescent as a reference to the glabella.
Since the genus Calymene was established early on in paleontology, a number of species previously assigned to it have since been transferred to other genera:[9]