Mesolimulus

Mesolimulus Temporal range: Ladinian–Turonian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Mesolimulus walchi
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Order:	Xiphosura
Family:	Limulidae
Genus:	†Mesolimulus Størmer, 1952

Mesolimulus is an extinct genus of horseshoe crab. The best known examples are found in Solnhofen limestone near Solnhofen, Bavaria, Germany. Originally assigned to the living genus Limulus, they are related to and look virtually identical to modern horseshoe crabs. Other species assigned to Mesolimulus have been recorded from England, Spain, Siberia and Morocco.

Kouphichnium[]

Mesolimulus walchi fossil and track

The unusual trackways left by these animals at Solnhofen were originally thought to have been made by birds or pterosaurs, since they included a cross-shaped marking comparable with the impression of a typical bird foot. Eventually they were correctly identified as arthropod footprints and named Kouphichnium walchi, as proved by some remarkable 'death traces' showing a Mesolimulus circling round on itself before dying. The last leg of more advanced horseshoe crabs is modified into a so-called 'pusher' which consists of four plates at the tip which push against the soft sediment rather like a snow-shoe. This was what left the unusual bird-like footprints.

These creatures were thought to have hunted at night due to the characteristic footprints and preyed on small ground insects and certain foliage.

Mesolimulus walchi

Horseshoe crabs in general date to the Ordovician Period, more than 440 million years ago, and late Paleozoic Euproops fossils indicate that they have changed little over the last 300 million years. Fossils preserved in Solenhofen limestone are unusual because soft body parts and skeletons are clearly represented.

Species[]

After^[1]

• Mesolimulus sibiricus Ponomarenko, 1985, Middle Jurassic (Bathonian) , Russia
• Mesolimulus tafraoutensis Lamsdell et al., 2020 Late Cretaceous (upper Cenomanian –lower Turonian) Gara Sbaa Lagerstatte, Morocco
• Mesolimulus walchi (Desmarest, 1822) Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian –Early Tithonian) Solnhofen Limestone, Germany
• Mesolimulus woodwardi (Watson, 1909) Middle Jurassic (Aalenian) Northampton Sand Formation, England
• Mesolimulus crespelli Vıa Boada, 1987 Middle Triassic (Ladinian) , Spain

References[]

• Caster, K. E. 1941. Trails of Limulus and supposed vertebrates from Solnhofen lithographic limestone. Pan-American Geologist, 76:241–258.
• Malz, H. 1964. Kouphichnium walchi, die Geschichte einer Fährte und ihres

Tieres. Natur und Museum, 94:81–97.

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