Early Devonian eurypterids from the Northwest Territories of Arctic Canada

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences
• Main Authors: Braddy, Simon J, Dunlop, Jason A
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 2000
• Subjects: General Earth and Planetary Sciences; Arctic; Northwest Territories; Canada; Bear Rock
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/e00-023; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/e00-023

A new eurypterid fauna from the Lower Bear Rock Formation (Early Devonian, Emsian) of Anderson River, in the Northwest Territories of the Canadian Arctic, is described. The material comprises an almost complete specimen and five isolated carapaces of Erieopterus microphthalmus; an incomplete carapace and telson referred to Drepanopterus sp.; and an isolated prosomal appendage of Carcinosoma sp. Associations include actinopterygian, sarcopterygian, and acanthodian fish, as well as lingulids, conchostracans, ostracodes, coprolites, and plant material. A nearshore marine environment is inferred. This assemblage provides the first Canadian record of Drepanopterus and the youngest Canadian occurrences of erieopterid and carcinosomatid eurypterids.