Description
Silurian Eurypterus Remipes. These animals are sometimes called “Sea Scorpions” but hey are arthropods that lived from the Ordovician to the great Permian Extinction. But reached their zenith during the Silurian. But they are well known for their scorpion like appearance but are not scorpions, so they are closely related to Horseshoe Crabs. Silurian Eurypterus remipes were quite formidable predators.
These fossil animals inhabited shallow seas and lagoons. But as arthropods they had a hard dorsal exoskeleton and jointed legs. They are easily identified by the long tail spine or telson and the largest recorded was over 7 feet long. Rarely are they ever found complete. Most assemblages are discarded exoskeletons as they molted. Because molts washed close to shore, into depressions and then were covered by sediment they provide good fossil evidence.
Silurian Eurypterus remipes is the state fossil of New York State and is found at a location in Illion, New York. That is where these Three Silurian Eurypterids were found.
Many of the specimens seen in museums and for sale come from the famous Lang’s Quarry owned by R.A. Langheinrich.
The Eurypterid is 3 3/4 inches long and missing the two paddles but the telson is complete, This matrix block is 6 1/4 inches by 4 3/4 inches.
