Dicranurus

Dicranurus (Greek, 'dikranon', a pitchfork, and 'oura', tail) is a genus of Lower to Middle Devonian odontopleurid trilobites that lived in a shallow sea that lay between Euramerica and Gondwana, corresponding to modern-day Oklahoma and New York, and Morocco, respectively. As such, their fossils are found in New York, Oklahoma, and Morocco. [[Image:|thumb|left|Dicranurus monstrosus fossil]] Their bodies averaged about 1-inch (25 mm) or so, in length, though their large spines made them at least 2 inches (51 mm) in length. It is speculated that such tremendous spines hampered the ability of predators, such as arthrodire placoderms, to attack them, as well as to help prevent them from sinking into the soft mud of their environment. Dicranurus trilobites are distinguished from other odontopleurids by the pair of large, curled, horn-like spines that emanate from behind the glabellum. The genus name refers to these distinctive horns, in fact.

Dicranurus Temporal range: Pragian–Emsian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Dicranurus hamatus elegantus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Trilobita
Order:	Odontopleurida Moore, 1959
Family:	Odontopleuridae
Genus:	Dicranurus
species
D. hamatus D. elegans D. monstrosus

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