Lichida is an order of typically spiny
trilobite
Trilobites (; meaning "three lobes") are extinct marine arthropods that form the class Trilobita. Trilobites form one of the earliest-known groups of arthropods. The first appearance of trilobites in the fossil record defines the base of the ...
that lived from the
Furongian
The Furongian is the fourth and final epoch and series of the Cambrian. It lasted from to million years ago. It succeeds the Miaolingian series of the Cambrian and precedes the Lower Ordovician Tremadocian Stage. It is subdivided into three ...
to the
Devonian
The Devonian ( ) is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic era, spanning 60.3 million years from the end of the Silurian, million years ago (Mya), to the beginning of the Carboniferous, Mya. It is named after Devon, England, whe ...
period.
These trilobites usually have 8–13
thoracic
The thorax or chest is a part of the anatomy of humans, mammals, and other tetrapod animals located between the neck and the abdomen. In insects, crustaceans, and the extinct trilobites, the thorax is one of the three main divisions of the crea ...
segments.
Their exoskeletons often have a grainy texture or have wart or spine-like tubercles. Some species are extraordinarily spiny, having spiny thoracic segments that are as long or longer than the entire body, from
cephalon (head) to
pygidium
The pygidium (plural pygidia) is the posterior body part or shield of crustaceans and some other arthropods, such as insects and the extinct trilobites. In groups other than insects, it contains the anus and, in females, the ovipositor. It is compo ...
(tail). The sections of the pygidia are leaf-like in shape and also typically end in spines.
The order is divided into two families,
Lichidae, and
Lichakephalidae.
Some experts group the families of the closely related order
Odontopleurida within Lichida, too, whereupon the family is then divided into three superfamilies, Dameselloidea, containing the family
Damesellidae
Damesellidae is a family of odontopleurid trilobites found in late Middle to Late Cambrian marine strata, primarily of China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's List of co ...
, Lichoidea, containing the families Lichidae and Lichakephalidae, and Odontopleuroidea, containing the family
Odontopleuridae.
Taxa traditionally placed within Lichida
As mentioned earlier, the order Lichida is divided into two families.
Lichidae
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Acanthopyge ''
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Akantharges''
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Allolichas''
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Amphilichas''
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Apatolichas''
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Arctinurus
''Arctinurus boltoni'' is a large (up to 30 cm) lichid trilobite of the mid-Silurian. This trilobite reached about eight inches in length, though the normal adult carapace was about four inches. It lived in moderately deep-water in semi-tr ...
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Autoloxolichas''
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Borealarges''
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Ceratarges''
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Conolichas''
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Craspedarges''
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Dicranogmus''
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Dicranopeltis''
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Echinolichas''
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Eifliarges''
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Gaspelichas''
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Hemiarges''
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Homolichas''
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Hoplolichas''
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Hoplolichoides''
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Jasperia''
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Leiolichas''
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Lichas
:''Lichas can also refer to Lichas the Spartan, who discovered the bones of Orestes, or a genus of trilobite''
In Greek mythology, Lichas (; el, Λίχας) was Hercules's servant, who brought the poisoned shirt from Deianira to Hercules beca ...
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Lobopyge''
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Lyralichas''
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Mephiarges''
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Metaleiolichas''
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Metalichas''
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Metopolichas''
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Neolichas''
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Nipponarges''
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Ohleum''
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Oinochoe
An oenochoe, also spelled oinochoe ( grc, οἰνοχόη; from grc, οἶνος ''oînos'', "wine" and grc, χέω ''khéō'', "I pour," sense "wine-pourer"; plural ''oinochoai''; New Latin ''oenochoë,'' plural ''oenochoae,'' English plura ...
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Otarozoum''
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Paraleiolichas''
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Perunaspis ''
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Platylichas''
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Probolichas''
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Pseudotupolichas''
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Radiolichas''
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Richterarges''
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Rontrippia''
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Terataspis''
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Terranovia''
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Trimerolichas''
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Trochurus''
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Uralichas''
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Uripes''
Lichakephalidae
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Acidaspidella''
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Acidaspides''
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Acidaspidina''
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Archikainella''
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Belovia''
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Bestjubella''
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Brutonia''
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Colossaspis''
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Eoacidaspis''
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Lichakephalus''
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Lichokephalina''
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Metaacidaspis''
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Paraacidaspis''
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Usoviana''
References
Further reading
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External links
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Trilobite orders
Furongian first appearances
Cambrian trilobites
Ordovician trilobites
Silurian trilobites
Devonian trilobites
Frasnian extinctions
{{lichida-stub