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''Eramoscorpius'' is an extinct genus of
''Eramoscorpius'' was roughly 17 cm long at largest, with individuals in various size classes. Unusually for most Silurian scorpions, its Arthropod tarsus, tarsi resembled those of modern scorpions, suggesting the ability to walk on land. Most other Silurian scorpions, on the other hand, had tarsi much longer than basitarsi, or pointed crab-like legs, meaning they would have likely walked on their "toes" and therefore would have been rather slow on land. However, the morphology of the wikt:coxosternum, coxosternae still suggests ''Eramoscorpius'' was mainly aquatic. While its sternal morphology resembles the "giant" scorpion ''Praearcturus'', appendages are unknown from that genus, alongside the two differing in the absence of Stomotheca, coxapophyses. ''Eramoscorpius'' likely moulted on land or in very shallow water, thereby avoiding larger predators such as eurypterids, alongside explaining why seemingly all fossils are likely exuviae. 2019 study confirmed that ''Eramoscorpius'' had Book lung, book lungs.
Silurian
The Silurian ( ) is a geologic period and system spanning 23.5 million years from the end of the Ordovician Period, at million years ago ( Mya), to the beginning of the Devonian Period, Mya. The Silurian is the third and shortest period of t ...
scorpions from the Eramosa Member in Ontario. It was likely one of the first semi-terrestrial scorpions. The genus contains a Monotypic taxon, single species, ''Eramoscorpius brucensis''.
Description
''Eramoscorpius'' was roughly 17 cm long at largest, with individuals in various size classes. Unusually for most Silurian scorpions, its Arthropod tarsus, tarsi resembled those of modern scorpions, suggesting the ability to walk on land. Most other Silurian scorpions, on the other hand, had tarsi much longer than basitarsi, or pointed crab-like legs, meaning they would have likely walked on their "toes" and therefore would have been rather slow on land. However, the morphology of the wikt:coxosternum, coxosternae still suggests ''Eramoscorpius'' was mainly aquatic. While its sternal morphology resembles the "giant" scorpion ''Praearcturus'', appendages are unknown from that genus, alongside the two differing in the absence of Stomotheca, coxapophyses. ''Eramoscorpius'' likely moulted on land or in very shallow water, thereby avoiding larger predators such as eurypterids, alongside explaining why seemingly all fossils are likely exuviae. 2019 study confirmed that ''Eramoscorpius'' had Book lung, book lungs.
Etymology
''Eramoscorpius'' derives from the Eramosa Member where it was found, alongside "-scorpius", a common suffix for scorpions. The specific name ''brucensis'' derives from its fossils being found on the Bruce Peninsula.References
Silurian arthropods of North America Prehistoric scorpion genera Fossil taxa described in 2015 Paleozoic life of Ontario Silurian arachnids Monotypic prehistoric arachnid genera {{Paleo-scorpion-stub