Eurypteridae is an extinct

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

eurypterid Eurypterids, often informally called sea scorpions, are a group of extinct arthropods that form the order Eurypterida. The earliest known eurypterids date to the Darriwilian stage of the Ordovician period 467.3 million years ago. The group is ...

s that lived in the

Silurian The Silurian ( ) is a geologic period and system spanning 24.6 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 shortest period of the Paleozoi ...

and

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, w ...

periods. The family is one of three families contained in the superfamily

Eurypteroidea Eurypteroidea are an extinct superfamily of eurypterids. It contains three families (Dolichopteridae, Eurypteridae, Strobilopteridae) and two genera of uncertain classification, ''Paraeurypterus'' and ''Pentlandopterus''. Description Euryptero ...

(along with

Dolichopteridae Dolichopteridae is an extinct family of eurypterids that lived in the Silurian and Devonian periods. Description Dolichopterid eurypterids had outer surfaces that were either smooth or with pustules and semilunar scales. The compound eyes were ...

and

Strobilopteridae Strobilopteridae is an extinct family of eurypterids that lived in the Silurian and Devonian periods. The family is one of three families contained in the superfamily Eurypteroidea (along with Dolichopteridae and Eurypteridae), which in turn is ...

), which in turn is one of the superfamilies classified as part of the suborder

Eurypterina Eurypterina is one of two suborders of eurypterids, an extinct group of chelicerate arthropods commonly known as "sea scorpions". Eurypterine eurypterids are sometimes informally known as "swimming eurypterids". They are known from fossil deposit ...

. The family contains two genera, '' Erieopterus'' and ''

Eurypterus ''Eurypterus'' ( ) is an extinct genus of eurypterid, a group of organisms commonly called "sea scorpions". The genus lived during the Silurian period, from around 432 to 418 million years ago. ''Eurypterus'' is by far the most well-studied and ...

''.

References

Eurypteroidea Devonian animals Silurian animals Prehistoric arthropod families {{Eurypterid-stub

See also

References