This is Mazon Monday post #24. What's your favorite Mazon Creek fossil? Tell us at email:[email protected].
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Today's species is Euphoberia, a millipede from the Mazon Creek biota.
Euphoberia is an extinct genus of millipede from the Pennsylvanian epoch of the Late Carboniferous, measuring up to 30 centimetres (12 in) in length.[1] Fossils have been found in Europe[2] and North America.[3]
There has been uncertainty about the appropriate classification of Euphoberia since its description in 1868: it has been referred to as a centipede,[4] millipede, or a separate, independent group within the myriapods.[5][6] It is currently placed in the Archipolypoda, an extinct group of millipedes.[3] Several species described in the late 19th century have since been assigned to the related genera Myriacantherpestes and Acantherpestes.[7]
Here is the text about Euphoberia in the Creature Corner columns.
EUPHOBERIA (millipede)
Concretions containing remarkable spiny millipedes were discovered at Mazon Creek about 120 yoars ago.Virtually complete, and arousing great interest in the scientific community. the genus Euphoberia was established for these animals. Exploration in the Coal Measures" of the eastern United States, and in Europe unearthed more specimens of these spiny millipedes. New species and genera were created. In the late 1880's two pioneer paleontologists, S. Scudder and A. Fritsch, described and ranked these spiny, extinct Paleozoic millipedes. Euphoberia and similar genera were placed in the Family Euphoberiidae, Order Archipolypoda.. Amateur and professional collecting of Mazon Creek concretions has added to the variety and number of millipedes known to have inhabited the Mazon Creek environment. More than 10 species of Euphoberia, plus several other genera containing one or more species in each, have been added to the list of Euphoberiidae from Pit 11/Mazon Creek.
The most common attributes of this group are long legs (as long and sometimes longer than the body diameter), numerous spines and a body tapered to the front and rear. Each body segment contains a large plate covering half the upper surface, plus two smaller plates ('platelets") on the lower surface. Each small plate bears a pair of legs. There is two pair of legs per body segment. Body segments in modern millipedes are a single virtually complete plate. Arrangement of the plates in this family of Paleozoic millipedes gave them flexibility much greater than modern millipedes possess. Concretions are found with Euphoberiidae curled outwardly as well as inwardly. Today's millipedes invariably curl or roll inwardly. The spines of these Paleozoic millipedes were arranged in various patterns, on the top and the sides. Their spinal arrangements served to differentiate genera and species. Reconstructions of these creatures have slowly moved the leg configurations from the vertical, stilt-like version of the early workers to an arch-like contour, that has joints going out and down. This pattern allowed rapid movement. Their fierce armament and mobility were a strong defense.
Early workers know of no extant millipedes with the characteristics of the Euphoberiidae. It remained for entomologists in the first quarter of the 20 century to discover spiny millipedes in Central America and China Body structures including long legs are much like their Paleozoic ancestors.
Here are a few photos of some stunning specimens
These are from his George Langford's book, The Wilmington Coal Fauna.
These two photos come from the Illinois State Museum. This specimen was donated by George Langford.
