Acheronauta
Acheronauta is a genus of extinct vermiform arthropod that lived in the early Silurian (Telychian-Sheinwoodian stages) Waukesha biota fossil site in southeast Wisconsin. This arthropod was first discovered alongside the biota in 1985, but was not fully described until October 2022. This creature was recognized and described as a possible early mandibulate (the grouping of arthropods including crustaceans and hexapods). This description is very important as much of the fauna of the biota remain undescribed, and its discovery has allowed for paleontologists to get a better grasp of the diversity of the arthropod fauna at the site. Multiple phylogenetic analyses were performed, and it seems that this arthropod forms a previously undiscovered clade with the Devonian stem-arthropod Captopodus, and the somewhat enigmatic group Thylacocephala.
| Acheronauta Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
| Reconstruction of A. stimulapis (based on Morph B specimens) | |
| Reconstruction of Morph A | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Genus: | †Acheronauta Pulsipher, 2022 |
| Species: | †A. stimulapis |
| Binomial name | |
| †Acheronauta stimulapis Pulsipher, 2022 | |
Acheronauta has been assessed as a possible basal mandibulate, which are distinguished from other arthropods due to the presence of mandibles. While its specific placement in the mandibulate family tree has not been fully known, it is accepted to occupy a position near the base of the grouping.