Carcinosoma

Carcinosoma

Carcinosoma (meaning "crab body") is a genus of eurypterid, an extinct group of aquatic arthropods. Fossils of Carcinosoma are likely restricted to deposits of late Silurian (Late Llandovery to Early Pridoli) age, although an Early Ordovician specimen has been classified as ?Carcinosoma aurorae, which would make this the earliest known eurypterid genus. Classified as part of the family Carcinosomatidae, which the genus lends its name to, Carcinosoma contains seven species from North America and Great Britain. Carcinosomatid eurypterids had unusual proportions and features compared to other eurypterids, with a broad abdomen, thin and long tail and spined and forward-facing walking appendages