Slimonia

Taxobox
name = "Slimonia"


image_caption = "Slimonia acuminata"
fossil_range = Silurian
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
subphylum = Chelicerata
classis = Eurypterida†
superfamilia = Slimonioidea
familia = Slimoniidae
genus = "Slimonia"
type_species = "Slimonia acuminata"
type_species_authority = Salter 1856
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision =
* "S. acuminata"
* "S. boliviana"
* "S. metastoma"

"Slimonia" is a genus of Silurian eurypterid closely related to the infamous "Pterygotus". "Slimonia" closely resembled "Pterygotus", save that the former's telson is larger, and that its body was smaller and more slender than the latter. The main difference between the two genera, though, was that "Slimonia" was exclusively freshwater, whereas "Pterygotus" lived in estuaries. "Slimonia" preyed on smaller freshwater fish, such as heterostracans and early osteostracans, by seizing and rending them with its pair of large chelicerae (pincers). The largest species of "Slimonia" was extremely long, around two meters, carrying its body on spindly legs and probably hunting through sudden rushes from hiding. The lungs of the species were located on the underside of the body in a series of folds.cite book |author=Fortey, Richard A. |title=Life: a natural history of the first four billion years of life on earth |publisher=Alfred A. Knopf |location=New York |year=1998 |pages=146-7 |isbn=0-375-40119-9 |oclc= |doi= |accessdate=]

References