Systematics of a survivor: the Cambrian kingstoniid trilobite Blountia Walcott, 1916 across the Marjuman-Steptoean (Guzhangian-Paibian) extinction interval in Laurentian North America
Author
Westrop, Madison Armstrong Stephen R.
Author
Eoff, Jennifer D.
text
Zootaxa
2020
2020-06-30
4804
1
1
79
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.4804.1.1
1175-5326
3927094
8C1C1703-9BBC-4B33-8045-78BDD9738F51
Blountia janei
Lochman, in
Lochman & Duncan, 1944
Plate 7
, figs 1–10,
Plate 8
1944
Blountia janei
Lochman, in Lochman & Duncan
, p. 52, pl. 8, figs 1–6.
non
2000
Blountia janei
Lochman, in Lochman & Duncan
; Stitt & Perfetta, p. 213, fig. 11.14–11.17 [=
Blountia
sp. indet].
Diagnosis.
Anterior cranidial margin broadly rounded. Frontal area equal to about one-third (31%; 27–34) of cranidial length. Anterior border furrow shallow; preglabellar field and anterior border subequal in length. Anteriorly rounded, subtrapezoidal glabella with strong convexity. Elongate, semielliptical pygidium, length nearly threequarters of maximum width (72%; 69–75), with faint border furrow; axial furrows become effaced posteriorly in larger specimens. Axis short, occupying 75% (74–78) of pygidial length; six axial rings, with three short segments incorporated into terminal piece (Pl. 7, figs 4–7).
Material.
Holotype
cranidium (
USNM 127144
, Pl. 8, figs 3–5), two
paratype
cranidia (
USNM
122149
, Pl. 8, figs 1, 2;
USNM 127150
, Pl. 8, figs 6, 7), and four pygidia (
USNM 127145
a, Pl. 7 figs 1–3;
USNM 127145
b, Pl. 7, figs 4–6;
USNM 127146
, Pl. 10, fig. 7;
USNM 127149
, Pl. 8, fig. 8) from the
Pilgrim Formation
,
Half Moon Pass
section (
Lochman & Duncan 1944
),
Big Snowy Mountains
,
Montana
.
Occurrence.
Crepicephalus
Zone, Pilgrim Formation, Half Moon Pass
section,
Lochman & Duncan’s (1944)
horizons 9.1, 9.1a, 9.1x, and 9.2,
Big Snowy Mountains
,
Montana
.
Discussion.
The distinctive, elongate pygidium with a short axis and weak border furrow (Pl. 7, figs 1–8) separates
B. janei
from other species assigned to
Blountia
. The cranidium is most like
B. angelae
(Pl. 15, figs 1–5), in possessing an evenly rounded anterior cranidial margin and a subtrapezoidal, anteriorly rounded glabella, although
B
.
janei
has slightly bowed sides, and posterolateral projections that curve posteriorly. The pygidium of
B. angelae
(Pl. 15, fig. 7–9) differs clearly in having longer axis with seven, rather than six segments in front of the terminal piece, and has a firmly impressed border furrow even on testate surfaces (Pl. 15, fig. 6).
Sclerites from the Deadwood Formation that were assigned to
B
.
janei
by
Stitt and Perfetta (2000)
do not belong to that species, and their status is uncertain. The pygidia (
Stitt & Perfetta 2000
, fig. 11.16, 11.17) are shorter and wider than any in Lochman & Duncan’s type lot (Pl. 7, figs 1–8). The cranidia (
Stitt & Perfetta 2000
, fig. 11.14, 11.15) have noticeably shorter anterior borders than the
holotype
(Pl. 8, figs 3–5) and
paratype
(Pl. 8, figs 1, 2, 6, 7) cranidia from
Montana
.