Trilobites and agnostids from the Goyder Formation (Cambrian Series 3, Guzhangian; Mindyallan), Amadeus Basin, central Australia
Author
Smith, Patrick M.
Author
Paterson, John R.
Author
Brock, Glenn A.
text
Zootaxa
2018
2018-03-19
4396
1
1
67
journal article
30484
10.11646/zootaxa.4396.1.1
918f2145-a708-460e-b19b-4f67e6c99b30
1175-5326
1202723
8EEBE6DE-0ECC-4B9C-AD14-01438291782B
Biaverta
Öpik, 1967
Type species.
Biaverta
biaverta
Öpik, 1967
.
Discussion.
Öpik (1967) originally placed
Biaverta
Öpik,
1967
in the
Menomoniidae
Walcott, 1916
based on its concave preglabellar field, large, strongly convex palpebral and posterior areas, deep glabellar furrows that widen (exsag.) slightly adaxially, and anteriorly situated palpebral lobes. Bentley
et al.
(2009) suggested that
Biaverta
was better placed in the
Nepeidae
Whitehouse, 1939
rather than the
Menomoniidae
(Öpik 1967;
Wang,
et al.
1989
). The characteristics used by Paterson (2005) to define the
Nepeidae
exclude
Biaverta
because it lacked a number of key features, including: distinctive palpebral lobes; prominent bifurcating eye ridges; and a preglabellar boss. However,
Westrop & Adrain (2009)
conducted a cladistic analysis, which revealed
Biaverta
as an ingroup member of the
Nepeidae
. This result was largely based on the shared deep lateral glabellar furrows, large, convex palpebral and posterior areas, and a posterior border furrow that is deep abaxially, but shallows at the steep downturn near the extremities of the posterolateral projections.