Eurypterida (Chelicerata) from the Welsh Borderlands, England

Abstract

Eurypterids from the Welsh Borderlands of England are redescribed from most available material. Hughmilleria banksii is here interpreted to represent a new genus. The poorly known Hughmilleria (?) acuminata (Salter, 1859a) is considered a junior synonym of H. banksii. Furthermore, Slimonia? stylops is suspected to be a junior synonym of Salteropterus abbreviatus, although they are not formally synonymized as the location of the only known specimen of S.? stylops is unknown. Morphological differences in carapace shape, eye position, walking leg, genital appendage and telson in H. banksii are noted compared to previous descriptions. A prosomal appendage earlier assigned to H. banksii is here assigned with caution to S. abbreviatus and the reported ‘segments’ in the posterior part of the telson of S. abbreviatus are shown to be cracks. The phylogenetic position of the new genus is inferred to lie between the Hughmilleria and the Slimonia/Salteropterus clades.