Ameura

Ameura is an extinct genus of trilobite belonging to the order Asaphida. These marine arthropods lived during the Ordovician period.

Description

Ameura trilobites are characterized by their isopygous body plan, meaning the pygidium (tail shield) is approximately the same size as the cephalon (head shield). They typically possess a smooth, flattened exoskeleton. Distinguishing features often lie in the glabellar furrows (grooves on the glabella, the central raised area of the cephalon) and the segmentation of the thorax and pygidium. The cephalon is typically semicircular, with eyes placed laterally.

Paleoecology

Ameura inhabited marine environments during the Ordovician period. As trilobites, they were likely benthic creatures, living on or near the seafloor. Their diet is not definitively known, but likely consisted of organic matter and small invertebrates.

Taxonomy

Ameura is classified within the order Asaphida, a diverse group of trilobites. Specific species within the genus have been identified based on subtle morphological differences, particularly in the features of the cephalon and pygidium.

Geographic Distribution

Fossil remains of Ameura have been found in various parts of the world where Ordovician-age sedimentary rocks are exposed, indicating a relatively widespread distribution during its existence.