Brachyaglaspis
Brachyaglaspis is a genus of aglaspidid of the family Tremaglaspididae from the Fezouata Formation. There is only one species, B. singularis.
Distribution
Brachyaglaspis is known from a single, nearly complete specimen from the Floian aged section of the Fezouata Formation in Morocco. It is the second confirmed aglaspidid from the Fezouata Formation and the third aglaspidid known from the Ordovician period.
Description
Brachyaglaspis was an unusual aglaspidid. For an aglaspidid, Brachyaglaspis had a relatively large head with no eyes, no antennae are known. It’s trunk had six tergites and an short almond shaped tail spine, while other aglaspidids known from relatively complete specimens have ten or more tergites, with the members of the family Aglaspidida having more segments than the Tremaglaspididae, of which Brachyaglaspis belongs to.
Etymology
The genus name, Brachyaglaspis comes from the Latin brachy for short and Aglaspis, a related genus, the species name, singularis means singular in Latin reflecting its uniqueness among aglaspidids.