Balteurypterus on matrix, Silurian, UKR

Left front foot of a turtle.Age: Upper Jurassic, Lower Portlandian; Lithographic Plattenkalk;Locality: Eichstätt, Bavaria, GermanySize: 7 x 8 cmWe produce the casts in-house from casting wood and color them by hand. Therefore, photos may differ slightly in color from the delivered piece.

Eurypterus remipes DEKAYAge: Upper Silurian; Locality: New York, USASize: 15 x 23 cmCasts are made in-house from casting wood and hand-colored, for this reason the delivered piece may differ slightly in color from the images shown here.

Age: SilurianFinding region: Smotrych River, Kamjanez-Podilskyj, UkraineSize of head: 2 cmSize of matrix: 6 x 5 x 0,7 cmEurypterids, also called sea scorpions for their pointy telson, evolved in the Ordovician. They were the apex predators of the upper Ordovician, Silurian and lower Devonian seas, and reached their largest biodiversity during this time. The largest representatives of this order could reach up to 3 meters, while Balteurypterus tetragonophtalmus only was a few modest centimeters long. The Suborder of Eurypterina, to which Eurypterus of course belongs, modified their last pair of legs into swimming paddles. They had two respiratory systems - book gills and Kiemenplatten - and trace fossils indicate that they could go on land. They never fully transitioned, however, probably because like their relatives the horseshoe crabs they chewed with the bases of their legs outside of their mouth, which would have been more efficient underwater than on land. In the seas, fish started outcompeting them, which drove the remaining species into the rivers. In the Permian there were only a few species left, among them the heaviest arthropods to ever exist. During the Permo-Triassic extinction the last members of this group went extinct.The colors on the pictures may differ slightly from the original due to technical reasons.

Age: SilurianLocality: Kamjanez-Podilskyj, Khmelnytskyi oblast, UkraineSize matrix: approx. 4 x 3,5 x 1,5 cmSize head: 2 x 2 cmEurypterids, also known as sea scorpions because of their pointed tails, evolved in the Ordovician. They were the dominant predators of the Upper Ordovician, Silurian and Lower Devonian seas and reached their greatest species diversity at that time.The most imposing representatives of this order could grow up to 3 m long, while Balteurypterus tetragonophtalmus only reached a few modest centimetres. The large group of eurypterids possessed a fin-like, powerful last pair of legs. They had two respiratory systems - book gills and gill plates - and trace fossils show that they were quite capable of walking on land. Unfortunately, they didn't quite make the leap, because like their close relatives, the horseshoe crabs, they used the tips of their legs to chew, which is much more efficient underwater than on land. Fish also increasingly competed with them in the sea, so that they retreated to the river systems. By the Permian, there were only a few species of these presumably largest known arthropods of all time.Colors on product photos may differ from those of the original specimen for technical reasons.

Two cephala and several thorax segments of Balteurypterus tetragonophtalmus.Eurypterids, also known as sea scorpions because of their pointed tails, evolved in the Ordovician. They were the dominant predators of the Upper Ordovician, Silurian and Lower Devonian seas and attained their maximum species diversity at that time.The most impressive representatives of this order could grow up to 3 m long, while Balteurypterus tetragonophtalmus only reached a few modest centimetres. The large group of eurypterids possessed a fin-like, powerful last pair of legs. They had two respiratory systems - book gills and gill plates - and trace fossils show that they were quite capable of walking on land. Unfortunately, they didn't quite make the leap, because like their close relatives, the horseshoe crabs, they used the tips of their legs to chew, which is much more efficient underwater than on land. Fish also increasingly competed with them in the sea, so that they retreated to the river systems. By the Permian, there were only a few species of these presumably largest known arthropods of all time. Age: Silurian, Bagovitsa Fm;Locality: Smotrych (left tributary of the Dniester), near Kamjanez-Podilskyj, Khmelnytskyi oblast, UkraineSize head: 1 x 1.3 cmSize matrix: approx. 5 x 7 x 1 cmColors on product photos may differ from those of the original specimen for technical reasons.