Oryctocephalus

Oryctocephalus Temporal range: Burgess Shale PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	†Trilobita
Order:	†Corynexochida
Family:	†Oryctocephalidae
Genus:	†Oryctocephalus Walcott, 1886
Species
Oryctocephalus burgessensis Resser 1938 Oryctocephalus indicus Reed 1910 Oryctocephalus matthewi Rasetti 1951 Oryctocephalus reynoldsi Reed 1899 Oryctocephalus reticulatus Lermontova 1940

Oryctocephalus is a genus of trilobites known from the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale. 24 specimens of Oryctocephalus are known from the Greater Phyllopod bed, where they comprise 0.42% of the community.^[1] This small- to medium-sized trilobite's major characteristics are prominent eye ridges, pleural spines, long genal spines, spines on the pygidium, and notably four furrows connecting pairs of pits on its glabella.^[2] Juvenile specimens have been found with only 5 or 6 thoracic segments and about one eighth of adult size, as well as about 2 mm wide.^[3]