Proetus (trilobite)

Not to be confused with the mythological figure of the same name or the similarly-named mythological figure Proteus.

Proetus is a genus of proetid trilobite found in Silurian-aged marine strata of Europe^[1][2] and Devonian-aged strata of Gondwana.^[3]

Proetus Temporal range: Silurian–Devonian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Fossil of P. concinnus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Trilobita
Order:	Proetida
Family:	Proetidae
Subfamily:	Proetinae
Genus:	Proetus Steininger, 1831
Type species
Calymene concinna Dalman, 1827
Species
See text

Etymology

Comparison of P. concinnus and Ainiktozoon

The generic name commemorates Proetus (Ancient Greek: Προῖτος), a mythical king of Argos and Tiryns, son of King Abas of Argo.

Taxonomy

Cladogram of the genera of the subfamily Proetinae, according to Lieberman, 1994, figures 5 and 6^[1]

Proetus is the type genus of the order Proetida, and of the family Proetidae. The genus became a wastebasket taxon that held numerous species of similar looking trilobites from the Ordovician to Carboniferous periods. Most of these species have been split off into other genera at various times.

Species

The following list is incomplete:

• The type species P. concinnus is found in Wenlock-aged marine strata of Sweden, Great Britain, Estonia, and Germany
• P. latifrons is found in Llandovery-aged marine strata of Ireland and Great Britain.^[1]
• P. latimargo is found in Australian Devonian strata.^[3]
• P. sparsinodosus is found in Australian Devonian strata.^[3]
• P. talenti is found in Australian Devonian strata.^[3]