A new look at Eccaparadoxides (Cambrian, Trilobita) and its biostratigraphic significance

Eccaparadoxides is a geographically widely distributed trilobite genus that occurs in the middle part of the Cambrian System. However, the systematically important morphologic characteristics that can be used to differentiate taxa are often problematical in their application. A review of the large number (over 30) of significant species or forms assigned to Eccaparadoxides clearly indicates that only the pygidia offer fairly reliable morphologic criteria that can be used taxonomically and phylogenetically. The pygidia allow for recognition of four different morphological groups (pusillus, lamellatus, pradoanus and asturianus) of which the asturianus group can only be questionably assigned to the genus. Species known only from cranidia cannot be assigned to Eccaparadoxides with certainty. This study refines the biostratigraphy for the interval from the upper Wuliuan to the middle Drumian and shows that this interval brackets the range of most Eccaparadoxides species. The genera or subgenera Baltoparadoxides, Rejkocephalus and Macrocerca are evaluated. Eccaparadoxides zelus, E. epimetheus and Eccaparadoxides? hestia are newly proposed species.