Peronopsis (meaning "broach-like" or possibly "boot-like" ) is a genus of trilobite restricted to the Middle Cambrian. Its remains have been found in Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America.

Etymology

The subgenus Svenax is a contraction of Sven Axel, the given names of the paleontologist Tullberg.

Taxonomy

Position of Peronopsis palmadon

Peronopsis palmadon is intermediate between Peronopsidae and Condylopygidae, but it is not clear whether P. palmadon is ancestral to the Condylopigidae, a condylopigid exhibiting regression towards ancestral characters, or an example of parallel evolution.

Species previously assigned to Peronopsis

Species and distribution

Subgenus Peronopsis (Peronopsis)

Subgenus Peronopsis (Proacadagnostus)

Subgenus Peronopsis (Svenax)

P. scutalis s.l. Salter, is recorded also from the Middle Cambrian of the Russian Federation (Mandybashskii horizon, Dolgii mys mountain, Betenev range; Tomagnostus fissus Zone, Lena River; Kounamkites Zone, Nekekit River, Khorbusuonka River, and Daldyno-Alakitshii District; Pseudanomocarina aojiformis zone, Hormustah District), Australia (Triplagnostus gibbus Zone, Sandover Beds early, Northern Territories) ; Greenland (Ptychagnostus atavus Zone, Henson Gletscher Formation; P. punctuosus Zone, Nyebö, North Greenland; Lejopyge laevigata Zone, Holm Dal Formation), Canada (Ptychagnostus atavus Zone, Saint John Formation; Paradoxides abenacus Zone, Saint Martin; both New Brunswick; P. hicksi Zone, Deep Cove, Newfoundland), Sweden (Ptychagnostus punctuosus Zone, Andrarum, Gislovshammar and Brantevik; Solenopleura s.l. brachymetopa Zone, Andrarum) and Italy (Gonnesa Formation, Sardinia). P. scutalis s.l. is also recorded from the Ford Beds, H. parvifrons Biozone, of Ford railway station, Pembrokeshire, SW Wales, described by Thomas & Jones (1912).

Subgenus Peronopsis (Vulgagnostus)

Unrevised species

These species may be assigned to one of the subgenera later or be reassigned to another genus.