TABLE 1 in Geometric morphometric assessment of Guanshan trilobites (Yunnan Province, China) reveals a limited diversity of palaeolenid taxa

TABLE 1. Taxonomic study history of palaeolenid trilobites from the Guanshan Biota. PublicationSpecies consideredRelevant notesMansuy (1912, p. 27)Palaeolenus douvillei, P. deprati and P. “lantenoisi ”First description of three Palaeolenus species using a few specimens (n =6) with all the cranidial features exhibitingChang (1966, p. 150).Megapalaeolenus depratiMoved Palaeolenus deprati into MegapalaeolenusChang et al. (1980, p. 234, pl. 73, figs 9-12)Palaeolenus longispinusErected Palaeolenus longispinus using robust pleural spines on second thoracic tergiteLin and Peng (2004)Megapalaeolenus deprati and Palaeolenus douvilleiDoubted the validity of Megapalaeolenus. Noted that holotype was deformed and considered M. deprati conspecific with Palaeolenus douvilleiLuo et al. (2007)Megapalaeolenus deprati, Palaeolenus douvillei and P. “lantenoisi ”Considered all species and genera to be validLin and Peng (2009)Megapalaeolenus deprati and Palaeolenus douvilleiConsidered species conspecificHu et al. (2013)Megapalaeolenus deprati, Palaeolenus douvillei, P. “lantenoisi ” and P. longispinusSuggested all taxa were valid speciesLin (2014)All the published 34 specimens assigned to palaeolenids (n=34)Used cluster analysis to group all taxa into Palaeolenus. Suggested P. douvillei and Megapalaeolenus deprati conspecificLuo et al. (2014)Palaeolenus douvillei and Megapalaeolenus depratiConsidered both taxa valid. Noted they are found in different members of the Wulongqing FormationLin and Peng (2016)All the published 34 specimens assigned to palaeolenids (n=34)Used cluster analysis to group. Reconfirmed Lin (2014), suggesting Palaeolenus douvillei and Megapalaeolenus deprati are conspecific