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Leicester team, UK – Kunming team, China
1. Eucrustacea – Stem crustaceans 2. Stem arthropods 3. Nemathelminthes 4. Running projects with partners

Current Research of the Ulm Team

1. Eucrustacea currently under study

a) Walossekia quinquespinosa Müller, 1983: Of this animal we have more than 20 specimen of Walossekia quinquespinosa SEMdifferent stages, yet all fairly distorted. Most of the SEM work has been done, but detailed investigations are still under way. The species seems to represent another entomostracan taxon.

b) Dala peilertae Müller, 1983. Work on this species had started with Jens Høeg from Copenhagen way back in 2001 during Dieter's first and only sabbatical so far. The biggest problem remains that there seemed to be no head available! The species is currently under re-study including more SEM work. We have, particularly, to make more measurements after we discovered variability of several features: setal pattern on the endites of the of thoracopods, fringe pattern of abdominal segments, and occurrence of Dala peilertae reconstructionsensilla on tergites. And we have found at least four specimens with remains of the head region – though very badly preserved. We can confirm that the species represents another entomostracan taxon, possibly the sister taxon to all other Maxillopoda.

We will try to do more on these two animals, because both have an impact on the understanding of the ground pattern of Eucrustacean/ Entomostraca. Dala, moreover, has an impact on the stem lineage of the Maxillopoda. Since these in-group eucrustacean taxa are heavily questioned and "not supported by molecular data", we aim at providing good new data as soon as possible. This shall, hopefully, help supporting the monophyly of Entomostraca as the sister taxon to Malacostraca, further – in addition to the LC Yicaris dianensis from China, another one "of such kind" in our hands now.

2. Stem crustaceans (= derivatives of the evolutionary lineage toward the
Labrophora [Phosphatocopina + Eucrustacea ], or early derivatives of Crustacea s. l.)

Three or more papers on 3D preserved compound eyes of stem crustaceans are currently in press or under revision, in collaboration with Brigitte Schoenemann, Bonn, Euan Clarkson (CORE member) and Andrew Parker.

More here soon.

3. "Stem Arthropods" (derivatives of the stem lineage of Euarthropoda or early members of Arthropoda s. l.)

Middle Cambrian tardigrade

This long-lasting project is a co-operation with Reinhardt Kristensen, Copenhagen, Denmark. Poor you, but we hopefully finish this paper before you are entirely rotten! Chances are low though..................

4. Other research activities – To the Top

a) Running projects with partners

  • Project on phosphatocopines from Poland with preserved soft parts is a collaboration with Ewa Olempska, Poland. This work is still under way, but first results will be shown in due course here.
  • Project on Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale animals together with Carollin and jaochim Haug, now at Yale University, U.S.A.
  • Project on new Comley material is expected to be explored due to new excavations by Mark Williams and David Siveter
  • Research dealing with material from the Devonian Rhynie Chert, the Upper Jurassic Solnhofen limestones and similar occurrences, done mainly by Carolin and Joachim, now USA. Some papers have already been published, more are in press and submitted. More material is still under study, incl. material from Glösa, in collaboration with Jörg Schneider, Freiberg.
  • Book about the 'Orsten' is planned together with Euan Clarkson, UK, possibly also Andreas Braun – but this project is still in the very far distance.
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