New Spinicaudatan Species of Late Jurassic Linglongta Phase of Yanliao Biota from Western Liaoning, China

Key Points

• To describe a newly discovered spinicaudatan genus and species from the Late Jurassic Linglongta Phase of the Yanliao Biota in western Liaoning, China.
• Taxonomic and morphological examination of fossil spinicaudatan carapace specimens from the Late Jurassic Linglongta Phase.
• Structural analysis of carapace ornamentation across distinct growth band regions, including the umbo, mid-carapace, and ventral zones.
• Taxonomic formalization of a new spinicaudatan genus and species (gen. and sp. nov.).
• Identification of three regional ornamentation patterns: small polygonal reticulation near the umbo, evenly spaced puncta along the middle growth bands, and punctate reticulation with radial lirae on the ventral growth bands.