AClatauksella

AClatauksella is a genus of extinct marine arthropods in the class Trilobita, known from Early Cambrian fossil beds in the Aclatauk Basin, a paleogeographic region in the high northern latitudes. The genus was established in 2012 by paleontologists Mara Ito and Jonas K. Reed, with AClatauksella primus designated as the type species. A second species, AClatauksella secundus, was described in 2017.

Description and morphology combine several traits typical of early trilobites. Specimens are small to medium in size, reaching up to about 4 cm in length. The cephalon is moderately convex with a shallow glabella and clearly defined facial sutures. The thorax generally comprises 9 to 11 articulated segments, and the pygidium is small to medium with a smooth to faintly ribbed surface. Lateral vibrissae and posterior spines are modest, contributing to a streamlined profile that suggests a benthic lifestyle. Eye louvers are present in some specimens, indicating a degree of visual capability for detecting light in a sun-dull marine setting.

Distribution and ecology focus on early Cambrian shallow-marine environments. Fossils have so far been recovered exclusively from limestone and sandstone units of the Aclatauk Basin, indicating a low-energy, nearshore shelf habitat. Inferred ecology points to a detritivorous or scavenging mode of life, living on soft sediments or in marginal burrows. The genus helps illuminate early trilobite diversification and regional morphological experimentation during the Early Cambrian.

Taxonomic notes emphasize the combination of a shallow-glabella profile with a compact thorax, features of interest for comparative studies within early trilobite lineages.