Lably
Skip to content

Trepassia

  • 1 min read
  • 2 chapters

Explore on Lably

ToursExplore Lably’s 3D tours

Morphology

Trepassia is one of the oldest known rangeomorphs and spanned over one meter in length. Longest specimens of T. wardae reached 185 cm (73 in). It is a long and slender rangeomorph, its structure consists of single-sided branches with both primary and secondary branches rising from a central stalk. The primary branches were capable of minor pivoting as shown in the bundles of secondary branches. The adult specimens of Trepassia had substantial thickness, shown by the cylindrical cross-section of the frond.

The suspension-feed strategy of Trepassia wardae was that it used its long, slender petalodium for continuous feeding at all heights above the sea floor. Trepassia is believed to have reproduced asexually. Taller organisms were surrounded by large clusters of offspring. It grew by addition of new branches at the tip of the frond. There may be a link between its mode of reproduction and its large body size.

Sign in to keep reading

One more chapter is free with a Lably account.

More in Animals

Monotypic taxonTaxonomic group with only one subordinate taxonSpecies descriptionFormal description of a discovered speciesParaphylyType of taxonomic groupIUCN Red ListInventory of the global conservation status of biological speciesSubtropicsGeographic and climate zoneCommon nameName generally used for a taxon, group of taxa or organism(s)