Balcoracania

{{Short description|Extinct family of trilobites}} {{Automatic taxobox | fossil_range = {{fossilrange|517}} late Botomian | image = BalcoracaniaDailyi.png | image_caption = ''Balcoracania dailyi'' from Kangaroo Island, South Australia | taxon = Balcoracania | authority = Pocock, 1970 | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = * ''Balcoracania dailyi'' <small>Popock, 1970</small>, synonym ''B. flindersi'' }}

'''''Balcoracania dailyi''''' is a small (typically about {{convert|1.5|cm|in}})<ref name="PJBG"/> trilobite of the family Emuellidae. Its fossils have been found in south Australia and Antarctica.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Palmer|first1=A.R.|last2=Rowell|first2=A.J.|year=1995|title=Early Cambrian trilobites from the Shackleton Limestone of the Central Transantarctic Mountains|journal=Paleontological Society Memoir|volume=45|issue=S45 |pages=1–28|doi=10.1017/S0022336000061424 |bibcode=1995JPal...69S...1P |s2cid=182206675 }}</ref>

==Etymology== The genus name is derived from Balcoracana Creek in the Flinders Ranges, one of the sites where fossils of ''Balcoracania'' were collected. The species epithet ''dailyi'' is in honor of Dr. B. Daily, of the Geology Department, University of Adelaide.<ref name="PJBG">{{cite journal|last1=Paterson|first1=J.R.|last2=Jago|first2=J.B.|last3=Brock|first3=G.A.|last4=Gehling|first4=J.G.|year=2007|title=Taphonomy and palaeoecology of the emuellid trilobite Balcoracania dailyi (early Cambrian, South Australia)|journal=Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology|volume=249|issue=3–4|pages=302–321|doi=10.1016/j.palaeo.2007.02.004|bibcode=2007PPP...249..302P }}</ref>

== Description == It can be recognised by a short field between the front of the axis in the head (or glabella) and the border ridge, and a semi-circular headshield, as compared to touching glabella and border, and the sub-pentagonal head, in the sister-genus ''Emuella''. Both emuellid genera share eye ridges that are positioned parallel to the frontal and lateral border of the head, prominent genal spines that are a smooth continuation of the lateral margin of the head, a prothorax of 6 segments, with the 5th and 6th merged and carrying large trailing spines. Both genera have in adulthood a highly variable but large number of segments of the opistothorax, although the largest number found in ''B. dailyi'' with 97 is much larger than in ''Emuella'' (52). ''B. dailyi'' is the only known species in this genus (i.e., the genus is monotypic).<ref name='Paterson&Edgecombe'>{{cite journal|last1=Paterson|first1=J.R.|last2=Edgecombe|first2=G.D. |year=2006 |title=The Early Cambrian trilobite Family Emuellidae Popock, 1970: Systematic position and revision of Australian Species|journal=Journal of Paleontology|volume=85|issue=3 |pages=496–513|doi=10.1666/0022-3360(2006)80[496:TECTFE]2.0.CO;2 |s2cid=84868780 }}</ref>

==Ecology== ''Balcoracania dailyi'' was an inhabitant of protected, shallow, marginal, marine environments. ''B. dailyi'' is usually the only trilobite present, but brachiopods may be present, too. Tubular burrows show it shared its ecosystem with soft-bodied animals.<ref name="PJBG"/>

==References== {{Reflist}}

Category:Emuelloidea Category:Cambrian trilobites of Australia Category:Emu Bay Shale Category:Cambrian trilobites of Antarctica Category:Cambrian genus extinctions Category:Redlichiida genera