Synziphosurina is a paraphyletic group of cheliceratearthropods previously thought to be basal horseshoe crabs (Xiphosura).[5] It was later identified as a grade composed of various basal euchelicerates,[5][6][7][4][3] eventually excluded from the monophyletic Xiphosura sensu stricto[5] and only regarded as horseshoe crabs under a broader sense ('Xiphosura' sensu lato).[4][6]Synziphosurines survived at least since early Ordovician to early Carboniferous in ages, with most species are known from the in-between Silurian strata.[3]
Dorsal morphology and variation of opisthosomal segmentation across synziphosurines.
While Weinbergina and Willwerathia being exceptionally large,[8] most synziphosurines are small arthropods with body length ranging only about a few centimeters long.[9]
The body of synziphosurine composed of a prosoma covered by a dome-like carapace (prosomal dorsal shield) and an opisthosoma with usually unfused 9-11 segments expressed by tergites.[3] With the exception of Pseudoniscus[9] and Pasternakevia,[10] the last 3 opisthosomal segments precede the spine-like telson are specialized into a narrow postabdomen (pretelson),[3] while the remaining wider segments referred to as preabdomen.[9] A reduced anteriormost tergite (microtergite) originated from the first opisthosomal segment is observable at least in some genera.[9][5] Most synziphosurines are possibly blind, with only a few species showing possible (e.g. Weinbergina opitzi) or clear (e.g. Legrandella lombardii) evidences of lateral compound eyes on their carapaces.[11][3] Evidences of appendages are scarce, fragmentary known from Anderella parva,[12]Camanchia grovensis[13] and Venustulus waukeshaensis[14] while exceptionally well-documented in Weinbergina opitzi.[15][3] The prosoma possess a pair of chelicerae and at least 5 pairs of walking legs while the opisthosoma probably has 6 pairs of plate-like opercula.[5][16]
As of 2020, at least 13 genera and 20 species were considered to be synziphosurines.[3] The even basal euchelicerates Offacolus and Dibasterium, the questionable genus Borchgrevinkium, as well as the Dekatriata-related Houia and Winneshiekia, may also regarded as members of synziphosurines in some literatures.[17][6][7][18][3]