Odontochile
genus of trilobites
Odontochile is a genus of trilobites in the order Phacopida, family Dalmanitidae.
These trilobites were fast-moving low-level epifauna and detritivore. They lived in the Devonian period, from 414 to 391 million years ago.
Distribution
Silurian of China; Silurian to Devonian of Australia and the United States; Devonian of Algeria, Canada, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Kazakhstan, Morocco and Spain.
Description
Odontochile is genus of trilobites with a large (about 15 centimetres or 5.9 inches long), moderately vaulted exoskeleton with an inverted egg-shaped outline (about 1.6× longer than wide). Its headshield (or cephalon) is semicircular, with long (genal) spines extending from the side of the cephalon back to the tailshield (or pygidium). The frontal margin of the cephalon is semicircular to parabolic, and lacks an anterior extension. The facial suture lies in front of the preglabellar furrow. The frontal lobe of the central raised area of the cephalon (or glabella) is much wider than the other lobes. The frontal lobe is vaulted.
The public source identifies “Odontochile” as genus of trilobites. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Odontochile, genus and trilobites.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Odontochile”, the useful work is to connect “genus of trilobites” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Stable identifiers, scientific names and standards terminology offer the best bridge between this overview and specialist evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Dec 4, 2025. The linked authority identifier is Q7077936. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
Current terminology should not be projected backward without checking the classification used when the underlying evidence was created. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Odontochile”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Odontochile primary sources, Odontochile archive and Odontochile research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Odontochile”?
- Is the terminology current, historical or disputed?
- Has classification or technical consensus changed since the cited source?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Odontochile” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.