Stylonuridae

Stylonurids are stylonuroids with undifferentiated opisthosoma with appendages II-IV being spiniferous akin to the genus Ctenopterus, whilst appendages V-VI are non-spiniferous akin to the genus Pagea. The fixed spines on appendages II-IV could have been used as dragnets to rake through the sediment, indiscriminately entangling anything within their sweeping arc. This type of sweep-feeding also occurs in the Hibbertopteroidea, though the adaptations of the hibbertopterids suggests they were more selective feeders. ==Systematics and genera==

The Stylonuridae is classified within the superfamily Stylonuroidea within the Stylonurina. It contains six genera in total and one recognised subfamily; the Laurieipterinae containing genera Laurieipterus and Ctenopterus. "Laurieipterines" are diagnosed as stylonurids with broad metastoma and an epistoma with a rostral field and were restricted to the Early Silurian. Family Stylonuridae Diener, 1924 • Pagea Waterston, 1962 • Soligorskopterus Plax et al., 2018 • Stylonurus Page, 1856 • Qujingopterus Ma et al., 2025 • Subfamily Laurieipterinae Kjellesvig-Waering, 1966 • Ctenopterus Clarke & Ruedermann, 1912 • Laurieipterus Kjellesvig-Waering, 1966 ==References==