Mycterops

Mycterops is a genus of prehistoric eurypterid of the family Mycteroptidae. Mycterops lived during the Carboniferous period in Europe and North America.

Description
Mycteroptids were medium-sized to fairly large. Their outer surface had numerous scales and reticulate ornamentation. Their first and possibly second tergites (dorsal surfaces of the abdominal sections) were strongly developed. Their legs resembled those of Stylonurus. The prosoma (head) was subtrapezoid, with small compound eyes.

Classification
The three genera included in the Mycteroptidae - Mycterops, Woodwardopterus, and Megarachne - might represent different ontogenetic stages of each other based on the sizes of the referred specimens and the patterns of mucronation. This would sink the genera Woodwardopterus and Megarachne into Mycterops.

Mycterops whitei is a fragmentary species that might not be referrable to the genus at all if more complete specimens show that it has a caudal postabdomen.

Species
The species currently seen as valid species of the genus are:
 * Mycterops? blairi Waterston, 1968 — Carboniferous, Scotland.
 * Mycterops matthieui  Pruvost, 1924 — Carboniferous, Belgium.
 * Mycterops ordinatus  Cope, 1886 — Carboniferous, Pennsylvania (United States).
 * Mycterops? whitei Schram, 1984 — Carboniferous,  Iowa (United States).