Arthropleuridea
| Arthropleuridea Temporal range: Late Silurian - Sakmarian  | |
|---|---|
| Arthropleura fossil illustration | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota | 
| Kingdom: | Animalia | 
| Phylum: | Arthropoda | 
| Subphylum: | Myriapoda | 
| Class: | Diplopoda | 
| Subclass: | †Arthropleuridea Waterlot, 1934 | 
| Orders | |
Arthropleuridea, from Ancient Greek ἄρθρον (árthron), meaning "joint", and πλευρά (pleurá), meaning "rib", is an extinct subclass of myriapod arthropods that flourished during the Carboniferous period, having first arisen during the Silurian, and perishing in the Early Permian. Members are characterized by possessing diplosegement (fused "double segments", as in modern-day millipedes) paranotal tergal lobes separated from the body axis by a suture, and by sclerotized plates buttressing the leg insertions. Despite their unique features, recent phylogenetic research suggests Arthropleuridea be included among millipedes in the class Diplopoda. The subclass contains three or two recognized orders, each with a single genus.