Eocarcinus
| Eocarcinus Temporal range:
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| Family: | Eocarcinidae Withers, 1932
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| Genus: | Eocarcinus Withers, 1932
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| Species: | E. praecursor
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| Eocarcinus praecursor Withers, 1932
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Eocarcinus praecursor is a Jurassic species of decapod crustacean, sufficiently distinct from its relatives to be placed in its own family (Eocarcinidae).[1] Once considered the oldest true crab, it is now considered to be an early member of the Anomura.
Distribution
It lived during the Pliensbachian age (Lower Jurassic),[2] and has been found in rocks at two sites in the United Kingdom – Mickelton Tunnel (near Aston Magna), Gloucestershire and Runswick Bay, Yorkshire.[3]
Description
In many of its characters, it represents a transitional stage between the Glypheoidea and the Middle Jurassic crabs in the Prosopidae.[2] Since its ancestors were long-tailed decapods, and its successors were short-tailed crabs, Eocarcinus has been described as "the lobster who decided to become a crab".[4] Previously considered to be the oldest known true crab, a 2010 revision concluded that Eocarcinus could not be accommodated among the Brachyura, and was instead transferred to the Anomura.[5]
References
- ^ Sammy De Grave, N. Dean Pentcheff, Shane T. Ahyong; et al. (2009). "A classification of living and fossil genera of decapod crustaceans" (PDF). Raffles Bulletin of Zoology. Suppl. 21: 1–109.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b M. Krobicki & M. Zaton (2008). "Middle and Late Jurassic roots of brachyuran crabs: Palaeoenvironmental distribution during their early evolution". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 263 (1–2): 30–43. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2008.01.025.
- ^ Danièle Guinot & Marcos Tavares (2001). "Une nouvelle famille de Crabes du Crétacé, et la notion de Podotremata Guinot, 1977 (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura)" (PDF). Zoosystema. 23 (3): 507–546.
- ^ Anonymous (1932). "The Royal Society Conversazione". British Medical Journal. 1 (3724): 946–947. doi:10.1136/bmj.1.3724.944. JSTOR: 1st page, 2nd page
- ^ Rodney M. Feldmann & Carrie E. Schweitzer (2010). "Is Eocarcinus Withers, 1932, a basal brachyuran?". Journal of Crustacean Biology. 30 (2): 241–250. doi:10.1651/09-3230.1.