A new genus and species of Parthenopidae MacLeay, 1838 (Decapoda: Brachyura) from the lower Eocene of Spain

A highly diverse dromioid crab assemblage (Decapoda, Brachyura) associated with pinnacle reefs in the lower Eocene of Spain

“…The southern Pyrenean basins were located at tropical latitudes during the Paleogene (e.g., Hay et al, 1999; Silva-Casal et al, 2019) and, in the Eocene, formed part of an elongated gulf that connected in the west to the Bay of Biscay and was limited in the north to the axial zone of the Pyrenees (see Plaziat, 1981; Garcés et al, 2020). These basins rank among the most complete records of Eocene marine sedimentary successions in Europe, with decapod crustacean taxa described from several outcrops (e.g., Via, 1969, 1973; Artal and Castillo, 2005b; Artal et al, 2006, 2013; Ossó et al, 2014; Dominguez and Ossó, 2016; López-Horgue and Bodego, 2017; Artal and Van Bakel, 2018a, b, 2020; Ferratges et al, 2019, 2020). These successions document a wide range of depositional settings, from proximal alluvial to shallow marine in the east to slope and deep-marine and abyssal plains in the west (e.g., Garcés et al, 2020).…”

“…This new discovery has prompted a revision of all Eocene dromioid faunules to compare these in terms of diversity and environment with the present material. , 2013Ossó et al, 2014;Dominguez and Ossó, 2016;López-Horgue and Bodego, 2017;Artal andVan Bakel, 2018a, b, 2020;Ferratges et al, 2019Ferratges et al, , 2020. These successions document a wide range of depositional settings, from proximal alluvial to shallow marine in the east to slope and deep-marine and abyssal plains in the west (e.g., Garcés et al, 2020).…”

“…Here we describe new dromioid taxa from a decapod crustacean assemblage associated with reef facies of an early Eocene age in the Pyrenees (Huesca, Spain). This specific locality corresponds to a reef environment that has already yielded a wide range of decapod crustaceans (Artal and Via, 1989; Artal and Castillo, 2005a; Artal and Van Bakel, 2018a, b; Ferratges et al, 2019). Among the material recognized at this outcrop, dromioids represent only a small portion (3.1%) of the total assemblage (see Ferratges et al, 2021), yet surprisingly, they are unusually highly diverse compared with other Eocene assemblages.…”

“…1). This locality has yielded an important assemblage of decapod crustaceans in association with pinnacle coral reefs (Via, 1973;Artal and Via, 1989;Artal and Castillo, 2005a;Fraaije and Pennings, 2006;Artal and Van Bakel, 2018a, b;Ferratges et al, 2019Ferratges et al, , 2021 as well as diverse invertebrate faunas (see Zamora et al, 2018;Ferratges et al, 2021). However, dromioid crabs remained undescribed until now.…”

Unravelling the distribution of decapod crustaceans in the Lower Eocene coral reef mounds of NE Spain (Tremp-Graus Basin, southern Pyrenees)

“…In general specimens show little abrasion or breakage. Claw remains are usually incomplete, most lack important diagnostic characteristics, and only a few are articulated to a carapace (see exceptions in Artal and Vía, 1988;Van Bakel, 2018a, 2018b;Ferratges et al, 2019). Although most remains are disarticulated, the cuticle is well preserved, which is uncommon in reef environments (e.g., Klompmaker et al, 2013bKlompmaker et al, , 2016 and allows better identification (Klompmaker et al, 2015).…”