Retropluma craverii (Crema, 1895) (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura, Retroplumidae) from the Pliocene of Reggio Emilia (N Italy)

Abstract

-We report two specimens of retroplumid crabs from the Pliocene of Reggio Emilia (N Italy), ascribed to Retropluma craverii (Crema, 1895), known to date only from the Pliocene of Piemonte. The re-examination of the holotype together with the good state of preservation of the studied specimens has allowed a re-description of this species, poorly known to date.Key words: Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura, Pliocene, Italy.Riassunto -Retropluma craverii (Crema, 1895) (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura, Retroplumidae) del Pliocene di Reggio Emilia (N Italia).Segnaliamo due esemplari di brachiuri retroplumidi del Pliocene di Reggio Emilia (N Italia), attribuiti a Retropluma craverii (Crema, 1895), conosciuta finora solo nel Pliocene del Piemonte. Il riesame dell'olotipo insieme al perfetto stato di conservazione degli esemplari studiati ha permesso una ridescrizione di questa specie, finora scarsamente conosciuta.

Records of brachyuran crabs from the Pliocene (Piacenzian) of Reggio Emilia (Emilia Romagna, N Italy)

“…At present, G. craverii Crema, 1895, is assigned to Retropluma (De Angeli et al, 2011). Müller (1993) pointed out that G. formosa Ristori, 1886, andG.…”

“…Based on these data, we ascribe the specimens to the Piacenzian (Pliocene). An unidentified in situ paguroid and Retropluma craverii (Crema, 1895) (Retroplumidae Gill, 1894) were recently reported from Castellarano by Pasini and Garassino (2010) and De Angeli et al (2011).…”

“…Many authors have reported decapod crustaceans from the Pliocene and Pleistocene of Emilia Romagna (Ristori, 1886;Vinassa de Regny, 1897;Tettoni, 1923;Beschin and Santi, 1997;Garassino and Fornaciari, 2000;Garassino et al, 2010;De Angeli et al, 2011). The specimens have been discovered in two different localities along the Apennine Reggiano Mountains around Castellarano and Monticelli di Quattro Castella, both located in Reggio Emilia Province (Emilia Romagna, N Italy) (Figure 1).…”

Revision of the fossil species of Goneplax Leach, 1814 (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura, Goneplacidae)

“…Goneplax Leach, 1814, was revised to include the following fossil species previously listed by Karasawa and Kato (2003): G. arenicola (Glaessner, 1960), G. craverii Crema, 1895, G. formosa Ristori, 1886, G. meneghinii Ristori, 1886, G. gulderi Bachmayer, 1953, G. saccoi Crema, 1895, and the fossil and extant G. rhomboides (Linnaeus, 1758). Goneplax craverii had been previously assigned to Retropluma Gill, 1894(Retroplumidae Gill, 1894 by Beschin et al (1996) (see also De Angeli et al, 2011). New, well-preserved specimens from the Miocene and Pliocene of Italy nevertheless necessitate a revision of the fossil species of Goneplax.…”

Bathypluma pliocenica n. sp. (Decapoda, Brachyura, Retroplumidae) from the Zanclean (Early Pliocene) of Volterra (Pisa, Toscana, Italy)

“…Indeed the only record is limited to the single species Retropluma craverii (Crema, 1895), reported from Piemonte and Emilia Romagna (N Italy) (Crema, 1895;De Angeli et al, 2011), although some complete specimens assi-gned to this species have been also reported from Toscana (Garassino & Pasini, work in progress). The studied specimen has been discovered along the "strada Provinciale Monte Volterrano", around 5 km west of Volterra (Pisa) in the nearby of Podere dell'Infrascato, where crop out the Pliocene fossiliferous clays and siltymarly clays (Marini, pers.…”