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A new Triassic decapod, Platykotta akaina, from the Arabian shelf of the northern United Arab Emirates: earliest occurrence of the Anomura

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Abstract

A Triassic decapod crustacean is described here for the first time from the Norian-Rhaetian Ghalilah Formation of the Musandam Peninsula, United Arab Emirates. The single specimen Platykotta akaina n. gen n. sp. is referred to a new family Platykottidae. The studied crustacean, initially with only the ventral exposure preserved, was collected from shallow-water, burrowed limestones. Using a chemical preparation, the dorsal view revealed a well-preserved, chitinous, granular carapace exhibiting characteristic carapace morphology and groove pattern of the Eocarcinoidea, the superfamily to which the new family is assigned. The dorsal view together with the ventral surface, rarely seen in the fossil record, provide new insight into the morphology of representatives of the Eocarcinoidea.

Kurzfassung

In dieser Arbeit wird ein neuer triassischer Zehnfußkrebs aus der Ghalilah-Formation (Norium-Rhaetium) der Musandam-Halbinsel (Vereinigte Arabische Emirate) beschrieben. Das einzige Exemplar Platykotta akaina n. gen n. sp. wird der neuen Familie Platykottidae zugeordnet. Der hier untersuchte Krebs, der ursprünglich nur von der ventralen Seite sichtbar war, wurde in einem flachmarinen Kalkstein gefunden. Die dorsale Seite, die mit Hilfe chemischer Präparation freigelegt wurde, ergab einen gut erhaltenen, chitinigen, granulierten Carapax mit dem charakteristischen Furchenmuster der Eocarcinoidea, der Überfamilie, zu der die neue Familie Platykottidae gestellt wird. Die beschriebene dorsale und vor allem die ventrale Partie, die fossil nur selten überliefert ist, liefern neue Erkenntnisse über die Morphologie der Vertreter der Eocarcinoidea.

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Acknowledgments

We sincerely thank P.-A. Proz and the Natural History Museum of Geneva, Switzerland, for help and assistance in the technical preparation of the fossil. We thank R. Martini and S. Rigaud for their invaluable help during field trips in the Musandam Peninsula, and F. Maurer for giving the precise coordinates and geological setting of the studied section. We also thank the reviewers A. Pagani and G. Schweigert for their constructive criticisms during the review process. We also thank K. Kremer for scientific advice. C. Melish and M. Munt facilitated our study of Eocarcinus praecursor at the Natural History Museum, London, UK. Fieldwork was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (grant #200021-113816 of R. Martini to J. Chablais). Museum work was supported by National Science Foundation grant EF0531670 to Feldmann and Schweitzer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology and Paleontology, University of Geneva, 1205, Geneva, Switzerland

    Jérôme Chablais

  2. Department of Geology, Kent State University, Kent, OH, 44242, USA

    Rodney M. Feldmann

  3. Department of Geology, Kent State University at Stark, 6000 Frank Ave. NW, North Canton, OH, 44720, USA

    Carrie E. Schweitzer

Authors
  1. Jérôme Chablais
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  2. Rodney M. Feldmann
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  3. Carrie E. Schweitzer
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Correspondence to Jérôme Chablais.

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Chablais, J., Feldmann, R.M. & Schweitzer, C.E. A new Triassic decapod, Platykotta akaina, from the Arabian shelf of the northern United Arab Emirates: earliest occurrence of the Anomura. Paläontol Z 85, 93–102 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12542-010-0080-y

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