Malacostraca) from Israel And
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Contributions to Zoology, 67 (4) 257-266 (1998) SPB Academic Publishing bv, Amsterdam Late Cretaceous stomatopods (Crustacea, Malacostraca) from Israel and Jordan Cees+H.J. Hof Institute for Systematics and Population Biology, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 94766, 1090 GT Amsterdam, The Netherlands Keywords: Stomatopoda, Mesozoic, Cretaceous, fossils, taphonomy, taxonomy, Squilloidea, new family Ursquillidae, new genus Ursquilla Abstract fossils from Jordan and Israel, confirms Glaessner’s suggestion. The fossils, originating from three dif- The eryonid decapod Eryon yehoachi Remy & Avnimelech, allow ferent localities (Fig. 1), a detailed recon- the is 1955, from Late Cretaceous of Israel, redescribed as a struction of the telson, the sixth abdominal tergite, fossil stomatopod species within the new genus Ursquilla. This and parts of the uropods. Although this analysis is redescription is based on the original type specimen and two based on fossil the telson of additional records from Israel and Jordan. The material allows incomplete material, a detailed reconstruction of the telson, the sixth abdominal this Cretaceous stomatopod carries enough informa- tergite, and part of the uropods. The distinct telson ornamen- tion to recognize a new genus within a new family. tation ofthese the erection of stomatopods justifies a new family The newly recognized stomatopod sheds a fresh within the superfamily Squilloidea. light on the evolution of these remarkable crusta- ceans. Introduction Abbreviations of depositories In 1955, Remy & Avnimelech described Eryon a new of the extinct yehoachi, species decapod BMNH, The Natural History Museum, London GSI, family Eryonidae. Their description was based on Geological Survey of Israel, Jerusalem MNHN, Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris a single specimen from the Upper Cretaceous (Cam- panian) of the Ouadi Seiyal Valley in eastern Israel. The authors interpreted the fossil remains as the Systematics of tergal plates an eryonid céphalothorax showing the inner side. Although they comprehensively Class Malacostraca Latreille, 1806 justified the identification of the eryonid based only Subclass Hoplocarida Caiman, 1904 on the inner side of the céphalothorax, they seemed Order Stomatopoda Latreille, 1817 to have no doubt about the taxonomic accuracy of Suborder Unipeltata Latreille, 1825 their identification. Superfamily Squilloidea Latreille, 1803 However, Glaessner (1969: 470) suggested that the E. description of yehoachi was actually based on a Squilla- like stomatopod telson. If Ursquillidae Hof, new family Glaessner is right about the stomatopod affinities of this the material could fossil, provide impor- Diagnosis. - Moderate sized stomatopods. Telson tant information the considering (late) Mesozoic about as long as broad with paired submedian-, radiation of the stomatopod taxa. intermediate-, and lateral teeth, and distinct lateral A of the of E. folds re-study type specimen yehoachi at one third from the anterior margin. Four together with three similar rounded previously undescribed, intermediate marginal denticles present 258 C.H.J. Hof- Late Cretaceous stomatopods from Israel and Jordan Ursquilla Hof, new genus Diagnosis. - As for family. Type species. - Eryon yehoachi Remy & Avni- melech, 1955, by present designation and mono- typy. Originally described as the cephalothorax of an eryonid decapod. - The Etymology. name is derived from the prefix ur, meaning primeval, in combination with the generic name Squilla. Ursquilla yehoachi (Remy & Avnimelech, 1955) new combination (Figs. 2-4) Synonymy, - Eryon yehoachiRemy & Avnimelech, 1955:311, pi. 14a; Glaessner, 1969: 470 [squillid stomatopod telson, not Holthuis & 1969: 541 Eryon]; Manning, [may belong to genus Squilla ]; Yun, 1985: 19 [referring to Holthuis, 1969; should be Holthuis & Manning, 1969], Material examined. - The holotype ofEryon yehoachi (MNHN, R, This shows the 62691) (Fig. 2A). specimen imprint of a telson and part of the sixth abdominal tergite on a small slab of yellowish chert. An additional specimen came from the Geological of Israel (GSI, It con- I. for Survey M-8113) (Fig, 2C). Fig. Locality map Ursquilla yehoachi (Remy & Avnime- find cerns a relatively recent (1994) by Dr. S. llani. The spec- lech, 1955): 1) Israel, in the vicinity ofthe city ofArad (MNHN, imen shows the imprint of a telson, part ofthe sixth abdominal R. 62691), 2) Israel, north ofthe erosion cirque “Hamakhtesh tergite and fragments of both the uropods on a small piece of Haquatan”(GSI, M-8113), 3) Jordan, in the vicinity ofthe city chert. brown Two specimens on one slab originate from The of Karak (BMNH, I 7316). [Disputable state boundaries are Natural History Museum in London (BMNH, I 7316) (Fig, 3A). not indicated on this map.] Both these specimens show the incomplete imprint ofa telson, one including the remains ofthe sixth abdominal tergite. The telsons two are preserved at different levels on a slab of fine grained, yellowish shaly limestone. The label relates that these and a linear row of altogether four rounded sub- specimens were presented by Dr. F. Johnson through Frank T. median denticles. Telson dorsally ornamented Ellis in 1906, In the collection of the BMNH May an epoxy with median carina and a paired intermediate-, resin mould ofthe from Paris type specimen is present, indexed lateral-, and marginal carinae. Median carina under number I 15472. flanked by a string of tubercles. At the level of Localities and lithostratigraphy. - Along with the description the telson’s lateral folds a low transverse carina of Etyon yehoachi, Remy & Avnimelech (1955) provide some connects the lateral carina with the marginal carina. information on the locality and the stratigraphical position of Between the lateral fold and the intermediate this fossil. The specimen was found in the southern part ofthe teeth the carinae marginal marginal carry minute, Judean Desert in the Ouadi Seiyal Valley (presently named sharp, lateral tubercles. All carinae as well as the Nahal Ze’elim) along the route from Be’er She’va to Mount Sedom. The specimen labelprovides a coarse locality indication submedian marginal teeth are rounded and orna- by referring to the coordinates 17./08. of the Israeli grid. mented with a dorsal row of tubercles. According to Remy & Avnimelech the specimen comes from one ofthe Campanian chert banks of the alternating calcareous - The new Type genus. monotypic genus Ursquilla, and siliceous beds covering the southeastern flanks of the as defined below. anticline of the Judean mountains. 67 - Contributions to Zoology, (4) 1998 259 Fig. 2. & fossil Ursquilla yehoachi (Remy Avnimelech, 1955) imprints from Israel with corresponding ammoniumchloride covered peels. A, Flolotype R. telson and sixth abdominal MNHN, 62691, showing somite; B, peel ofholotype; C, GSI, M-8113, showing sixth abdominal and of the ammonium telson, somite, parts uropods; D, chloride covered peel ofthe GSI specimen. Arrows indicate of lateral Abbreviations ofcarinae of last abdominal = folds. = = position somite: sm submedian carinae, im intermediate carina, 1 = lateral carina, m carina. of = marginal Abbreviations uropodal structures: = = up uropodal protopod, ue uropodal exopod, un outer of Abbreviations = = = possible margin uropodal endopod. for telson ornament: me median carina, bn basal notch. It line of the median = = tubercles flanking carina, sc submedian Ic lateral mac = = carina, carina, marginal carina, smt submedian marginal it = teeth, intermediate tooth, lat = lateral = shells. marginal marginal tooth, g gastropod Scale bars all 1 cm. to Dr. Zeev ofthe of According Lewy Geological Survey Israel (lower ofthe Mishash which member) Formation, ranges from the (pers. comm.) fossil was most collected in the the likely vicinity uppermost Lower Campanian into the Middle Campanian. of the of Arad The to city (Fig. 1, locality 1). chert banks Biostratigraphically these banks are within the ammonite which Remy & Avnimelechrefer belong to the Chert Member Hoplitoplacenticeras marroti Zone (Reiss et al., 1986). 260 C.H.J. Hof- Late Cretaceous stomatopods from Israel and Jordan Fig. 3. Two Ursquilla yehoachi (Remy & Avnimelech, 1955) fossil imprints from Jordan with corresponding ammonium chloride and the half of telson at covered peels. A, BMNH, I 7316, showing a telson with attached sixth abdominal somite posterior a a slightly higher level; B, ammonium chloride covered peel ofthe telson with attached sixth abdominal somite; C, ammoniumchloride somite; = covered peel of the half telson. Arrows indicate position of lateral folds. Abbreviation of carinae of last abdominal sm = = submedian carinae. Abbreviations for telson ornament: bn = basal notch median carina, sc submedian carina, lat lateral marginal = = bars all 1 tooth, it = intermediate marginal tooth, imd intermediatemarginal denticles, smd submedian marginal denticles. Scale cm. of found east of Karak in of the Amman Silicified The GS1 specimen originates from the same Chert Member outcrops found the Limestone Formation Zeev the Mishash Formation; only this specimen was at (pers. comm. Lewy). northern flank of the Hazera Anticline, north of the erosion - Three cirque “Hamakhtesh Haquatan” (Fig. 1, locality 2). The speci- Description. of the four imprints show coordinates 175/049 ofthe Israeli men label refers to the grid. fragmented remains of the last abdominal tergite. Information the BMNH is The on specimens very sparse. This tergite is ornamented with paired subme- label just mentions “formation