In situ fossil hermit crabs (Paguroidea) from northwest Europe and Russia. Preliminary data on new récords

Abstract

the conch of an amaltheid ammonite from the upper Pliensbachian (lower spinatum Zone, apyrenum Subzone; Lower Jurassic) of Banz (southern Germany). The second example involves the remains of both chelipeds, pereiopods, shield and ?cephalic appendages preserved in an internal mould of a ?volutid gastropod from the upper Maastrichtian (Upper Cretaceous) of Kunrade (southern Limburg, the Netherlands). The third specimen also preserves fragments of both chelipeds and pereiopods, and possibly also of shield and appendages(?), and is found in the internal mould of a volutid gastropod from the Middle Eocene of Yantarnyi (Kaliningrad district, Samland Peninsula, Russia; formerly Palmnicken, East Prussia), while the fourth specimen is preserved within an internal mould of an indeterminate (?volutid) gastropod from the Miocene of Liessel (Noord-Brabant, the Netherlands) and comprises the major cheliped and some pereiopods. The taxonomic assignment of fossil paguroids has always been problematic, and in systematic descriptions the use of ‘lump genera’such as Palaeopagurus or Pagurus (sensu lato) has often been favoured. For the time being, we here adopt this policy, but hope that further preparation may reveal additional features of taxonomic value, enabling a more reliable generic assignment of the present material.