Middle Jurassic Monte Fallano Plattenkalk (Campania, southern Italy): first report on terrestrial plants, decapod crustaceans and fishes

High biodiversity in Polychelida crustaceans from the Jurassic La Voulte-sur-Rhône Lagerstätte

“…For instance, the occurrence of very extensive "Solnhofen-type" Lagerstätten in the Late Jurassic of Europe leads to a high known palaeobiodiversity in this period. In the Middle Jurassic, only two Lagerstätten have yielded polychelidan lobsters: Monte Fallano (one species, Bravi et al 2014) and La Voulte (seven species, present study). For this reason, the La Voulte Lagerstätte fills an important gap in the fossil record of polychelidan lobsters.…”

“…However, it shall be noted that: 1) U-shaped ocular incisions occur also in Palaeopentacheles roettenbacheri (Münster, 1839) (Palaeopentachelidae); 2) cervical and postcervical grooves marked across carapace occur in Eryon ellipticus, Soleryon amicalis Audo, Charbonnier, Schweigert & Saint Martin, 2014, S. schorri Audo, Charbonnier, Schweigert & Saint Martin, 2014(see Audo et al 2014a and Knebelia totoroi Audo, Schweigert & Charbonnier, 2014(see Audo et al 2014b; and 3) identical s2-s3 tergopleura are reported from most polychelidans but polychelids and two closely allied fossil species (see discussion on stem polychelidae). Moreover, both C .…”

“…is larva is of large size and characterized by an inflated, balloon-like carapace ornamented by abundant spines and possesses reduction of eyes, as in extant adult polychelids (Bernard 1953;Martin 2014). e fossil record of polychelidan lobsters is mainly known from specimens of large size, and rare juveniles similar to the adults (Bravi et al 2014;Audo et al 2014b). …”

“…Polychelidans from Lyme Regis or Holzmaden probably lived in rather deep palaeoenvironments. ose from "Solnhofen-type" plattenkalks and from Monte Fallano (Bravi et al 2014) lived in shallower conditions. e La Voulte Lagerstätte preserves perhaps one of the deepest palaeoenvironment yielding fossil polychelidans (Charbonnier et al 2007a(Charbonnier et al , 2010.…”

Systematic revision and palaeobiology of Rosenfeldia triasica and Rogeryon oppeli gen. et comb. nov. (Eucrustacea, Polychelida)

“…Indeed, we remark that the carapace thinness may be the result of R. oppeli having evolved through neoteny (see Audo et al 2014b). This assertion would also be supported by the apposition eyes in R. oppeli (see Cronin & Porter 2008), and its relatively wide carapace compared to the pleon (see Bravi et al 2014). Despite its thin carapace, Rogeryon oppeli seems, therefore, to have been a benthic animal.…”