Pliocene and late Pleistocene (MIS 5e) decapod crustaceans from Santa Maria Island (Azores Archipelago: Central Atlantic): systematics, palaeoecology and palaeobiogeography

Abstract

The presence of decapod crustaceans in the Pliocene and Pleistocene (MIS 5e) fossil record of Santa Maria Island (Azores Archipelago) is herein reviewed. Our study raises the number of fossil decapods from this island from one species to 10 taxa (three for the Pliocene and seven for the Last Interglacial). Four of these 10 taxa are reported for the first time in the fossil record, worldwide. A new species of a mud shrimp is also described (Upogebia azorensis n. sp.). Our study suggests that the Plio-Pleistocene decapod assemblages of the Azores did not differ significantly from modern ones, being dominated by species that are today widespread across the Webbnesia ecoregion, the Mediterranean Sea, and the eastern Atlantic shores, including the Azores. As far as can be judged from the limited fossil record, apparently no tropical crab species with a Cabo Verdean/Senegalese provenance reached the Azores during windows of opportunity associated with Glacial Termination 2 or with the initial setting of the Last Interglacial period. This contribution increases the total number of marine taxa reported for the Pliocene and Pleistocene outcrops of Santa Maria Island to 218 and 155, respectively, highlighting the scientific relevance of its palaeontological heritage.

Plant–insect interactions in the Quaternary fossil record of the Azores Archipelago (Portugal)

“…Pliocene and late Pleistocene marine deposits on Santa Maria island (e.g. Ávila et al ., 2018, 2020; Hyžný et al ., 2020; Uchman et al ., 2020). Terrestrial fossil remains are very rare; only sporadic bones of Holocene birds on the islands of Pico, São Miguel, São Jorge, Terceira, Graciosa and Santa Maria were described (Alcover et al ., 2015; Rando et al ., 2013, 2017).…”

Pleistocene coralline algal buildups on a mid-ocean rocky shore – Insights into the MIS 5e record of the Azores

“…Types of modern CCA frameworks according to climate, substrate type and water depth (after Ginsburg and Schroeder, 1973;Bosence, 1985;Adey, 1986;Steneck et al, 1997;Di Geronimo et al, 2002;Bracchi et al, 2015). (Ferreira, 1955;Zbyszewki and Ferreira, 1962;Madeira et al, 2011;Ávila et al, 2012, 2015a, 2015b, 2015cMeireles et al, 2012;Rebelo et al, 2014Rebelo et al, , 2016aRebelo et al, , 2016bSantos et al, 2015;Uchman et al, 2016Uchman et al, , 2017Uchman et al, , 2018Hyžný et al, 2021) and submarine volcanic successions (Serralheiro and Madeira, 1990;Serralheiro, 2003;Johnson et al, 2017;Ramalho et al, 2017;Uchman et al, 2020). This richness, explained by its distinct geological history, was characterised by an initial period (from 6 to 3.5 Ma) during which volcanism, erosion, sedimentation and fast subsidence contributed to the formation of submarine sequences.…”