The fossil record of Glypturus Stimpson, 1866 (Crustacea, Decapoda, Axiidea, Callianassidae) revisited, with notes on palaeoecology and palaeobiogeography

Abstract

The fossil record of the callianassid genus Glypturus (Decapoda, Axiidea) is re-evaluated. Our systematic revision, both of extant and fossil taxa, is based on major cheliped morphology only, thus providing an important impetus for palaeontological studies. Both spination and tuberculation of chelipeds are herein considered of great taxonomic importance. Presence of spines on the upper margins of the merus and propodus and the lower margin of the carpus are significant for generic assignment, whereas the extent of tuberculation on lateral surfaces of the propodus is important for assignment at the species level. Altogether, four extant and six exclusively fossil species of Glypturus are recognized. Several extinct callianassid taxa are now transferred to the genus, namely Callianassa berryi, Callianassa fraasi, Callianassa munieri, Callianassa pugnax and Callianassa spinosa; Callianassa pseudofraasi is considered a junior synonym of C. fraasi. Based on a comparison of ecological preferences of extant representatives, the presence of Glypturus in the fossil record is considered to be linked with tropical to subtropical, nearshore carbonate environments of normal salinity. We argue that Glypturus is of Tethyan origin, with a stratigraphical range going as far back as the Eocene. Since then, the genus migrated both westwards and eastwards, establishing present-day communities in the western Atlantic and IndoWest Pacific which both comprise several distinct species. In the presumed area of origin, the genus does no longer occur today. The exlusively fossil (middle Eocene) genus Eoglypturus from Italy is considered closely related to Glypturus and is thus assigned to the subfamily Callichirinae as well.

Ghost shrimp Calliax de Saint Laurent, 1973 (Decapoda: Axiidea: Callianassidae) in the fossil record: systematics, palaeoecology and palaeobiogeography

“…It has been argued that at least for some genera the morphology of the major propodus can be diagnostic on the genus level (Hyžný 2012; Hyžný & Müller 2012). In this respect, the revision of the ghost shrimp fossil record is ongoing (Hyžný & Müller 2010, 2012; Hyžný 2012; Hyžný & Hudáčková 2012; Hyžný & Karasawa 2012; Hyžný et al 2013). This paper is intended to be a part of the revision and its goal is to discuss in detail assignment of fossil taxa to Calliax based on the case study of Callianassa michelottii A.…”

Ghost shrimps (Decapoda: Axiidea: Callianassidae) as producers of an Upper Miocene trace fossil association from sublittoral deposits of Lake Pannon (Vienna Basin, Slovakia)

“…Today, no ghost shrimp are known from long-lived brackish lakes. Nevertheless, the fossil record of the Central Paratethys ghost shrimp is rather robust ( Hyžný and Müller, 2010, 2012; Hyžný, 2011, 2012a,b; Hyžný and Hudáčková, 2012; Hyžný and Dulai, 2014 ); thus, their persistence in Lake Pannon after seaway closure can be expected, although no callianassid body fossils from the Upper Miocene of the study area have been found so far. The adaptations of ghost shrimps as discussed in chapter 4.1.2 demonstrate that this animal group has abilities to utilize new ecological niches.…”

A new classification of Callianassidae and related families (Crustacea: Decapoda: Axiidea) derived from a molecular phylogeny with morphological support

“…Glypturus Stimpson, 1866: 46.-Manning, 1987: 390.-Manning and Felder, 1991: 778.-Sakai, 1999a: 72.-Sakai, 2005b: 130-132.-Sakai, 2011. -Hyžný and Müller, 2012: 969-971.-Hyžný et al, 2013: 133.-Klompmaker et al, 2015: 11.-Komai et al, 2015.…”