A first notice of the goniodromitid crab from the Cenomanian (Upper Cretaceous) cold seep deposit of Hokkaido, Japan, with the redescription of Sabellidromites inflata (Collins and Karasawa, 1993) (Decapoda: Goniodromitidae)

Goniodromites sp. (Brachyura: Dromiacea: Goniodromitidae) is described from the Cenomanian (Upper Cretaceous) cold seep sediment in the Middle Yezo Group of Hokkaido, Japan. This species is the first recognition of the genus and family from the Cretaceous chemosynthetic communities, and represents the second record of a decapod from the fossil chemosynthetic communities in Japan. In addition, Sabellidromites inflata (Collins and Karasawa, 1993), a poorly known goniodromitid crab is redescribed.

New hermit crabs (Paguroidea, Anomura) from the Eocene of Huesca, Spain

A new genus and two new species of fossil hermit crabs (Anomura, Paguroidea) are described from the southern Pyrenean basins (Huesca, NE Spain). Parapetrochirus nov. with P. robustus n. gen., n. sp., as type species, comes from the lower Eocene (Ypresian) Roda Formation. It preserves both chelipeds exhibiting a notable heterochely, a larger left cheliped and a concavity without granulation in the inner upper portions. Eocalcinus gerardbretoni n. sp. comes from the highest levels of the Arguis Formation (Priabonian) in Yeste locality. This species is characterized by a hemispherical outline and a sinuous lower margin of the chela, which differs from the type species of the genus. The cheliped morphology of such species allows inclusion in the families Diogenidae and Calcinidae, respectively. Fossil paguroids are relatively rare in the Eocene of Spain, therefore, the description of these two new taxa increases the known diversity of this group. Parapetrochirus robustus n. gen., n. sp. inhabited siliciclastic substrates within a prodelta environment and E. gerardbretoni n. sp. was collected from the last levels of coral rudstones just below the continental influence of Yeste-Arrés Formation.

Notes on some Late Cretaceous goniasterid starfish (Echinodermata, Asteroidea) from Belgium and Germany

Both partially articulated specimens and dissociated marginal ossicles form the basis for erection of two new species of Late Cretaceous goniasterids from the Mons and Liège-Limburg basins (Belgium) and the Hannover area (Germany). Chomataster breizh sp. nov., which recalls the type species, Chomataster acules Spencer, 1913, but differs in several respects, is based on a partial external mould of the marginal frame of disc and arms in flint (upper Campanian Spiennes Chalk Formation; Mons Basin), as well as on a more or less complete individual, preserving small, spherical spines and granules and encased in a flint nodule from the upper Maastrichtian Nekum Member (Maastricht Formation; Liège-Limburg Basin). In Ch. breizh sp. nov., supero- and inferomarginals bear close-set granule pits, of varying sizes, as well as bivalved alveolar scars of pedicellariae; median superomarginals and all inferomarginals lack large, crater-shaped spine pits – such are found only in the disc/arm transition and along the arms. Dissociated supero- and inferomarginal ossicles from the lower and upper Campanian of the Hannover area and the upper Campanian of northeast Belgium, previously recorded either as indeterminate astropectinids or as Nymphaster obtusus (Forbes, 1848) var. nov. and as Nymphaster sp., respectively, here are assigned to Nymphaster mudzborgh sp. nov. This species is characterised by a row of 3–5 large spine pits on the aboral and lateral surfaces of superomarginals; inferomarginals have an angular profile and a close cover of granule pits. Nymphaster tethysiensis Villier, 2001, from the upper Campanian of Landes (southwest France; Villier and Odin, 2001) appears best accommodated in Chomataster as well, because in the arm superomarginals alternate rather than meet over the mid-radial line.

Pseudonecrocarcinus eichhorni n. sp. (Brachyura, Raninoida, Paranecrocarcinidae) from the Late Cretaceous (Coniacian) of Montana (USA)

The new species, Pseudonecrocarcinus eichhorni (Paranecrocarcinidae Fraaije, Van Bakel, Jagt and Artal, 2008) from the Late Cretaceous (Coniacian) of Montana is herein described. This new species represents the second report for the genus from the Late Cretaceous of USA.

New nephropid lobster (Decapoda: Astacidea) from the late Campanian of California; extending the range of Pacific coastal fossil lobster occurrences

Two well preserved specimens of nephropid lobster from the Late Cretaceous (late Campanian) Point Loma Formation in San Diego County, California, form the basis of description of a new species of Hoploparia. The occurrence represents the southernmost fossil record of macrurans along the Pacific coast of North America and it is only the third fossil lobster from California.

A new cyclodorippid crab, Berglundus bretoni n. gen., n. sp. (Decapoda, Cyclodorippidae) from the Notheastern Pacific, USA

A new cyclodorippid crab, Berglundus bretoni n. gen., n. sp. (Cyclodorippidae Ortmann, 1892) from the Astoria Formation (early to middle Miocene) of Washington State is herein described. It represents the fourth genus of cyclodorippids in North America, keeping the stratigraphic range and the palaeogeographic distribution of the Cyclodorippidae unchanged.

An owlfly larva preserved in Mexican amber and the Miocene record of lacewing larvae

Neuroptera (lacewings) is today a rather small lineage of Holometabola. These representatives of Insecta have mostly predatory larvae with prominent venom-injecting stylets formed by upper and lower jaws. These impressive larvae can be found not only in the modern fauna, but sometimes also as fossils, predominantly preserved in amber. Here we report a new specimen of a lacewing larva from Miocene Mexican amber, most likely a larva of an owlfly (Ascalaphidae) with large prominent stylets, each with three teeth. These stylets arise from a more or less square-shaped head (in dorsal view) that has distinct eye hills with at least three simple eyes (stemmata) each. The trunk is rather short. Trunk segments possess finger-like protrusions carrying numerous setae, which could have been used to attach camouflaging debris to it. Remarkably, the specimen represents only the second report of a lacewing from Miocene Mexican amber, and the first larva. Additionally, we review the Miocene record of lacewing larvae. It includes otherwise only fossils preserved in Dominican amber and remains rather scarce, with only eight specimens in the literature so far. While there seem to be additional specimens in private collections, the overall number is astonishingly low compared to the numbers in Eocene and Cretaceous ambers. Ecological and taphonomic factors possibly explaining the rarity of lacewing larvae in Miocene amber are discussed here.

A new genus of prosopid crabs (Decapoda: Brachyura: Dromiacea) from the Upper Jurassic of southern Germany

A new monotypic genus and species of brachyurans, Petersbuchia thauckei n. gen. n. sp., is described from southern Germany. The holotype, an incompletely preserved carapace, was collected from a thick-bedded spongiolithic limestone of the Upper Jurassic Treuchtlingen Formation (early late Kimmeridgian, Acanthicum Zone). Petersbuchia adds to the diversification hotspot of early true crabs within the sponge-microbial magnafacies along the northern shelve of the Tethys Ocean in general and to the brachyuran fauna of the Treuchtlingen Formation in special.

Decapod crustaceans from the lower Miocene Qom Formation of the Isfahan area, Central Iran

From the lower Miocene (Burdigalian) of the Qom Formation, exposed in three sections (Kuh-e-Donbeh, Bagher-Abad, and Vartun) in Central Iran, a deca-pod crustacean assemblage is described. The specimens exhibit two modes of preservation: carapaces (either isolated or with attached appendages) and isolated cheliped elements. All studied specimens are fractured and/or eroded. Based on this moderately preserved material, three brachyuran crab taxa are identified, including Mursia cf. lienharti (Bachmayer, 1962), Palaeocarpilius rugifer Stoliczka, 1871, and Necronectes sp. The occurrence of P. rugifer represents the youngest confirmed occurrence of the species, whereas other two taxa represent the first confirmed Iranian occurrences of respec-tive genera. This report enriches our knowledge on Miocene decapod assemblages of Iran, and thus helping to better understand the decapod migratory patterns along the Tethyan Sea-way.

First record of a homolid crab (Crustacea: Decapoda: Homoloidea) from the early Eocene of the Iberian Peninsula

We describe a new species of homolid crab from the Ypresian (early Eocene) Roda Formation of Huesca province (Aragon, Spain). In spite of the fragmentary condition of the sole specimen, some preserved frontal elements, and in particular the complete left cheliped, allow inclusion it within the genus Paromola Wood-Mason in Wood-Mason and Alcock, 1891, based on morphological similarities with the extant species of this genus. Direct comparison with specimens of the extant Paromola cuvieri (Risso, 1815) confirms this systematic assignment. Paromola bretoni n. sp. is the first homolid reported in the Cenozoic of the Iberian Peninsula, and expands the rich decapod fossil record of the Eocene basins of southern Pyrenees.