A Cretaceous hermit crab from Antarctica: predatory activities and bryozoan symbiosis

A hermit crab assigned to Paguristes sp. is described from James Ross Island, Antarctica. The fossil was obtained from the Gamma Member of the Santa Marta Formation of late Campanian age. The specimen is associated with an external mould of the gastropod Taioma, that was encrusted by a colony of asc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Antarctic science 1992-06, Vol.4 (2), p.207-214
Main Authors: Aguirre-Urreta, M.B., Olivero, E.B.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Marine
Paguristes
Papers—Earth Sciences and Glaciology
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Description
Summary:A hermit crab assigned to Paguristes sp. is described from James Ross Island, Antarctica. The fossil was obtained from the Gamma Member of the Santa Marta Formation of late Campanian age. The specimen is associated with an external mould of the gastropod Taioma, that was encrusted by a colony of ascophoran bryozoans. Another specimen of Taioma shows typical predatory marks in the outer lip that are attributed to the action of pagurids. It is concluded that the particular dwelling habits of the hermit crabs, their symbiosis with bryozoan, and their predatory activities were already established by the end of the Cretaceous.
ISSN:0954-1020
1365-2079
DOI:10.1017/S0954102092000324