Tetraliidae and Trapeziidae (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura) from the Early Eocene of Monte Magrè (Vicenza, NE Italy)

Abstract

The decapod crustaceans of the families Tetraliidae and Trapeziidae from the Early Eocene (middle-late Ypresian) of Monte Magrè (Schio, Vicenza, NE Italy), are described. The specimens are assigned to <em>Eurotetralia loerenthey</em> (Müller, 1975) n. gen., <em>Tetralia vicetina</em> n. sp. (Tetraliidae Castro, Ng &amp; Ahyong, 2004); <em>Archaeotetra lessinea</em> n. sp., <em>Eomaldivia trispinosa</em> Müller &amp; Collins, 1991, <em>Paratetralia convexa</em> Beschin, Busulini, De Angeli &amp; Tessier, 2007, and <em>Paratetralia sulcata</em> n. sp. (Trapeziidae Miers, 1886).<br />The specimens were discovered associated with other decapods, in the coral-rich limestone. This report is the oldest fossil record of both two families. The stratigraphical distribution of the Tetraliidae and Trapeziidae is extended back to the middle-late Ypresian.