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 as...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Antarctic Science
Main Authors: Aguirre-Urreta, M.B., Olivero, E.B.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1992
Subjects:
Geology
Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Oceanography
Ross Island
Antarc*
Antarctic Science
Antarctica
James Ross Island
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102092000324
https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0954102092000324
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.

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