Iphiculus Adams & White, 1849

Hyžný, Matúš & Gross, Martin, 2016, A new iphiculid crab (Crustacea, Brachyura, Leucosioidea) from the Middle Miocene of Austria, with notes on palaeobiogeography of Iphiculus, Zootaxa 4179 (2), pp. 263-270 : 265-266

Iphiculus Adams & White, 1849

Type species. Iphiculus spongiosus Adams & White, 1849 , by monotypy.

Remarks. A handful of species are currently included in this genus. Its identification in the fossil record ( Morris & Collins 1991; Collins et al. 2003) is largely based on the carapace outline, configuration of spines on the lateral margins and carapace surface ornamentation. In this respect it should be noted that some species of Typilobus Stoliczka, 1871 , a leucosiid genus known exclusively from the fossil record, resemble extant representatives of Iphiculus . Artal & Hyžný (2016) presented an appraisal of the fossil leucosiid genus Typilobus . They pointed out the heterogeneity of the taxon, as previously emphasized by Vía Boada (1969), Müller (1993), and Feldmann et al. (2011) and reassigned Typilobus boscoi Vía Boada, 1959 to a new genus and family. More re-assignments of species now classified within the broadly defined Typilobus are likely once the genus is reviewed. It is possible that some of them will fall within the range of characters which now define Iphiculus .

Current assignment of a newly described species to Iphiculus is based on striking morphological similarities with extant I. convexus ( Fig. 2 ), especially on the general shape of carapace, short anterolateral spines and large rounded tubercles covering evenly the dorsal carapace surface. Since, the new fossil material consists only of isolated carapaces, comparison with sternum, pleon and chelipeds is not possible.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Fossil and extant Iphiculus. A, Iphiculus eliasi sp. nov., holotype UMJGP 75.612 in dorsal view (dry and uncoated); B – D, Iphiculus convexus Ihle, 1918, ZRC 2009.0462 (male specimen from Vanuatu) in dorsal (B), posterior (C), and posterodorsal view (D). Photos in B – D by P. K. L. Ng.