Ranina pellattieroi, De Angeli & Beschin, 2011

Pasini, Giovanni & Garassino, Alessandro, 2018, Critical review of fossil record of Ranina Lamarck, 1801 (Decapoda, Brachyura, Raninidae), with description of Tethyranina n. gen., Natural History Sciences 5 (2), pp. 3-12 : 10

Ranina pellattieroi – Karasawa et al. 2014: 260. – Pasini, Garassino & De Angeli in Baldanza et al. 2014: 276, fig. 8D. – Famiani et al. 2015: 344.

Diagnosis by De Angeli & Beschin (2011): Carapace slightly convex, longer than wide; triangular orbital spine, subtriangular supraorbital spine forward directed with outer slighttly undulate, convex lateral margin; anterolateral margin short, with two spines; first anterolateral spine flat, forward directed; second anterolateral spine outward directed, with three needle-like small spines on distal margin; posterolateral margin long and rimmed; weak branchiocardiac groove; frontal area, orbital teeth, and anterolateral teeth with small granulations; hepatic and postfrontal regions with tubercles; median and posterior portion of the carapace with spiny tubercles arranged in small groups.

Type material: MCZ 3392 -I.G.336930.

Type locality: Monte Crocetta di Creazzo quarry (Vicenza, N Italy) .

Type age: early Miocene.

Examined material: Holotype.

Description: see De Angeli & Beschin (2011).

Discussion. The holotype shows only some generic morphological affinities with Ranina, but it cannot be assigned to this genus because in Ranina both anterolateral spines are trifid and in R. pellattieroi the first anterolateral spine is bifid and second is trifid. The frontal margin is incomplete, lacking the rostrum that is an important diagnostic character in Ranina, whereas the combination of three proxy characters, such as the subtriangular postorbital spine, first anterolateral spine bifid and second one trifid more outward projected, fit in some way those of Tethyranina n. gen. However, the shape of the anterolateral spines more elongated and slender and the peculiar ornamentation of the dorsal carapace with “ median and posterior part of the carapace with spiny tubercles arranged in small groups ” (De Angeli & Beschin, 2011: 15) distinguish R. pellattieroi from Tethyranina n. gen. In conclusion, R. pellattieroi is herein considered a doubtful species within Ranininae.