Pustulina spinulata ( Secrétan, 1964 ), Valanginian-Hauterivian

Charbonnier, Sylvain, Garassino, Alessandro & Pasini, Giovanni, 2012, Revision of Mesozoic decapod crustaceans from Madagascar, Geodiversitas 34 (2), pp. 313-357 : 313-357

Pustulina spinulata ( Secrétan, 1964) ( Fig. 12)

Phlyctisoma spinulatum Secrétan, 1964: 75-81 , pl. 2, figs 6-12; pl. 3, figs 4-9; pl. 4, figs 1-3.

Phlyctisoma spinulatum – Förster 1966: 145. — Garassino 1996: 341.

Pustulina spinulata – Garassino & Schweigert 2006: 12. — Schweitzer et al. 2010: 26.

HOLOTYPE. — MNHN.F. R 03961.

PARATYPES. — 46 specimens ( MNHN.F.A33176, A33185, R 03939, R 03949, R 03956, R 03958, R039589 , R 03960, R 03962, R 03963, R 03964, R 03965, R 03966) from Soromaraina (gisement 43, upper Valanginian-Hauterivian ) ; 5 specimens ( MNHN.F.A33189, A33190, R 03957) from Soromaraina (gisement 44, Hauterivian). All specimens are from the Sitampiky area , southern Mahajanga Basin , Mahajanga Province .

TYPE LOCALITY. — Soromaraina (gisement 43), Sitampiky area, eastern Mahavavy River, southern Mahajanga Basin, Mahajanga Province.

TYPE AGE. — Late Valanginian-Hauterivian. ADDITIONAL MATERIAL EXAMINED. — MNHN.F. A33459 (gisement 43, Upper Valanginian-Hauterivian), MNHN.F. A33470 (gisement 44), Sitampiky area, eastern Mahavavy River, southern Mahajanga Basin.

DIAGNOSIS. — Cephalothorax with deep cervical, antennal, postcervical and hepatic grooves; branchiocardiac groove almost absent; postcervical groove joined to hepatic groove; well-marked inferior groove; pterygostomial region strongly inflated; well-developed antennal spine; two strong spines in the antennal region aligned with the antennal spine; short rostrum with smooth margins; fusiform area on the dorsal margin, posteriorly closed to the rostrum.

DESCRIPTION

Cephalothorax subcylindrical (CL = c. 36 mm, CH = c. 25 mm); rostrum very small (length c. 2 mm) with rounded distal extremity and smooth margins; well-marked ocular incision, ventrally delineated by a strong antennal spine; eyestalk well developed with globose eye; gastric and antennal region well defined between cervical and antennal grooves, antennal region with two well-developed spines directed forwards and aligned with antennal spine; cardiac region wide, bounded by cervical and postcervical grooves; pterygostomial region strongly inflated and tuberculate; branchial region wide and flat; cervical groove almost straight, slightly inclined intercepting dorsal margin at an angle of c. 55°; postcervical groove markedly deep and inclined, intercepting dorsal margin at an angle of c. 65°; hepatic groove strongly curved; inferior groove well marked; ornament uniform with well-developed tubercles.

Pereiopods fragmentary (only two fragments of chelae, probably short); propodus globose with inner and outer margins tuberculate; index and dactylus with circular cross section, occlusal margin of a fragmentary dactylus with a small basal tooth, occlusal opening probably narrow.

DISCUSSION

We here adopt Förster’s (1966) diagnosis of Pustulina (= Phlyctisoma ) and, after re-examination of the Malagasy material studied by Secrétan (1964), also agree with her generic attribution.However, we wish to point out that her reconstructions ( Secrétan (1964: figs 37-39) are not correct in that: 1) the rostrum described in the text and illustrated as pointed and trifid is in fact rounded; 2) in the antennal region,only two spines (not three) are aligned, the first one is in fact the strong antennal spine; 3) the cervical groove does not show the small depression in the median portion; and 4) the groove “a”, as shown in the line drawings is not the branchiocardiac groove, but the postcervical one, located not so close to the posterior margin of the cephalothorax; the short groove “c”, as shown in the line drawings is the postcervical, which, in reality is more elongate, joining the hepatic groove.

Infraorder ASTACIDEA Latreille, 1802