Tanzanonautes

Tanzanonautes tuerkayi is a species of fossil freshwater crab from Tanzania, the only species in the genus Tanzanonautes.[1] It is the oldest known freshwater crab, and probably dates from the Oligocene;[1][2] the next oldest specimens are from the Miocene.[1] A number of fragmentary remains were discovered in the Songwe Valley part of the East African Rift in Mbeya Region, Tanzania (approximately 8°56′S 33°12′E), in fragile sandstone sediments.[1] The animal had a carapace around 50 millimetres (2.0 in) across the widest part, which is around 15 mm (0.6 in) from the front of the carapace; the carapace is 44 mm (1.7 in) from front to back, and the slightly inward-curving rear edge of the carapace is 28 mm (1.1 in) across.[1] The genus name refers to Tanzania, the country where the fossil was found, while the specific epithet commemorates Michael Türkay, an authority on freshwater crabs.[1] The genus Tanzanonautes is assigned to the family Potamonautidae, although the characters mentioned in the family's diagnosis are missing from the fragmentary fossils available.[1]

Tanzanonautes tuerkayi
Temporal range: Oligocene
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Subphylum:
Crustacea
Class:
Malacostraca
Order:
Decapoda
Infraorder:
Brachyura
Family:
Potamonautidae
Genus:
Tanzanonautes

Feldmann et al., 2007
Species:
T. tuerkai
Binomial name
Tanzanonautes tuerkayi
Feldmann et al., 2007

References
  1. Rodney M. Feldmann, Patrick M. O'Connor, Nancy J. Stevens, Michael D. Gottfried, Eric M. Roberts, Sifa Ngasala, Erin L. Rasmusson & Saidi Kapilima (2007). "A new freshwater crab (Decapoda: Brachyura: Potamonautidae) from the Paleogene of Tanzania, Africa" (PDF). Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Abhandlungen. 244 (1): 71–78. doi:10.1127/0077-7749/2007/0244-0071.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. Sebastian Klaus, Darren C. J. Yeo & Shane T. Ahyong (2011). "Freshwater crab origins – laying Gondwana to rest". Zoologischer Anzeiger. 250 (4): 449–456. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.648.7771. doi:10.1016/j.jcz.2011.07.001.


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