Systematics of 12 Jurassic, Cretaceous, and Paleogene squat lobster taxa (Galatheoidea)

Abstract Squat lobsters within Galatheoidea are very diverse with over 1,300 extant species that live in all marine ecosystems, but their fossil record, starting the Middle Jurassic, consists of only ~200 species. Consequently, much remains to be learned about biodiversity, phylogeny, and paleobiogeography. We describe five new ( Galatheites sforum n. sp., Kimmeridgian, Late Germany; Vasconilia zapotitlanensis Barremian, Early Cretaceous, Mexico; Eomunidopsis texcalaensis Protomunida bennickei Danian, Paleocene, Denmark; eurekantha Denmark) one genus Tethysgalathea gen., Ypresian, Eocene, Italy). further reassign Munida cretacea (Albian, Texas, USA) Galathea? , return Eomunidopsis? cobbani (Campanian, Colorado, its original genus, report on second occurrence Vetoplautus latimarginus Robins et al., 2013 (Tithonian, Czech Republic), reinstate Palaeomunidopsis moutieri (middle Bathonian, France) as oldest galatheoid known date. The species, found limestones containing corals, increase diversity record by 2.5%. Finally, common yet hitherto unrecognized was discovered making casts external molds, revealing distinct spines posterior margin more difficult see internal molds specimens cuticle due breakage. Collecting studying for galatheoids other decapods could yield additional cryptic UUID: http://zoobank.org/68a25381-65c6-4773-a4f2-71d9b0a25304