Eryma glaessneri

Eryma glaessneri (Van Straelen, 1936)

(Fig. 4G, H)

Enoploclytia glaessneri Van Straelen, 1936: 10, 11, pl. 3, fig. 1. — Secrétan 1964: 35, 94. — Schweitzer et al. 2010: 22.

Eryma glaessneri – Förster 1966: 123, fig. 22 (non pl. 17, fig. 3). — Feldmann & Titus 2006: 63. — Karasawa et al. 2008: 104.

TYPE MATERIAL. — Holotype MNHG GEPI 28369 housed in MHNG (Van Straelen coll.) (cast MNHN.F.R10204).

TYPE LOCALITY. — Escragnolles, Alpes-Maritimes department, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, southeastern France.

TYPE AGE. — Hauterivian, Early Cretaceous.

DESCRIPTION

Subcylindrical carapace (holotype: CL = 55 mm, CH = 36mm); rostrum not preserved; intercalated plate present but poorly preserved; wide cardiac region and inflated branchial region; deep cervical groove, joined to dorsal margin and to antennal groove, straight and strongly inclined above gastro-orbital groove, straight and subvertical under gastroorbital groove; cephalic region with oblique orbital row of tubercles (antennal not preserved); deep antennal groove, as wide as cervical groove, strongly curved and delimiting raised antennal lobe, shallowest in its anterior end; long, wide gastro-orbital groove originating as deep and large inflexion of cervical groove; wide postcervical groove, dorsally deep, curved forward, strongly inclined, joined to dorsal margin and joined medially to branchiocardiac groove, extended with a long, shallow ventral extension; shallow branchiocardiac groove, shallowest at carapace mid-height, subparallel to postcervical groove, strongly inclined, joined to dorsal margin in posterior-most part of branchial region; narrow, deep hepatic groove, posteriorly concave, anteriorly slightly convex, joined to cervical groove; slightly inflated ω bulge, delimited ventrally by a narrow and shallow depression extending between antennal and hepatic grooves; flat attachment site of adductor testis muscle (χ bulge); deep inferior groove; carapace covered with shallow depressions between small tubercles; cardiac region with an oblique row of coarse tubercles; gastric region with two rows of coarse tubercles parallel to intercalated plate.

DISCUSSION

This species was originally assigned to Enoploclytia M’Coy, 1849 by Van Straelen (1936). Later, Förster (1966) placed it in Eryma; this act was followed by all successive authors until the work by Schweitzer et al. (2010) who re-established Van Straelen’s opinion. The re-examination of the holotype leads us to concur with Förster’s proposition. Indeed, the carapace groove pattern (postcervical and branchiocardiac grooves joined medially) is diagnostic of Eryma.

We note that Förster (1966: pl. 17, fig. 3) figured a specimen which is clearly not Eryma glaessneri, because it exhibits carapace groove pattern (branchiocardiac groove interrupted in carapace mid-height; sinuous postcervical groove) typical of Enoploclytia.