Pisa armata (Latreille, 1803)

Garassino, Alessandro, Pasini, Giovanni, Angeli, Antonio De & Hyžný, MatÚš, 2014, The decapod fauna (Axiidea, Anomura, Brachyura) from the Late Pleistocene of Trumbacà, Reggio Calabria (Calabria, southern Italy), Natural History Sciences 1 (2), pp. 119-130 : 126

Pisa armata (Latreille, 1803)

Fig. 3A

Material and measurements: One right propodus with carpus lacking dactylus (MSNM i27880 – hpa: 11 mm; li: 6 mm; lpa: 12 mm); one left propodus lacking dactylus and carpus (MSNM i27881 – hpa: 9 mm; li: 5 mm; lpa: 10 mm); one incomplete left propodus (MSNM i27882 – li: 5 mm).

Description: Propodus with smooth rectangular palm, longer than high, with rounded dorsal and lower margins, slightly inflated medially, compressed at the insertion with the dactylus; typical index with lower margin strongly curved downward-directed proximally, then forward-directed and spooned at the tip; a rim of small teeth is present along the outer margin; trigonal short carpus with stout rounded tubercles.

Discussion. Even though incomplete, we ascribe confidently to this species three propodi for the above-mentioned characters, sharing with the propodus of the extant Pisa armata . This species was already reported in the fossil record of Italy from the Early Pliocene of “La Serra” quarry ( Pisa , Tuscany, central Italy) (Garassino et al., 2012), and from the Late Pleistocene of Monte Pellegrino (Palermo, Sicily, southern Italy) ( Gemmellaro, 1914). In the Mediterranean Sea, P. armata occupies usually rocky hard grounds or mud-sandy rich in weeds, ranging from 1 to 500 meter deep, but commonly between 50-160 meter deep ( Falciai & Minervini, 1992).

Figures

Fig. 3 - A) Pisa armata (Latreille, 1803), MSNM i27880, right chela, outer and inner views (x 3.2). B) Atelecyclus undecimdentatus (Herbst, 1783), MSNM i27879, right chela, outer view (x 3.7). C) Pilumnus hirtellus (Linnaeus, 1761), MSNM i27904, carapace in dorsal view (x 8.5). D) Pilumnus hirtellus (Linnaeus, 1761), MSNM i27912, right chela, outer and inner views (x 7.5). E) Xantho cf. X. incisus (Leach, 1814), MSNM i27908, left chela, outer and inner views (x 4.6).