Help With Crab (Lutetian [Eocene] - Alicante [Spain])

[balanocidaris]

Hi everyone,

As I have almost no idea about fossil crabs, I would like to ask for some help to identify or at least try it, about this specimen of crab found (very unusually) at the Lutetian of the Alicante province of Spain, in a mainly echinoid site. I'm still very carefully trying to clean it, so the pictures shows just a part. I'm really afraid to destroy some parts while the cleaning proccess... Unfortunatelly, when found, it shows a pair of already broken like-horny bulbs at both sides of body, as well as a little part of the right "hand".

Taking some views over there it remembers me a little to Harpactoxanthopsis quadrilobata, but the more bulbous caparace of mine makes me hesitate.

I know that small remains ("hands" and even a small hemi-complete shell) have been before found, but as very rare remains and I've heard that it could be an unidentified specie.

Anybody has an idea?

Thanks in advance!

Regards.

Edited November 12, 2012 by balanocidaris

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