Actinotocarcinus

Actinotocarcinus is a genus of crabs that existed during the Eocene epoch. The genus is known from a single species, Actinotocarcinus scylla, which was discovered in the United States.

Taxonomy

The genus Actinotocarcinus belongs to the family Portunidae, a large family of crabs. The genus was first described by paleontologist Samuel Hubbard Scudder in 1882. The only known species, Actinotocarcinus scylla, was also described by Scudder.

Description

Actinotocarcinus scylla is known from a single, well-preserved fossil specimen. The crab had a broad, oval carapace (shell), with a smooth surface. The front of the carapace had two large, forward-pointing spines. The crab's pereiopods (walking legs) were long and slender, and its chelipeds (claws) were large and powerful.

Habitat and ecology

Actinotocarcinus scylla lived during the Eocene epoch, a time when the climate was warm and the seas were high. The crab likely lived in shallow, coastal waters, where it would have been a predator of small invertebrates.

Fossil record

The only known fossil of Actinotocarcinus scylla was discovered in the Green River Formation in the United States. This formation is known for its well-preserved fossils of fish, birds, and other animals.

See also

• List of prehistoric decapod species
• Eocene
• Crustacean