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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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.