Article: New Triassic isopod crustaceans from northern Italy
Publication: Palaeontology
Volume:
37
Part:
4
Publication Date:
March
1995
Page(s):
801
–
810
Author(s):
Daniela Basso and Andrea Tintori
Abstract
Two new Triassic isopod crustaceans from the southern Calcareous Alps are described on the basis of well preserved specimens. This small assemblage comes from the late Norian Calcare di Zorzino, which is especially well-known for its vertebrate fauna. At least two new genera of Isopoda are present, here assign to the Sphaeromatidae and Serolidae. Triassphaeroma magnificum is erected for specimens whose single first pleonal unit comprises five fused tergites, a feature peculiar to Sphaeromatidae. Elioserolis alpina is the first definitive fossil representative of the Serolidae so far known; attribution is on the basis of the round shape, head inserted in the first pereionite, and reduced number of pleionites. Specimens are preserved in a way which indicates that the biphasic moulting of Recent isopods had already evolved in late Triassic serolids.