Decapod crustaceans from James Ross Island, Antarctica
Decapod crustaceans from James Ross Island, Antarctica JAMES ROSS
RODNEY M. FELDMAN
Departnzent of Geology Kent State University Kent, Ohio 44242
GROUP FORMATION AR:11^ SE YMOUR
demo-
J
Sonia Marto
Kal^k Point Logfithus Point
The fossil record of crabs and lobsters in the region of the Antarctic Peninsula is truly remarkable. Since the first decapod species was described from the vicinity of James Ross Island (Weller 1903), about 30 taxa have been recognized, spanning the time from Jurassic to Eocene, although none is known from the Albian through the Santonian. This article records the occurrence of several fossil crab and lobster taxa from rocks, ranging in age from Barremian to Campanian, on James Ross Island, Antarctica. The discovery of decapod-rich assemblages in pre-late Campanian rocks of western James Ross Island offers a unique opportunity to expand our understanding of the decapod Crustacea. During the austral summer of 1986-1987, the late Reinhart Forster and Michael Thomson, with an expedition of the British Antarctic Survey, studied Cretaceous rocks cropping out along the western margin of James Ross Island. They made an extensive collection of decapods from the Gustav Group at several sites. Edouardo Olivero, Research Scientist, Centro de Investigaciones en Recursos Geologicos, Argentina, collected fossil decapods from the lowermost formation within the Marambio Group, the Santa Marta Formation. Thus, a large collection of fossil decapod crustaceans from well-documented and accurately dated rocks on James Ross Island is now available for study. The Cretaceous rocks of the James Ross Island region have been subdivided into two groups: the older Gustav Group, which is thought to range in age from Barremian through possibly Santonian (meson, Crame, and Thomson 1986) and the Marambio Group, which spans the remainder of the Cretaceous and extends into the Paleocene (meson et al. 1986; Olivero, Scasso, and Rinaldi 1986; Olivero 1988; Elliot 1988) (figure). The Gustav Group has been subdivided into four formations. The lowermost three, the Lagrelius Point, Kotick Point, and Whisky Bay formations, represent deep-water, fine sediments of slope apron and fan interchannel deposits and as coarse sediments deposited as inner fan sediments (meson 1987). The overlying Hidden Lake Formation was deposited in deltaic and inner-shelf habitats (Macdonald et al. 1988). Trace fossils, attributable to the work of decapods, have been identified throughout the group (meson 1987) and decapod fossils have been collected at least within the Hidden Lake Formation. The overlying Marambio Group has been subdivided into the basal Santa Marta Formation, which comprises coarse to medium siliciclastic sediments deposited in inner shelf habitats (Olivero et al. 1986; Olivero 1988), and the finer grained Lopez de Bertodano Formation, which is representative of shelf sediments deposited generally below storm-wave base (Macellari 1988). The fossil record of lobsters from the Lopez de Bertodano Formation has been well documented (Feldmann 1989; Feldmann and Tshudy 1989; Tshudy and 1990 REVIEW
Map of the James Ross Island region showing the distribution of sedimentary rock units from which decapod crustaceans have been collected and a stratigraphic column of Cretaceous and Paleogene units. Compiled from Elliot (1988), Fleming and Thomson (1979), lneson (1987), and Olivero et al. (1986). Feldmann 1988) whereas no decapods have been described previously from the Santa Marta Formation. Preliminary examination of a small fraction of the fossil material from the Gustav Group and the Santa Marta Formation suggests that at least six taxa are present, all but two of which may be new. These fossils from James Ross Island are older than any that have been studied previously on the eastern margin of the Antarctic Peninsula and provide valuable information about the history of decapods in Antarctica in an interval about which we know nothing currently. Hoploparia stokesi (Weller) and Metanephrops jenkinsi (Feldmann), which are present in both rock units, have been reported from the Lopez de Bertodano Formation previously (Feldmann and Tshudy 1989). In addition to these lobsters, crabs within the Raninidae and the Calappidae have been recognized, as has a callianassid ghost shrimp. A collection of large carapaces and claws from a single locality possibly may be a new anomuran. These taxa bear little resemblance to any previously described taxa from Antarctica. In addition to description of the decapod taxa collected from James Ross Island, current research is focused upon expanding our understanding of possible morphological stasis in the lobster species (Feldmann and Tshudy 1989), interpreting the evolutionary significance of a very early appearance of a raninid which is morphologically "modern" in Antarctica, and continuing the documentation of high latitude origin of deep-water taxa (Zinsmeister and Feldmann 1984). Michael Thomson, British Antarctic Survey, has offered me access to decapod collections in his care, and Edouardo Olivero has, likewise, allowed me to study the material in the collections of Centro de Investigaciones en Recursos Geologicos, Argentina. Without their kind cooperation, this work would not be possible. This research is supported by National Science Foundation grant DPP 89-15439. (Contribution 460, Department of Geology, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242.) References Elliot, D.E. 1988. Tectonic setting and evolution of the James Ross Basin, northern Antarctic Peninsula. In R.M. Feldmann and M.O. Woodburne, (eds.), Geology and paleontology of Seymour island, Ant45
arctica. (Geological Society of America, Memoir 169.) Boulder, Colorado: Geological Society of America. Feldmann, R.M. 1989. Metanephrops jenkinsi n. sp. (Decapoda: Nephropidae) from the Cretaceous and Paleocene of Seymour Island, Antarctica. Journal of Paleontology, 63, 64-69. Feldman, R.M., and D.M. Tshudy. 1989. Evolutionary patterns in macrurous decapod crustaceans from Cretaceous to early Cenozoic rocks of the James Ross Island region, Antarctica. In J.A. Crame (ed.), Origins and evolution of the Antarctic biota. (Geological Sotiety, London, Special Publication.) London: Geological Society. Fleming, L.A., and J.W. Thomson. 1979. Geologic map of Northern Graham Land and South Shetland Islands. British Antarctic Survey, 1:500,000 Geologic Map, Series BAS 500, G, Sheet 2, Edition 1. Ineson, J.R. 1987. Trace fossils from a submarine fan-slope apron complex in the Cretaceous of James Ross Island, Antarctica. British Antarctic Survey Bulletin, 74, 1-16. Ineson, JR., J.A. Crame, and M.R.A. Thomson. 1986. Lithostratigraphy of the Cretaceous strata of west James Ross Island, Antarctica. Cretaceous Research, 7, 141-159. Macdonald, D.I.M., P.F. Barker, S.W. Garrett, and J.R. meson, D. Pirrie, B.C. Storey, A.G. Whitham, R.R.F. Kinghorn, and J.E.A. Marshall. 1988. A preliminary assessment of the hydrocarbon potential of the Larsen Basin, Antarctica. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 5, 34-53.
46
Macellari, C. 1988. Stratigraphy, sedimentology and paleoecology of Upper Cretaceous/Paleocene shelf-deltaic sediments of Seymour Island (Antarctic Peninsula). In R.M. Feldmann and M.O. Woodburne, (eds.), Geology and paleontology of Seymour Island, Antarctica. (Geological Society of America, Memoir 169.) Boulder, Colorado: Geological Society of America. Olivero, E.B. 1988. Early Campanian heteromorph ammonites from James Ross Island, Antarctica. National Geographic Research, 4, 259271. Olivero, E.B., R.A. Scasso, and C.A. Rinaldi. 1986. Revision of the Marambio Group, James Ross Island, Antarctica. Inst it uto Antarctica Argentino Contribucion, 331, 1-29. Tshudy, D.M., and R.M. Feldmann. 1988. Macrurous decapod crustaceans, and their epibionts, from the Lopez de Bertodano Formation (Late Cretaceous), Seymour Island, Antarctica. In R.M. Feldmann and M . O. Woodburne, (eds.), Geology and paleontology of Seymour Island, Antarctica, (Geological Society of America, Memoir 169.) Boulder, Colorado: Geological Society of America. Weller, S. 1903. The Stokes collection of Antarctic fossils. Journal of Geology, 11, 413-419. Zinsmeister, W.J., and R.M. Feldmann. 1984. Cenozoic high latitude heterochroneity of Southern Hemisphere marine faunas. Science, 224, 281-283.
ANTARCTIC JOURNAL
RODNEY M. FELDMAN
Departnzent of Geology Kent State University Kent, Ohio 44242
GROUP FORMATION AR:11^ SE YMOUR
demo-
J
Sonia Marto
Kal^k Point Logfithus Point
The fossil record of crabs and lobsters in the region of the Antarctic Peninsula is truly remarkable. Since the first decapod species was described from the vicinity of James Ross Island (Weller 1903), about 30 taxa have been recognized, spanning the time from Jurassic to Eocene, although none is known from the Albian through the Santonian. This article records the occurrence of several fossil crab and lobster taxa from rocks, ranging in age from Barremian to Campanian, on James Ross Island, Antarctica. The discovery of decapod-rich assemblages in pre-late Campanian rocks of western James Ross Island offers a unique opportunity to expand our understanding of the decapod Crustacea. During the austral summer of 1986-1987, the late Reinhart Forster and Michael Thomson, with an expedition of the British Antarctic Survey, studied Cretaceous rocks cropping out along the western margin of James Ross Island. They made an extensive collection of decapods from the Gustav Group at several sites. Edouardo Olivero, Research Scientist, Centro de Investigaciones en Recursos Geologicos, Argentina, collected fossil decapods from the lowermost formation within the Marambio Group, the Santa Marta Formation. Thus, a large collection of fossil decapod crustaceans from well-documented and accurately dated rocks on James Ross Island is now available for study. The Cretaceous rocks of the James Ross Island region have been subdivided into two groups: the older Gustav Group, which is thought to range in age from Barremian through possibly Santonian (meson, Crame, and Thomson 1986) and the Marambio Group, which spans the remainder of the Cretaceous and extends into the Paleocene (meson et al. 1986; Olivero, Scasso, and Rinaldi 1986; Olivero 1988; Elliot 1988) (figure). The Gustav Group has been subdivided into four formations. The lowermost three, the Lagrelius Point, Kotick Point, and Whisky Bay formations, represent deep-water, fine sediments of slope apron and fan interchannel deposits and as coarse sediments deposited as inner fan sediments (meson 1987). The overlying Hidden Lake Formation was deposited in deltaic and inner-shelf habitats (Macdonald et al. 1988). Trace fossils, attributable to the work of decapods, have been identified throughout the group (meson 1987) and decapod fossils have been collected at least within the Hidden Lake Formation. The overlying Marambio Group has been subdivided into the basal Santa Marta Formation, which comprises coarse to medium siliciclastic sediments deposited in inner shelf habitats (Olivero et al. 1986; Olivero 1988), and the finer grained Lopez de Bertodano Formation, which is representative of shelf sediments deposited generally below storm-wave base (Macellari 1988). The fossil record of lobsters from the Lopez de Bertodano Formation has been well documented (Feldmann 1989; Feldmann and Tshudy 1989; Tshudy and 1990 REVIEW
Map of the James Ross Island region showing the distribution of sedimentary rock units from which decapod crustaceans have been collected and a stratigraphic column of Cretaceous and Paleogene units. Compiled from Elliot (1988), Fleming and Thomson (1979), lneson (1987), and Olivero et al. (1986). Feldmann 1988) whereas no decapods have been described previously from the Santa Marta Formation. Preliminary examination of a small fraction of the fossil material from the Gustav Group and the Santa Marta Formation suggests that at least six taxa are present, all but two of which may be new. These fossils from James Ross Island are older than any that have been studied previously on the eastern margin of the Antarctic Peninsula and provide valuable information about the history of decapods in Antarctica in an interval about which we know nothing currently. Hoploparia stokesi (Weller) and Metanephrops jenkinsi (Feldmann), which are present in both rock units, have been reported from the Lopez de Bertodano Formation previously (Feldmann and Tshudy 1989). In addition to these lobsters, crabs within the Raninidae and the Calappidae have been recognized, as has a callianassid ghost shrimp. A collection of large carapaces and claws from a single locality possibly may be a new anomuran. These taxa bear little resemblance to any previously described taxa from Antarctica. In addition to description of the decapod taxa collected from James Ross Island, current research is focused upon expanding our understanding of possible morphological stasis in the lobster species (Feldmann and Tshudy 1989), interpreting the evolutionary significance of a very early appearance of a raninid which is morphologically "modern" in Antarctica, and continuing the documentation of high latitude origin of deep-water taxa (Zinsmeister and Feldmann 1984). Michael Thomson, British Antarctic Survey, has offered me access to decapod collections in his care, and Edouardo Olivero has, likewise, allowed me to study the material in the collections of Centro de Investigaciones en Recursos Geologicos, Argentina. Without their kind cooperation, this work would not be possible. This research is supported by National Science Foundation grant DPP 89-15439. (Contribution 460, Department of Geology, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242.) References Elliot, D.E. 1988. Tectonic setting and evolution of the James Ross Basin, northern Antarctic Peninsula. In R.M. Feldmann and M.O. Woodburne, (eds.), Geology and paleontology of Seymour island, Ant45
arctica. (Geological Society of America, Memoir 169.) Boulder, Colorado: Geological Society of America. Feldmann, R.M. 1989. Metanephrops jenkinsi n. sp. (Decapoda: Nephropidae) from the Cretaceous and Paleocene of Seymour Island, Antarctica. Journal of Paleontology, 63, 64-69. Feldman, R.M., and D.M. Tshudy. 1989. Evolutionary patterns in macrurous decapod crustaceans from Cretaceous to early Cenozoic rocks of the James Ross Island region, Antarctica. In J.A. Crame (ed.), Origins and evolution of the Antarctic biota. (Geological Sotiety, London, Special Publication.) London: Geological Society. Fleming, L.A., and J.W. Thomson. 1979. Geologic map of Northern Graham Land and South Shetland Islands. British Antarctic Survey, 1:500,000 Geologic Map, Series BAS 500, G, Sheet 2, Edition 1. Ineson, J.R. 1987. Trace fossils from a submarine fan-slope apron complex in the Cretaceous of James Ross Island, Antarctica. British Antarctic Survey Bulletin, 74, 1-16. Ineson, JR., J.A. Crame, and M.R.A. Thomson. 1986. Lithostratigraphy of the Cretaceous strata of west James Ross Island, Antarctica. Cretaceous Research, 7, 141-159. Macdonald, D.I.M., P.F. Barker, S.W. Garrett, and J.R. meson, D. Pirrie, B.C. Storey, A.G. Whitham, R.R.F. Kinghorn, and J.E.A. Marshall. 1988. A preliminary assessment of the hydrocarbon potential of the Larsen Basin, Antarctica. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 5, 34-53.
46
Macellari, C. 1988. Stratigraphy, sedimentology and paleoecology of Upper Cretaceous/Paleocene shelf-deltaic sediments of Seymour Island (Antarctic Peninsula). In R.M. Feldmann and M.O. Woodburne, (eds.), Geology and paleontology of Seymour Island, Antarctica. (Geological Society of America, Memoir 169.) Boulder, Colorado: Geological Society of America. Olivero, E.B. 1988. Early Campanian heteromorph ammonites from James Ross Island, Antarctica. National Geographic Research, 4, 259271. Olivero, E.B., R.A. Scasso, and C.A. Rinaldi. 1986. Revision of the Marambio Group, James Ross Island, Antarctica. Inst it uto Antarctica Argentino Contribucion, 331, 1-29. Tshudy, D.M., and R.M. Feldmann. 1988. Macrurous decapod crustaceans, and their epibionts, from the Lopez de Bertodano Formation (Late Cretaceous), Seymour Island, Antarctica. In R.M. Feldmann and M . O. Woodburne, (eds.), Geology and paleontology of Seymour Island, Antarctica, (Geological Society of America, Memoir 169.) Boulder, Colorado: Geological Society of America. Weller, S. 1903. The Stokes collection of Antarctic fossils. Journal of Geology, 11, 413-419. Zinsmeister, W.J., and R.M. Feldmann. 1984. Cenozoic high latitude heterochroneity of Southern Hemisphere marine faunas. Science, 224, 281-283.
ANTARCTIC JOURNAL
