New Albian-Cenomanian crabs (Crustacea, Decapoda, Podotremata) from Monte Orobe, Navarra, northern Spain

Abstract

Collections made by Máximo Ruiz de Gaona and Luis Via Boada between 1940 and 1982, from the Albian-Cenomanian reefal limestones at Monte Orobe (Navarra, northern Spain), now housed at the Museo Geológico del Seminario de Barcelona together with newly recovered material, have enabled the recognition of two new primitive crabs. A new genus, Viaia n. gen. (type: Viaia robusta n. sp.), is compared to the closely related Heeia from northern France and southern England; both genera are referred to Viaiidae n. fam., which is characterised by clearly distinguishable features, notably a peculiar cavity at the lateral sides of the carapace. A new genus and species of homolid, Navarrahomola hispanica n. gen., n. sp., is also described and discussed. The two new genera are closely related to podotreme crabs from Albian-Cenomanian levels in southern England and northern France, which confirms the close biogeographic links between these areas.