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Fossil Friday: newly-discovered Callichimaera perplexa is an adorable, weird crab

Author: Alexandru Micu / Source: ZME Science

A newly-discovered ancient species is forcing scientists to rethink what exactly counts as a crab.

Callichimaera perplexa.
Image credits Oksana Vernygora / University of Alberta.

An international team led by paleontologists from the Yale University announced the discovery of a treasure trove of hundreds of well-preserved crab specimens.

The fossils include species of true shrimp, comma shrimp and, most excitingly, a new branch of the evolutionary tree of crabs. The specimens were recovered from Colombia and the United States and date back to the mid-Cretaceous (around 90 to 95 million years ago).

Googly-eyed by design

“Callichimaera perplexa is so unique and strange that it can be considered the platypus of the crab world,” said Javier Luque, who led the research efforts.

“It hints at how novel forms evolve and become so disparate through time. Usually we think of crabs as big animals with broad carapaces, strong claws, small eyes in long eyestalks, and a small tail tucked under the body. Well, Callichimaera defies all of these ‘crabby’ features and forces a re-think of our definition of what makes a crab a crab.”

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