Mexican Connection

National Science Foundation Grant INT-0003058, The Mexican Connection: Global Paleobiogeographic Implications from a Regional Study, 2000-2005, Co-PI's Rodney M. Feldmann and Carrie E. Schweitzer

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Publications

Click here for occurrence and systematics data for Baja decapods

Goals of Grant

Fossil decapod crustaceans were reported from Baja California Sur in anecdotal reports and in short descriptive papers. Based upon these reports, we investigated the systematics and paleobiogeography of Eocene decapods from the Tepetate and Bateque formations of Baja California Sur, Mexico. Field work in the region has resulted in two new genera and six new species thus far (Schweitzer et al., 2002). Paleobiogeographic analysis of Central American decapods has demonstrated a high degree of endemicity in the region.

A large number of decapod crustacean specimens were collected in the past two field seasons. That work is currently in progress and will result in papers on fossil decapods from the Eocene Bateque and Tepetate Formations and the Pliocene Salado Formation.

An Oasis near La Purísima, Baja California Sur, Mexico (2003)

Publications

Peer-reviewed Journal Articles

Schweitzer, C. E., R. M. Feldmann, G. Gonzales-Barba, and F. J. Vega. 2002. New crabs from the Eocene and Oligocene of Baja California Sur, Mexico and an assessment of the evolutionary and paleobiogeographic implications of Mexican fossil decapods. The Paleontological Society Memoir 59 (Supplement to Journal of Paleontology, 76): 43 p.

Schweitzer, C. E., and H. Karasawa. 2004. Revision of Amydrocarcinus and Palaeograpsus (Decapoda: Brachyura: Xanthoidea) with definition of three new genera. Paleontological Research, 8: 71-86.

Schweitzer, C. E. 2005. The Trapeziidae and Domeciidae (Decapoda: Brachyura: Xanthoidea) in the fossil record and a new Eocene genus from Baja California Sur, Mexico. Journal of Crustacean Biology, 25: 626-636.

Schweitzer, C. E., G. González-Barba, R. M. Feldmann, and D. A. Waugh. 2006 [imprint 2005]. Decapoda (Thalassinoidea and Paguroidea from the Eocene Bateque and Tepetate formations, Baja California Sur, México: systematics, cuticle microstructure, and paleoecology. Annals of Carnegie Museum, 74: 275-293.

Schweitzer, C. E., M. Iturralde-Vinent, J. L. Hetler, and J. Velez-Juarbe. 2006. Oligocene and Miocene decapods (Thalassinidea and Brachyura) from the Caribbean. Annals of Carnegie Museum, 75: 111-136.

Karasawa, H., and C. E. Schweitzer. 2006. A new classification of the Xanthoidea sensu lato (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura) based on phylogenetic analysis and traditional systematics and evaluation of all fossil Xanthoidea sensu lato. Contributions to Zoology, 75: 23-72.

Schweitzer, C. E., R. M. Feldmann, G. González-Barba, and V. Ćosović. 2006. New Decapoda (Anomura, Brachyura) from the Eocene Bateque and Tepetate formations, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Bulletin of the Mizunami Fossil Museum, 33: 21-45.

Karasawa, H., and C. E. Schweitzer. 2006. A New Classification of the Xanthoidea sensu lato (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura) Based on Phylogenetic Analysis and Traditional Systematics and Evaluation of All Fossil Xanthoidea sensu lato. Contributions to Zoology, 75(1/2): 23-72 .

Schweitzer, C. E., R. M. Feldmann, and H. Karasawa. 2007. Revision of the Carcineretidae Beurlen, 1930 (Decapoda: Brachyura: Portunoidea) and remarks on the Portunidae Rafinesque, 1815. Annals of Carnegie Museum, 15-37.

Feldmann, R. M., and C. E. Schweitzer. 2007. Sexual dimorphism in fossil and extant Raninidae (Decapoda: Brachyura). Annals of Carnegie Museum, 39-52.

Schweitzer, C. E., R. M. Feldmann, G. Gonzalez-Barba, and V. Ćosović. 2007. Fossil decapods from the Eocene Tepetate Formation, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Annals of Carnegie Museum, 1-14.

Abstracts of Papers Given at Meetings

Schweitzer, C. E., R. M. Feldmann, D. A. Waugh, and G. Gonzales-Barba. 2003. New Eocene fossil decapod crustaceans from Baja California Sur: a Tethyan link. Geological Society of America Annual Meeting Abstracts with Programs, 35(6):56.

Schweitzer, C. E., and R. M. Feldmann. 2006. Are paddle-like pereiopods a phylogenetically appropriate character within the Brachyura? Geological Society of America 2006 Abstracts with Programs North Central Section, 38(4): 56.