Description

The Late Cretaceous Konservat-Lagerstätten in Lebanon, Middle East are famous for their exceptionally preserved fishes and crustaceans. A general review of the fossil crustacean faunas is presented and encompasses the Cenomanian outcrops (Hakel, Hadjoula, En Nammoura) and the Santonian outcrop (Sahel Alma). These outcrops offer a unique view to the palaeobiodiversity of crustaceans and help to better understand the evolution of crustacean clades and the timing of their apparition. The taxonomic treatment includes a detailed description of the type species and of all species herein included in each genus. All the diagnoses and descriptions are reported using standard criteria and common descriptive terminology. As much as was possible, we have endeavoured to figure all the species recorded in the literature with photographs and reproductions of the historical illustrations. Thus about 900 specimens have been studied and are illustrated in 530 figures. Thirteen new genera and twenty new species are formally described.

The Mémoires du Muséum publish the first global review of fossil crustaceans from the Late Cretaceous of Lebanon. This volume comprises contributions dealing with diverse groups of Crustaceans (Decapoda, Isopoda, Lophogastrida, Stomatopoda, Cirripedia) with the description of many species and genera new to Palaeontology.