Urda mccoyi (), an isopod crustacean from the Jurassic of Skye

Abstract

Introduction Although they are abundant and widespread in modern marine and terrestrial habitats, isopods are found only rarely as fossils. The fragile nature of their integument, their environmental preference, and their small size reduces preservation potential. Thus, the discovery of a fossil isopod that extends the geological or geographic range warrants notice. This communication reports the first fossil isopod from Scotland and discusses its implications for the generic placement of a previously described species. A single, nearly complete and well-preserved fossil isopod was collected from the Oxfordian of Staffin Bay, northern Skye. Comparison of this specimen with type specimens, where possible, and illustrations of previously described fossil isopods suggests that it is morphologically similar to the type specimens of Palaega mccoyi [Carter, 1889][1], from the Upper Greensand (Albian: Cretaceous) of Cambridge, England and should be assigned to that species. Further, evaluation of the morphology of Palaega mccoyi, in the context of this study, requires that the species be reassigned to Urda Munster. Systematic description Order ISOPODA Latreille 1817 Suborder UNCERTAIN Family Urdidae Kunth 1870 Urda mccoyi (Carter, 1889) Fig. 2. Material. Unique three-dimensional specimen in calcareous concretion, GSE 15083, in collections of British Geological Survey, Edinburgh. Collected by James McCall of H.M. Geological Survey in June 1936, from ‘just below top red rib praecordatum ’ Subzone, of what is now termed the Dunans Clay Member of the Staffin Shale Formation (Sykes 1975), at Point 5 (Anderson and Dunham 1966, fig. 10; Wright 1973) in Staffin Bay, northern Skye (Fig. 1). . . . [1]: #ref-2