Fossil crabs (Crustacea : Decapoda : Brachyura) from the latest Miocene Senhata Formation, Boso Peninsula, Japan

Abstract

Two species of fossil decapods, Maja tomidai sp. nov. and Daldorfia sp. are described from the latest Miocene Senhata Formation of the Boso Peninsula, central Japan. The former species resembles Maja morii Kato from the middle Miocene of Japan and Maja dominoleuae Hu and Tao from the late Miocene of Taiwan. A large palm of Daldorfia sp. is the third fossil record of the genus from Japan. The discovery of Daldorfia sp. supports the existence of subtropical to tropical marine conditions in the latest Miocene of the Boso Peninsula indicated previously by molluscan evidence.