Cyclocorystes pulchellus is an uncommon crab found at a few London Clay sites. It lived between 56.0 - 47.8 Ma. It had well developed eyesight and was carnivorous. Necrozius bowerbankii is a synonym of Cyclocorystes pulchellus.
It has been recorded at the following sites:
Aveley Pit Number 2, Medway Estuary, Maylandsea, Stepple Bay, Tankerton, Elmley, Herne Bay and Hampton Pier.
It has been recorded in the following divisions:
B1, B2, C, D and E.
Description: Carapace nearly circular, front produced, almost straight, smooth, anterolateral margins without spines, regions distinct, flattened.
(Description from: A guide to the fossil Decapoda (Crustacea: Axiidea, Anomura, Brachyura) of the British Isles)
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Crustacea
Superclass: Multicrustacea
Class: Malacostraca
Subclass: Eumalacostraca
Superorder: Eucarida
Order: Decapoda
Suborder: Pleocyemata
Infraorder: Brachyura
Section: Eubrachyura
Subsection: Heterotremata
Superfamily: Carpilioidea (Closest living relatives)
Family: Tumidocarcinidae
Genus: Cyclocorystes
Species: Cyclocorystes pulchellus
Image accreditation:
Cyclocorystes pulchellus closest living relatives are from the superfamily Carpilioidea. The modern range of this family includes the Indo-Pacific, Western Atlantic and Caribbean Sea.
This family of crabs have been around since the Paleocene (66 Ma - 56 Ma).
References:
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/417290096
[A monograph of the fossil malacostracous Crustacea of Great Britain]
https://www.mindat.org/taxon-4945588.html
https://science.mnhn.fr/institution/mnhn/collection/f/item/a24545?listIndex=8&listCount=31
https://marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1619318
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/3028087095
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpilioidea
Further reading:
https://www.gbif.org/species/4945588
http://www.mbfossilcrabs.com/Carpilioidea.html
https://ia904704.us.archive.org/7/items/monographoffossi12bell/monographoffossi12bell.pdf
Papers:
Joe S.H. Collins, Claire J.T. Mellish, Andrew J. Ross, Phillip R. Crabb, Stephen K. Donovan (2020), A guide to the fossil Decapoda (Crustacea: Axiidea, Anomura, Brachyura) of the British Isles