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Species:
Animalia
Arthropoda
Crustacea
Multicrustacea
Malacostraca
Eumalacostraca
Eucarida
Decapoda
Pleocyemata
Brachyura
Eubrachyura
Heterotremata
Dorippoidea (MacLeay, 1838)
Goniochelidae † (Schweitzer and Feldmann, 2011)
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Goniochele † (Bell, 1858)
Goniochele angulata † (Bell, 1858)
Citation:
MNHN, Chagnoux S (2025). The fossil collection (F) of the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN - Paris). Version 68.420. MNHN - Museum national d'Histoire naturelle. Occurrence dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/fjjmkb accessed via GBIF.org on 2025-11-06. https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/419592478
Carapace angular, hexagonal, slightly wider than long, length about 95 % maximum width, widest at anterolateral corner, over half the distance posteriorly on carapace; flattened both transversely and longitudinally, finely granular overall.
Front wide, about 40 % maximum carapace width, medial part unknown, laterally with two long, slender spines; inner spine directed forward; outer spine directed anterolaterally and forming inner-orbital spine.
Orbit shallow, directed forward with stout, triangular outer-orbital spine and short intra-orbital spine, lower orbital margin with granular rim, fronto-orbital width about 65 % maximum carapace width.
Anterolateral margins longer than posterolateral margins, with three short and one very long, posterolaterally directed spine at anterolateral angle; posterolateral margin with granular ridge; posterior margin rimmed, concave.
Protogastric regions small, with small spherical swellings anteriorly; hepatic regions small, rectangular, with spherical swelling anteriorly; mesogastric region with long anterior process extending almost to frontal margin, with spherical swelling at about midlength; metagastric region long, bounded by deep grooves posteriorly; urogastric region laterally constricted, bounded by large spherical swellings laterally; cardiac region triangular, with three swellings, extending almost to posterior margin of carapace; intestinal region absent. Epibranchial region arcuate, ridge-like; remainder of branchial regions undifferentiated, with longitudinal ridge subparallel to axis.
Flanks high, pterygostomial region coarsely granular.
Chelipeds short, stout, nearly isochelous.
Chelae with stout, high, short fixed finger; movable finger slender, occluding against fixed finger at high angle; manus high, with longitudinal ridges along upper and middle surfaces; lower half of manus flattened and flange-like, with small spines along lower margin.
Pereiopods 4 and 5 reduced in size, pereiopod 5 subdorsal, possibly pereiopod 4 also subdorsal.
Female sternites 1–2 fused, long; sternite 3 large; sternite 4 large, long, with central swellings along anterior margin; female gonopores on sternite 6, very large, circular; press buttons small, located at distal edge if gonopores; sternites 7 and 8 reduced.
Male sternite 4 large, with swellings centrally; sternite 5 with transverse ridge, press buttons anterior to sternal sutures 5/6, close to sternoabdominal cavity; sternites 5 and 6 long, wide; sternites 7 and 8 very reduced, at nearly 90 º angle to other sternites; sternal sutures 4/5 and 5/6 incomplete, 6/7 possibly incomplete, 7/8 complete.
Male abdominal somites 3–5 fused but with notches in margin between somites; female abdominal somites all free.
Description from: Schweitzer, C. E. and R. M. Feldmann (2011). "New fossil Brachyura (Decapoda: Homoloidea, Dorippoidea, Carpilioidea) from the United Kingdom." Bulletin of the Mizunami Fossil Museum 37: 1–11.
Sheppey:
Butts Cliff:
Allhallows:
Aveley:
Medway Estuary Site:
Maylandsea:
Steeple Bay:
Tankerton:
Elmley:
Herne Bay:
Hampton Pier:
Upnor:
Seasalter:
Walton-on-the-Naze:
Present
Present
Present
Present
Present
Present
-
Present
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Present
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(Coming soon)
Bell, T. (1858). A monograph of the fossil malacostracous Crustacea of Great Britain. London, Printed for the Palæontographical Society.
Goniochele angulata is one of the rarer crabs found in the London Clay, complete specimens are very rare.
Fig.
3. Goniochele angulata (p. 26). Mr. Wetherell's collection. Sheppey.
4. Old specimen of Goniochele angulata, showing the male abdomen, and the situation of the last two pairs of legs. Mr. Bowerbank's collection. Sheppey.
5. Female Goniochele angulata, showing the relative position of the two legs, and the female abdomen. Mr. Wetherell's collection. Sheppey.
6. Under side of fig. 1, showing the claw.
7. Front view of the same specimen, showing the front, the orbits, &c.
8, 9. Male and female abdomen of Goniochele angulata.
Citation:
Bell, T. (1858). A monograph of the fossil malacostracous Crustacea of Great Britain. London, Printed for the Palæontographical Society.
Image from: Tony Vale
Citation:
MNHN, Chagnoux S (2025). The fossil collection (F) of the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN - Paris). Version 68.420. MNHN - Museum national d'Histoire naturelle. Occurrence dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/fjjmkb accessed via GBIF.org on 2025-11-06. https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/417182825
Many thanks to Tony Vale for premission to use image(s) on this page.
Bell, T. (1858). A monograph of the fossil malacostracous Crustacea of Great Britain. London, Printed for the Palæontographical Society.
Rayner, D. a. M., Tony and Rayner, Martin (2009). London clay fossils of Kent and Essex, Medway Lapidary \& Mineral Society.
Schweitzer, C. E. and R. M. Feldmann (2011). "New fossil Brachyura (Decapoda: Homoloidea, Dorippoidea, Carpilioidea) from the United Kingdom." Bulletin of the Mizunami Fossil Museum 37: 1–11.
DecaNet eds. (2025). DecaNet. Goniochele angulata Bell, 1858 †. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1619319 on 2025-11-06
DecaNet eds. (2025). DecaNet. Dorippoidea MacLeay, 1838. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=106697 on 2025-11-06
MNHN, Chagnoux S (2025). The fossil collection (F) of the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN - Paris). Version 68.420. MNHN - Museum national d'Histoire naturelle. Occurrence dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/fjjmkb accessed via GBIF.org on 2025-11-06. https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/419592478
MNHN, Chagnoux S (2025). The fossil collection (F) of the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN - Paris). Version 68.420. MNHN - Museum national d'Histoire naturelle. Occurrence dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/fjjmkb accessed via GBIF.org on 2025-11-06. https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/417182825
DecaNet eds. (2025). DecaNet. Dorippoidea MacLeay, 1838. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=106697 on 2025-11-07
Collins, J. S. H., C. J. T. Mellish, A. J. Ross, P. R. Crabb and S. K. Donovan (2020). "A guide to the fossil Decapoda (Crustacea: Axiidea, Anomura, Brachyura) of the British Isles." Proceedings of the Geologists' Association 131(1): 19–50.