Exquisitely-Preserved Triassic Crustacean Fossil

Description: This exceptional specimen is an example of a lophogastridan malacostracan from the MiddleTriassic of China. Few members of the order are well known, with a familiar example coming from the Carboniferous deposits of Mazon Creek. It is only the third member of its genus to be described, with the others coming from the Alsace region of France. They come from opposite sides of the Tethys Ocean at approximately the same paleolatitude. This is a large member of the species in that most known specimens rarely exceed 20 mm in length. It is further rendered unusual in that it possesses some 3-D relief; most are preserved only as a carbonized film.