New Hermit Crabs (Crustacea, Anomura, Paguroidea) From The Lower Oligocene Of The Ligure Piemontese Basin, Northwest Italy

Extinct hermit crabs from Italy have been recorded by several authors, mainly on the basis of both complete or fragmentary chelipeds. Here we add three new paguroids, Dardanus cherpionensis n. sp., Paguristes collinsi n. sp. and Paguristes laurae n. sp., from Lower Oligocene (Rupelian) strata in the Ligure-Piemontese Basin of northwest Italy. Paguristes laurae n. sp. is preserved in situ within the internal mould of a indeterminate xenophorid gastropod.