Description
Lignihomola etheridgei (Etheridge’s Wood Homola) is an extinct marine crab from Australia’s Cretaceous inland seas.
This species is dated to approximately 95–104 million years ago (Cretaceous) and is known from the Allaru Formation, Currane Station, Ilfracombe, Central West Queensland.
Specimens range from 3.3–5.1 cm carapace length and represent benthic crustaceans that lived in shallow marine environments within the Eromanga Sea system.
Originally described as Prosopon etheridgei by Henry Woodward in 1892, the species has undergone several taxonomic revisions, being reassigned to Homolopsis (van Straelen, 1928), Zygastrocarcinus (Bishop, 1992) and finally placed in the genus Lignihomola by Collins (1997). These revisions reflect ongoing refinement in understanding fossil crab relationships.
The genus name Lignihomola refers to its similarity to modern carrier crabs in the genus Homola, combined with the Latin lignum (Wood), honouring contributions to Australian crab palaeontology by Henry Woodward and Jack Woods.
Modern Homola species are known as “carrier crabs” for their behaviour of carrying sponges or debris for camouflage, typically living in deep marine environments (>100 m). In contrast, L. etheridgei is interpreted to have inhabited shallower marine waters based on its depositional environment.
Each specimen is carefully prepared and represents a unique fossil with natural variation in preservation and completeness.
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Key features
- Authentic fossil specimen
- Taxon: Lignihomola etheridgei (marine crab, Arthropoda)
- Age: 95–104 million years (Cretaceous)
- Origin: Allaru Formation, Eromanga Sea system, Queensland, Australia
- Museum-prepared specimen
- Natural variation in preservation
Note
As a natural fossil, variations in colour, texture and completeness are expected and add to the uniqueness of each specimen. All fossils sold by the Museum are common and widely represented and are not of scientific research value.
Shipping is only available within Australia.
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