Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous stalked barnacles (Cirripedia, genus Eolepas Withers, 1928) from Štramberk, Moravia (Czech Republic)

Abstract

Newly collected material of stalked barnacles, here assigned to the scalpelliform Eolepas, is recorded from Upper Jurassic (middle–upper Tithonian) and Lower Cretaceous (lower Berriasian–lower Hauterivian) limestones exposed at Kotouč quarry near Štramberk, Moravia, Czech Republic. The latter records constitute the first definite note of the genus from post-Jurassic strata. Seven carinae in the collections of the Národní Muzeum (Prague) are referred to the strambergensis morphotype, while three additional carinae and three terga show features typical of fimbriata. Because the original type of Brachylepas(?) fimbriatus has been lost, a neotype is designated here. We show that the holotype of Hamites(?) strambergensis Blaschke, 1911 refers to the same species that a later year was described by Withers (1912) as Brachylepas(?) tithonicus; it thus has priority. It is noted that differences between these two forms, as expressed in size and details of ornament, might turn out to be growth related, and that they could well be conspecific. On the basis of an XRD analysis, a carina is here shown to consist of francolite (calcium phosphate), a mineralogy typical of Eolepas. Relationships between the Moravian species and Late Jurassic congeners from England, Germany and France are briefly commented upon, as is the stratigraphy of cirripede occurrences at Kotouč Hill, with reference to the present material and previously recorded specimens.