New record of Eryma (Crustacea, Decapoda) from the Middle Jurassic (Bathonian) of NE Armenia

Decapod lobsters of the family Erymidae are important components of Middle–Upper Jurassic marine ecosystems, yet their fossil record in the Lesser Caucasus remains sparse. This study documents a fossil chela of an erymid lobster from middle Bathonian strata in Tavush Province (northeastern Armenia). It consists of a large propodus with two elongated fingers, preserved in a carbonate concretion from a prominent nodular horizon within marlstones, which also yielded poorly preserved ammonites and abundant deep-infaunal bivalves. Based on its large size, morphology, and microornamentation, the chela is referred to as Eryma ventrosum (Meyer, 1835). E. ventrosum is a well-known decapod species, widely documented from Middle–Upper Jurassic localities in France, but discovered for the first time in Armenia. Our record therefore extends the paleobiogeographic distribution of the European Eryma fauna further to the east within the tropical Neo-Tethys seaway.