THE OLDEST RECORD OF LOPHORANINA (DECAPODA, RANINIDAE) FROM THE LATE CRETACEOUS OF CHIAPAS, SOUTHEASTERN MEXICO

The description of Lophoranina precocious new species from the Late Cr etaceous (early Maastrichtian) Ocozocuautla Formation, Chiapas, Mexico , represents the first occurrence of Lophoranina in pre-Eocene strata. The discovery provides documentation that the evolutionary developmen t of terraced lines in the genus trended from relatively few, undivide d, symmetrical terraces to more numerous, divided, asymmetrical terrac es, and that the overall carapace surface developed a lower relief and became more uniform through time. Terraced lines that appear to be no dose, in most cases, were probably spinose. The morphology of the dors al carapace seems to support affinities of the Raninidae with the Homo lidae.