AN OVERVIEW OF PREDATION EVIDENCE FOUND ON FOSSIL DECAPOD CRUSTACEANS, WITH NEW EXAMPLES OF DRILL HOLES

Predators of extant decapod crustaceans are fairly well-known, but not much is known about predation on decapods in the fossil record in contrast to many other fossil invertebrate groups. We provide the first overview of evidence of predation on decapods from the fossil record and show that it is perhaps more common than currently recognized. Examples thus far are mainly drill holes in the exoskeleton of decapods and decapod remains preserved as stomach contents; bite marks, incisions or irregular holes, and possible regurgitated material are minor categories of predation. The unambiguous predators of decapods in the fossil record are fish, plesiosaurs, ammonites, and gastropods. We further provide new examples of drill hole predation in Neogene and Quaternary decapod carapaces and appendages from the United States (Florida), Japan, and the Netherlands and attribute these holes to gastropods and octopods. Drill hole predation intensities in decapod faunas are low, in part because of multiple biases due to preservation and molting. Many questions concerning predation on decapods are still unanswered and warrant further study of fossil decapod collections.