''Ambilobeia'' is an extinct genus of

prawn Prawn is a common name for small aquatic crustaceans with an exoskeleton An exoskeleton () . is a skeleton that is on the exterior of an animal in the form of hardened integument, which both supports the body's shape and protects the intern ...

which existed in Ambilobé,

Madagascar Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...

during the

Olenekian In the geologic timescale, the Olenekian is an age (geology), age in the Early Triassic epoch (geology), epoch; in chronostratigraphy, it is a stage (stratigraphy), stage in the Lower Triassic series (stratigraphy), series. It spans the time betw ...

stage of the

Early Triassic The Early Triassic is the first of three epochs of the Triassic Period of the geologic timescale. It spans the time between 251.9 Ma and Ma (million years ago). Rocks from this epoch are collectively known as the Lower Triassic Series, which ...

period. It contains the species ''Ambilobeia karojoi''.

Discovery and naming

The holotype, MSNM 125459, was discovered by an unknown French

palaeontologist Paleontology, also spelled as palaeontology or palæontology, is the scientific study of the life of the past, mainly but not exclusively through the study of fossils. Paleontologists use fossils as a means to classify organisms, measure geolo ...

in a deforested outcrop near Bobasatrana,

during the late 20th century and was donated to the

Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Milano The Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Milano (Milan Natural History Museum) is a museum in Milan, Italy. It was founded in 1838 when the naturalist Giuseppe de Cristoforis donated his collections to the city. Its first director was the taxono ...

before 2002 by Mr. Karojo, a local Malagasy

prospector Prospector may refer to: Space exploration * Prospector (spacecraft), a planned lunar probe, canceled in 1962 * ''Lunar Prospector'', a NASA spacecraft Trains * Prospector (train), a passenger train operated by the Denver & Rio Grande Western ra ...

. The species ''Ambilobeia karojoi'' was named and described in 2002 by Alessandro Garassino and Giovanni Pasini, and many other specimens have been discovered since its naming in 2002.

Description

''Ambilobeia'' grew up to roughly long.

Gallery

File:Ambilobeia holotype.png, Holotype of ''A. karojoi'' (MSNM 125459) File:Prawn fossil from Madagascar cf. Ambilobeia.png, Specimen of ''cf. Ambilobeia'' from

; the specimen on the right has since become lost

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q16827813 Penaeidae Monotypic decapod genera Triassic crustaceans Prehistoric animals of Madagascar Fossil taxa described in 2002