Palinurina

Palinurina is an extinct genus of crustaceans, belonging to the decapods. These animals lived between the Lower Jurassic and the Upper Jurassic (about 195 - 150 million years ago) and their fossils can be found in Europe (England and Germany). This crustacean is considered one of the oldest lobsters.

Species
Species within this genus include:
 * Palinurina longipes Munster 1839
 * Palinurina tenera Oppel 1862

Description
These species was rather small compared to the current lobsters, and the side generally did not exceed 5 centimeters in length (without antennae).

The appearance was however very similar to today's forms, with a more or less rectangular carapace, an exoskeleton covered with small tubercles, very elongated antennae and five pairs of elongated and strong legs.

Both the species have been found in the Solnhofen field in Bavaria. They can be distinguished by some antenna characteristics: Palinurina tenera had antennas segmented with smooth margin, while in Palinutina longipes margin was notched.

Palinurina is very similar to another archaic lobster, Archaeopalinurus, originating from the Italian upper Triassic.

Between the two genera, however, there were some morphological differences, mainly with regard to the shape and ornamentation of the caudal fan, to the length of the legs and antennae.