Zonocypris goyii nov. sp. (Ostracoda) from the upper Barremian (Lower Cretaceous) of the Cuenca Range, Central Spain

The upper Barremian (Lower Cretaceous) palaeontological sites of Vadillos-1, Vadillos-2, and Las Majadas are located in the northern part of the province of Cuenca, Central Spain. It comprises a sedimentary sequence in Wealden-type facies, rich in non-marine ostracods. Zonocypris goyii nov. sp., is identified in samples from these successions, well attributable to this genus by the characteristic coarse, fingerprint-like lateral carapace ornamentation in combination with the almost globular dorsal outline and the small size. This taxon is not only reported for the first time in the study area but, being stratigraphically well-constrained to the upper Barremian, most probably represents the oldest record of a species of Zonocypris worldwide. This discovery provides new data on the early evolution and biogeography of species of Zonocypris and contributes to improved interpretations of non-marine Barremian palaeoenvironments.