REASSESSMENT OF THE EARLY CRETACEOUS NON-MARINE OSTRACOD GENERA HOURCQIA KROMMELBEIN, 1965 AND PATTERSONCYPRIS BATE, 1972 WITH THE DESCRIPTION OF A NEW GENUS, KROEMMELBEINCYPRIS

The Early Cretaceous non-marine ostracod genera Houregia Krommelbein and Pattersoncypris Bate are reinstated. A previously published referral of Houregia to Cypridea Bosquet is rejected due to the absence of an anteroventral rostrum in the holotype of the type species Hourcgia africana Krommelbein. The genus Houregia is characterized by an inverse valve ratio (right valve larger than left) and the lack of an anteroventral rostrum, and the diagnosis of the genus is broadened to accommodate ornamented forms, resulting in the acceptance of Five species: Houregia africana, H. confluens (Krommelbein and Weber), H. kouilouensis (Grosdidier), H. bat eke (Grosdidier) and H. sylvesterbradleyi (Bate). The previously published synonymy of Pattersoncypris with the genus Harbinia Tsao is also rejected. The diagnosis of Pattersoneypris is refined, meaning that three species are recognized: Pattersoncypris micropapillosa Bate, P. salitreasis (Krommelbein and Weber), and P. sinuata (Krommelbein and Weber). The new genus Kroemmelbeincypris is erected for two species initially assigned to Houregia, and subsequently to Pattersoncypris and Harbinia by different authors: Kroemmelbeincypris symmetrica (Krommelbein and Weber) and K. angulata (Krommelbein and Weber). The genus Houregia is diagnostic of latest Barremian non-marine settings, whilst Pattersoncypris and Kroemmelbeincypris characterize Aptian saline lacustrine environments. The geographic ranges of all three genera are restricted to northeastern and eastern Brazil and northern and western Africa, though a species of Pat tersoncypris (P. dakotaensis Tibert and Colin) is also present in the United States.