Palaeoentomology

Deciphering plant insect interactions from the Bruay Formation (Carboniferous, Nord / Pas-De-Calais coal basin, France)

2024-02-08T06:12:03+13:00

Plant-animal interactions shed light on the ecology of the rich insect community from the middle Pennsylvanian basin of Northern France (Nord-Pas-de-Calais coal basin, Hauts-de-France). The data set derives from coal bed layers locally named the Bruay Formation and were collected on the slag heap. This work is a meta-analysis of the different types of damages caused by arthropods, especially insects, consisting of endophytic oviposition scars, holes, galls, bulges, and undetermined traces. These damage traces are associated with host plants belonging to Lycopsida, Medullosales, Pinopsida, and Polypodiopsida. The paleoenvironmental framework and mutualism within each community are also discussed. Based on the present discoveries in Northern France, these interactions may have occurred stratigraphically from Westphalian B (Anzin Formation) until to Westphalian C (Bruay Formation). Despite the limited fossilization potential and sampling difficulties due to slag heap bias, occurrences may be compared with other European localities of the Carboniferous age.

A new genus of polistine wasps from the Oligocene of Aix-en-Provence, France (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

2024-03-05T17:06:17+13:00

Polistine wasps (Vespidae: Polistinae) are iconic eusocial wasps found throughout the world, famed for their range of social organization and therefore a favorite subject for sociobiological studies (e.g., Gadagkar, 2001; Piekarski et al., 2018). The subfamily is currently organized into four tribes: the New World Epiponini and Mischocyttarini, the cosmopolitan Polistini, and the Afrotropical, Indomalayan, and Australian Ropalidiini.

**A rare Plecia Wiedemann, 1828 (Diptera: Bibionidae) from the Paleocene of Menat, France**

2024-03-01T18:58:25+13:00

The fly family Bibionidae is extremely frequently found in the lacustrine insect assemblages between the late Eocene and the latest Miocene of France. For instance, the Bibionidae represent 25% of the fossil insects collected at Cereste (total 7,466 specimens, Oligocene, Lubéron, France) (Nel, 1991). It is not the case in the Paleocene lacustrine Konservat-Lagerstätte of Menat (Puy-de-Dôme, France). In this outcrop, we could find only four specimens of Bibionidae in a collection of ca. 6,768 insects. Two of these were previously described by Nel (2007) and Nel & Kundura (2023), respectively in the genera Plecia and Bibio. They are so rare, around 0.1% of the total number of insects in the collections we could study, that it is worth describing the two others herein. These specimens were in the studied collection but we did not notice them before now.

Two new long-pedipalp spiders (Araneae: Pholcochyroceridae) from mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber of northern Myanmar

2024-03-06T16:00:42+13:00

The spider genera Longissipalpus Wunderlich, 2015 and Pedipalparaneus Wunderlich, 2015 of the extinct family Pholcochyroceridae Wunderlich, 2008, are reported from mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber only. Members of both genera exhibit extremely elongated pedipalps. Here, two new species are described: Longissipalpus albistriatus sp. nov. and Pedipalparaneus protumidus sp. nov., both are endemic to Kachin amber. Detailed diagnoses and illustrations are provided, and their potential living habits are also discussed.

The oldest aktassiid dragonfly (Odonata: Petaluroidea) from the Middle Jurassic of China

2024-03-06T16:09:21+13:00

A new genus and species of true dragonfly Hongtaous caii gen. et sp. nov. is described from the Middle Jurassic of Inner Mongolia, China. It is assigned to the family Aktasiidae based on the following: large and broad wings; narrow postnodal area with many cells distal of elongated pterostigma; very long and straight IR1; and widened area between RP1 and RP2, which is the oldest member of this family to date. Hongtaous caii sp. nov. differs from other genera by the configuration of wing venation such as: two rows of cells between RA and RP1 at level of Pt, and extending to the end of the wing; an elongated IR1, not distally vanishing; discoidal triangle and subdiscoidal triangle divided into multiple cells by transverse veins; presence of Rspl. In addition, its special cerci are simply discussed.

New spinicaudatan species of Middle–Upper Jurassic Yaojie Formation from Lanzhou, Gansu, northwest of China

2024-03-01T19:02:54+13:00

A new spinicaudatan species Punctatestheria yaojieensis Xue & Li sp. nov. is described from the Middle–Upper Jurassic Yaojie Formation at Yaojie in Lanzhou City, Gansu Province, China. In addition to the only evenly distributed sparse puncta, the special ornamentation of Punctatestheria, the new species has setal remains on the growth lines in the ventral or middle part of the carapace, and puncta are arranged in a linear manner in the postero-ventral part of the carapace.

Driven apart: fossil parasitic long-legged velvet mite larvae on gall midges represent a long lost parasitic association between mites and dipterans

2024-03-01T19:02:23+13:00

Parasites are virtually ubiquitous, and this has probably been the case for quite some time. The record of parasitic mites (sensu lato) goes back as far as the Carboniferous (~359–259 mya) and, in fact, they are one of the most reported parasites in amber. The six-legged larvae of the mite group Parasitengona have a wide host range, among which are flies. Here we report for the first time cases of larval erythraeoidean mites, commonly referred to as long-legged velvet mites, parasitising gall midges (Cecidomyiidae) in about 100 million years old (Cretaceous) Kachin amber, Myanmar. In three of the four cases here reported, a single erythraeoidean mite was attached to a gall midge, while in one of the cases two mites are associated to a gall midge host. Of the reported gall midges, one specimen represents the ingroup Lestremiinae, two represent unnamed lineages closely related to Cecidomyiinae, and one specimen might represent the group Cecidomyiinae, being the earliest record of this group so far. In the extant fauna, there are no records of associations of erythraeoidean larvae with gall midges. After the Cretaceous, long-legged velvet mites may have shifted their host range, although knowledge on the host range of parasitengonan mites is still limited to arrive to definitive conclusion.

**Description of adult and larval Loricera from mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber (Coleoptera: Carabidae)**

2024-04-12T11:14:13+12:00

Loricera is a morphologically distinctive genus in Carabidae, exhibiting specialized feeding habits on springtails. Here we provide descriptions for both adult and larval specimens of Loricera from mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber. The adult specimen, named as Loricera carsteni Li, Tihelka & Cai sp. nov., is characterized by the posteriorly unconstricted pronotal disc with produced anterior pronotal angles, wide and almost orthogonal elytral humeri, and elytral surface with no more than ten punctate striae. The validity of previously reported Cretoloricera is also critically reviewed.

A new genus and species of Apsilocephalidae (Asiloidea) with elongated mouthparts from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber

2024-01-18T13:55:19+13:00

A new genus and species, Creapsilocephala nagatomii gen. et sp. nov. assigned to the enigmatic family Apsilocephalidae, was described from Mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. The details of mouthpart structures in the new species are well preserved, revealing the non-piercing mouthparts that comprise an elongated labrum and tube-like hypopharynx, a pair of slender pointed laciniae, one-segmented palp, and prolonged labium. According to the analysis of mouthpart features, the food tube of the new species is constituted by the labrum and hypopharynx, which supports a nectar-feeding habit. This new finding enriches the species diversity of Cretaceous Apsilocephalidae and enhances the knowledge of the early biological features in this family.

Two new species of Burmusculidae (Hymenoptera: Pompiloidea) in mid-Cretaceous amber from northern Myanmar

2024-03-01T18:43:43+13:00

Two new wasp species of Burmusculidae, Burmusculus abstrusus sp. nov. and Burmusculus primitivus sp. nov. are described from mid-Cretaceous amber of Myanmar. The new species are attributed to the family Burmusculidae and share the typical combination of diagnostic features of this family: forewing 2-M moderately short and distinctly angled with Rs+M and mesopleuron with no oblique sulcus. We observe variation in the presence/absence of plantulae on the tarsomeres of Burmusculus spp. and recommend that this character is included in species diagnoses in Burmusculidae. Tarsal plantulae are also observed in Pompilidae, the closest modern relatives of Burmusculidae.

New genus and species of Yuripopovinidae (Heteroptera: Pentatomomorpha) from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber

2024-02-08T06:14:40+13:00

Based on an exquisitely preserved Yuripopovinidae specimen, a new genus and species, Tumpectus triporcatus gen. et sp. nov. is described and illustrated. The new genus has a unique vein pattern in the forewings, and we discuss the forewing veins features of the Yuripopovinidae. Furthermore, the new genus also has some interesting features that are different from other genera, comparison between the new species and other fossil genera in the Yuripopovinidae is provided.

Phimophorus chiodii sp. nov., first representative of a cryptic assassin bug subfamily from Dominican amber (Reduviidae: Phimophorinae) as revealed with traditional light microscopy and computed micro-tomographic reconstruction

2024-03-01T18:42:55+13:00

The second fossil assassin bug of the cryptic subfamily Phimophorinae is described and figured from the mid-Miocene amber of the Dominican Republic, on the basis of traditional optical observations and a computed micro-tomography 3D reconstruction. The fossil can be attributed to the extant, monotypic genus Phimophorus Bergroth, which is currently known only from northern South America. The fossil extends the distribution of the lineage into the Caribbean of the Early Neogene and places it among a series of examples of arthropod groups that once thrived in Hispaniola but are today not native to the islands.

A new genus and species of Nabinae (Heteroptera: Cimicomorpha: Nabidae) from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber

2024-03-05T17:12:31+13:00

A remarkable new genus and species, Mecocollaris simplipodus gen. et sp. nov. is described from mid-Cretaceous amber. It is the second fossil record of Nabinae from Myanmar amber. The new species is distinguished from other nabids based on labial segment Ⅲ longer than the combination of segments I, Ⅱ and Ⅳ, hind tibia without clear row of setae corresponding to stiff setae associated with the Ekblom’s organ. By comparing extant species and fossil records of Nabidae, the evolution of the Ekblom’s organ of nabids is discussed.

The first report of fossil of Centrocnemidinae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae) in the Mesozoic

2024-03-29T18:18:11+13:00

A new genus and species of fossil of Centrocnemidinae, Acutiangulus densus Zhang, Liu & Yao gen. et sp. nov., is described and illustrated from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. Acutiangulus densus Zhang, Liu & Yao gen. et sp. nov. can be distinguished from other genera by the humeral angle with a sharp spine and the posterior lateral angle of each connexival tergite with a setigerous spine. Acutiangulus densus is the first fossil record of Centrocnemidinae from Mesozoic and also represents a member of the stem group. Furthermore, the irregular trapezoidal cell situated in the corium’s inner apical is proposed to serve as an adjunctive diagnostic character for Centrocnemidinae.

**Resolving incongruences in insect phylogenomics: A reply to Boudinot et al. (2023)**

2024-04-15T12:05:42+12:00

Over the last two decades, advances in molecular phylogenetics have established a new understanding of beetle phylogeny. However, some historically contentious relationships, particularly among early-diverging beetle clades, remain to be resolved. In a recent paper (Cai et al., 2022), we identified model-dependent signals in beetle phylogeny and showed how the removal of the most compositionally heterogeneous sites, in combination with the use of across-site compositionally heterogeneous models leads to results that are more congruent with the distribution of morphological characters and the beetle fossil record. In their reply, Boudinot et al. (2023) suggested that our analyses are affected by a range of shortcomings, encompassing almost every aspect of our study. Unfortunately, the arguments presented by Boudinot et al. (2023) are based on misinterpretation of the results of statistical tests, as well as misconceptions concerning substitution models, model testing and its role in phylogenomics. Here we clarify these misconceptions and show that the critiques raised by Boudinot et al. (2023) have no merit.

Field trips of the 9th International Conference on Fossil Insects, Arthropods, and Amber—a overview on Mesozoic palaeontology and stratigraphy of the Ordos Basin

2024-04-16T08:57:15+12:00

The field trips will cover the Mesozoic stratigraphy and palaeontology of the Ordos Basin and the Loess Plateau (Fig. 1). The towering Qinling Mountains developed in the southern part of Xi’an. This investigation has entered the Loess Plateau from the Guanzhong Basin, where Xi’an is located, to the Tongchuan area, and the northernmost city of Yulin is a former desert area. The purpose of the investigation is to understand the Mesozoic strata, palaeontology, palaeoclimate and tectonic movements in the Ordos Basin. From the dry hot environment of the Red Bed in the mid-Triassic, it experienced a large cycle of warm and humid environment and then to the dry climate of the Early Cretaceous. Specifically, the middle and lower parts of the Middle Triassic Ermaying Formation are red beds, and coal seams begin to appear in the upper part of the formation; the overlying Middle-Upper Triassic Yanchang Formation has extensive oil and gas resources, and the lower strata are called by some authors the Tongchuan Formation and yielded a large number of insect fossils. At the turn of the Triassic and Jurassic, the area was elevated and lacked deposit. The Fuxian Formation of coal-bearing strata developed in the Early Jurassic. In the Lower-Middle Jurassic, the Yan’an Formation was a set of coal-bearing strata, which developed the largest coal mine in China. The Middle-Upper Jurassic Zhiluo Formation is a glutenite deposit. The unconformity between the Zhiluo Formation and the conglomerate at the bottom of the Lower Cretaceous Yijun Formation in this area indicates the Yanshan Movement Phase B. The Zhiluo Formation and the Yijun Formation is disconformity, and the Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous Anding and Fengfanghe formations between the former two were missing. The Mesozoic fossil assemblages of the Ordos Basin are briefly introduced below, along with a composite column diagram (Fig. 2) depicting the Mesozoic strata of the Ordos Basin.