Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Responsive image
Issue: Vol. 5723 No. 4: 27 Nov. 2025
Type: Article
Published: 2025-11-27
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5723.4.8
Page range: 587-594
Abstract views: 52
PDF downloaded: 3

The first wood gnat (Diptera: Anisopodidae) from the Oligocene of Luberon (France)

Institut de Systématique; Évolution; Biodiversité (ISYEB); MNHN; CNRS; SU; EPHE-PSL; UA; CP50; 57 rue Cuvier; F-75005 Paris; France
Institut de Systématique; Évolution; Biodiversité (ISYEB); MNHN; CNRS; SU; EPHE-PSL; UA; CP50; 57 rue Cuvier; F-75005 Paris; France
Institut de Systématique; Évolution; Biodiversité (ISYEB); MNHN; CNRS; SU; EPHE-PSL; UA; CP50; 57 rue Cuvier; F-75005 Paris; France; UFR Sciences du Vivant; Université Paris Diderot; Université de Paris; F-75013 Paris; France
Réserve Naturelle Nationale Géologique du Luberon; Parc naturel régional du Luberon; Unesco Global Geopark; 60 Place Jean Jaurès; F-84400 Apt; France
Institut de Systématique; Évolution; Biodiversité (ISYEB); MNHN; CNRS; SU; EPHE-PSL; UA; CP50; 57 rue Cuvier; F-75005 Paris; France
Diptera Insecta ‘Nematocera’ Anisopodoidea sp. nov. rarity vs abundance

Abstract

The anisopodid Sylvicola vacherensis sp. nov. is described from the Oligocene of Luberon (France) on the basis of a unique specimen from the locality of Pichovet (Luberon), well known for its very rich and diverse vertebrate assemblage. The Anisopodidae are very rare in the lacustrine paleolakes of Provence, despite their larvae are saprophagous, while the bibionid flies, with very similar biology, are extremely frequent and dominate the insect assemblages.

 

References

  1. Amorim, D.S. & Tozoni, S.H.S. (1994) Phylogenetic and biogeographic analysis of the Anisopodoidea (Diptera, Bibionomorpha), with an area cladogram for intercontinental relationships. Revista Brasileira de Entomologia, 38, 517–543.
  2. Apostolescu, V. & Guernet, C. (1992) Les ostracodes oligocènes de la région Forcalquier-Manosque (Bassin continental d’Apt, Haute-Provence). Revue de Micropaléontologie, 35, 91–115.
  3. Blagoderov, V.A., Krzemińska, E. & Krzemiński, W. (1993) Fossil and recent Anisopodomorpha (Diptera, Oligoneura): family Cramptonomyiidae. Acta Zoologica Cracoviensia, 35, 573–579.
  4. Bouvrain, G. & Geraads, D. (1985) Un squelette complet de Bachitherium (Artiodactyla, Mammalia) de l’Oligocène de Céreste (Alpes de Haute-Provence): remarques sur la systématique des ruminants primitifs. Comptes Rendus des Séances de l’Académie des Sciences, Série II, 300 (2), 75–78.
  5. Brodie, P.B. (1845) A history of the fossil insects in the Secondary rocks of England, accompanied by a particular account of the strata in which they occur, and of the circumstances connected with their preservation. John Van Voorst, London, xviii + 130 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.52321
  6. Cavelier, C., Alabouvette, B., Amberger, G., Cautru, J.-P., Charolais, J., Chateauneuf, J.-J., Crochet, J.-Y., Campredon, R., Debeglia, N., Durand, J.-P., Feist-Castel, M., Freytet, P., Gannat, E., Gaudant, J., Giannerini, G., Godinot, M., Hartenberger, J.-L., Hugueney, M., Kerckhove, C., Lefavrais-Raymond, A., Legendre, S., Lespinasse, P., Magne, J., Nury, D., Pairis, J.-L., Plaziat, J.-C., Remy, J.-A., Schlund, J.-M., Sige, B., Sittler, C., Sudre, J., Trauth, N., Truc, G., Valleron, M.-M. & Vianey-Liaud, M. (1984) Paléogène. In: Debrand-Passard, S., Courbouleix, S. & Liehardt, M.-J. (Eds.), Synthèse géologique du Sud-Est de la France. BRGM, Orléans, pp. 389–468.
  7. Cockerell, T.D.A. & Haines, F.H. (1921) Fossil Tipulidae from the Oligocene of the Isle of Wight (part). The Entomologist, 54, 81–84.
  8. Coster, P. & Legal, S. (2021) An Early Oligocene fossil Lagerstätten from the lacustrine deposits of the Luberon UNESCO Global Geopark. Geoconservation Research, 4, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.30486/gcr.2021.1915524.1068
  9. Crampton, G.C. (1924) Remarks on the phylogeny and interrelationships of nematocerous Diptera. Psyche, 31, 238–242. https://doi.org/10.1155/1924/60102
  10. Ducreux, J.L. (1982) Recherches de Concentrations Métallifères en Domaine paralique et limnique – le cas des Formations du Crétacé Supérieur gardois, de l’Oligocène de Manosque (Alpes de Haute-Provence) et de St. Martin des Plans (Puy de Döme). PhD thesis, Université Claude Bernard, Lyon. [unknown pagination]
  11. Ducreux, J.L., Hugueney, M. & Truc, G. (1985) La formation des calcaires et lignites de Sigonce (Oligocène moyen, Bassin de Forcalquier, Alpes de Haute-Provence): datation à l’aide des mammifères; reconstitution des milieux de dépôts. Geobios, 18, 109–114. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0016-6995(85)80183-2
  12. Duhamel, A. & Louchart, A. (2021) Regard sur l’avifaune fossile de l’Oligocène du Parc du Luberon et ses implications paléobiologiques, incluant de nouvelles données fossiles. Courrier scientifique du Parc naturel régional du Lubéron et de la réserve de biosphère Luberon-Lure, 16, 98–117.
  13. Evenhuis, N.L. (1994) Catalogue of the fossil flies of the World (Insecta: Diptera). Backhuys Publishers, Leiden, 600 pp.
  14. Feist, M. (1977) Étude floristique et biostratigraphique des Charophytes dans les séries du Paléogène de Provence. Géologie Méditerranéenne, 4, 109–138. https://doi.org/10.3406/geolm.1977.998
  15. Geraads, D., Bouvrain, G. & Sudre, J. (1987) Relations phylétiques de Bachitherium Filhol, ruminant de l’Oligocène d’Europe occidentale. Palaeovertebrata, 17, 43–73.
  16. Greenwalt, D.E., Bickel, D.J., Kerr, P.H., Curler, G.R., Brown, B.V., de Jong, H., Fitzgerald, S.J., Dikow, T., Tkoč, M., Kehlmaier, C. & De Souza Amorim, D. (2019) Diptera of the middle Eocene Kishenehn Formation. I. Documentation of diversity at the family level. Palaeontologia Electronica, 22.2.50, 1–56. http://zoobank.org/A6C79E56-3CCC-484E-B6AF-EAEEE1695FF6
  17. Haenni, J.-P. (1997) Anisopodidae (Diptera) from the Swiss fauna, with description of a new species. Mitteilungen der Schweizerischen Entomologischen Gesellschaft, 70 (1–2), 177–186.
  18. Hancock, D.L. (2017) Chapter 25. Anisopodidae (wood gnats or window gnats). In: Kirk-Spriggs, A.H. & Sinclair, B.J. (Eds.), Manual of Afrotropical Diptera. Vol. 2. Nematocerous Diptera and lower Brachycera. Suricata, 5, pp. 633–640.
  19. Hancock, E.G. (2021) Three remarkable new species of Neotropical Sylvicola (Diptera: Anisopodidae) with elongate mouth parts. Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine, 157 (4), 251–257. https://doi.org/10.31184/M00138908.1574.4088
  20. Hancock, E.G. (2023) Key to the Afrotropical Sylvicola Harris, 1780 (Diptera: Anisopodidae), with description of a new species from Ethiopia. Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine, 159 (2), 113–121. https://doi.org/10.31184/M00138908.1592.4196
  21. Hancock, E.G. & Kania, I. (2019) A new name for a fossil species of Sylvicola (Diptera: Anisopodidae). Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine, 155 (4), 275–276. https://doi.org/10.31184/M00138908.1554.4014
  22. Handlirsch, A. (1906-1908) Die fossilen Insekten und die Phylogenie der rezenten Formen. Ein Handbuch für Paläontologen und Zoologen. Engelman, Leipzig, 1430 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.34145
  23. Harris, M. (1780) An exposition of English insects, with curious observations and remarks, wherein each insect is particularly described; its parts and properties considered; the different sexes distinguished, and the natural history faithfully related. The whole illustrated with copper plates, drawn, engraved, and coloured, by the author. [Decads III and IV]. Robson Co., London, 73–138.
  24. Heer, O. (1849) Die Insektenfauna der Tertiärgebilde von Œningen und von Radoboj in Croatien. Zweite Abtheilung: Heuschrecken, Florfliegen, Aderflüger, Schmetterlinge und Fliegen. In: Englemann, W. (Ed.), Neue Denkschriften Allgemeinen Schweizerischen Gesellschaft für die Gesammten Naturwissenschaften. Verlag von Wilhelm Engelmann, Liepzig, pp. i–iv + 1–264.
  25. Helmer, D. & Vianey-Liaud, M. (1970) Nouveaux gisements de rongeurs dans l’Oligocène moyen de Provence. Compte Rendu Sommaire des Séances de la Société Géologique de France, 2, 45–46.
  26. Hennig, W. (1973) 31. Diptera (Zweiflügler). In: Helmcke, J.-G., D. & Stark, Wermuth H. (Eds.), Handbuch der Zoologie. Eine Naturgeschichte der Stämme des Tierreichs. IV. Band: Arthropoda. Halfte: Insecta. Zweite Auflage. 2. teil: Spezielles. W. De Gruyter, Berlin, pp. 1–337.
  27. Knab, F. (1912) New species of Anisopidae (Rhyphidae) from tropical America. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, 25, 111–113. [https://biostor.org/reference/3873]
  28. Kovalev, V.G. (1985) Infaorders Bibionomorpha and Asilomorpha. In: [Insects in the Early Cretaceous Ecosystems of Western Mongolia]. Proceedings of the Joint Russian-Mongolian Paleontological Expedition, 28, 125–154. [in Russian]
  29. Krivosheina, N.P. & Menzel, F. (1998) The palaearctic species of the genus Sylvicola Harris, 1776 (Diptera, Anisopodidae). Beiträge zur Entomologie, 48 (1), 201–217.
  30. Krzemiński, W., Blagoderov, V., Azar, D., Lukashevich, E., Szadziewski, R., Wedmann, S., Nel, A., Collomb, F.-M., Waller, A. & Nicholson, D.B. (2019) True flies (Insecta: Diptera) from the late Eocene insect limestone (Bembridge Marls) of the Isle of Wight, England, UK. Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, 110, 495–554. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1755691018000464
  31. Lewis, S.E. (1969) Fossil insects from the Latah formation (Miocene) of eastern Washington and Northern Idaho. Northwest Science, 43 (3), 99–115.
  32. Linnaeus, C. von (1758) Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae secundum classes, ordines, genera, species cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Ed. decima reformata. Vol. 1. Laur. Salvii, Holmiae, Typis Ioannis Thomae, Vindobonae, 823 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.542
  33. Louchart, A., Tourment, N. & Carrier, J. (2011) The earliest known pelican reveals 30 million years of evolutionary stasis in beak morphology. Journal of Ornithology, 152 (1), 15–20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-010-0537-5
  34. Lukashevich, E.D. (2012) New Bibionomorpha (Insecta: Diptera) from the Jurassic of Asia. Paleontologicheskii Zhurnal, 3, 52–64. [in Russian; English translation, Paleontological Journal, 46, 273–287] https://doi.org/10.1134/S0031030112030100
  35. Mayr, G. (2005) A chicken-sized crane precursor from the early Oligocene of France. Naturwissenschaften, 92 (8), 389–393. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-005-0007-8
  36. Mayr, G. (2006) A specimen of Eocuculus Chandler, 1999 (Aves,? Cuculidae) from the early Oligocene of France. Geobios, 39 (6), 865–872. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geobios.2005.10.007
  37. Meigen, J.W. (1803) Versuch einer neuen Gattungseinteilung [sic!] der eurpoäischen zweiflügligen Insekten. Magazin für Insektenkunde, 2, 259–281.
  38. Meunier, F. (1907) Beitrag zur Fauna der Bibioniden, Simuliiden und Rhyphiden des Bernsteins. Jahrbuch der Koniglich Preussischen Geologische Landesanstalt und Bergakademie zu Berlin, 24, 391–404.
  39. Michelsen, V. (1999) Wood gnats of the genus Sylvicola (Diptera, Anisopodidae): taxonomic status, family assignment, and review of nominal species described by J.C. Fabricius. Tijdschrift voor Entomologie, 142 (1), 69–75. https://doi.org/10.1163/22119434-99900021
  40. Nel, A., Wei, M., Niu, G., Coster, P., Boderau, M., Josse, H., Kundura, J.-P., Kundura, M.-H., Brisac, P., Boudet, L. & Jouault, C. (2024) The first sawfly from the Oligocene of Céreste (Southern France) (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae). European Journal of Taxonomy, 917, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2024.917.2383
  41. Osten Sacken, C.R. (1886) Rhyphidae. In: Godman, F.D. & Salvin, O. (Eds.), Biologia Centrali-Americana. Zoologia-Insecta-Diptera. Vol. 1. Taylor & Francis, London, pp. 20–22.
  42. Peñalver-Molla, E. & Martínez-Delclos, X. (1993) Aportaciones a la paleoentomofauna del Mioceno inferior de Ribesalbes (Castellón). 9. Jornadas de Paleontología, Málaga, 85–90.
  43. Peñalver, E., Matamales-Andreu, R., Nel, A. & Pérez-de la Fuente, R. (2022) Early adaptations of true flies (Diptera) to moist and aquatic continental environnements. Papers in Palaeontology, 8 (6), e1472. https://doi.org/10.1002/spp2.1472
  44. Pratt, G.K. & Pratt, H.D. (1980) Notes on Nearctic Sylvicola (Diptera: Anisopodidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington, 82 (1), 86–98.
  45. Scudder, S.H. (1890) The fossil insects of North America (with notes on some European species). 2. The Tertiary insects. Report of the United States Geological Survey of the Territories, 13, 1–734. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.39749
  46. Serres, M. de (1829) Des arachnides et des insectes fossiles, et spécialement de ceux des terrains d’eau douce du bassin tertiaire d’Aix. Livre 4. In: Serres, M. de (Ed.), Géognosie des terrains tertiaires ou tableau des principaux animaux invertébrés des terrains marins tertiaires du midi de la France. Pomathio-Durville libraire, Montpellier, Paris, pp. 206–258. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.145101
  47. Skartveit, J. & Krizmanić, K. (2020) Revision of fossil Bibionidae (Insecta: Diptera) from the Miocene of Radoboj, Croatia. Zootaxa, 4759 (3), 351–378. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4759.3.3
  48. Théobald, N. (1937) Les insectes fossiles des terrains oligocènes de France. Bulletin Mensuel (Mémoires) de la Société des Sciences de Nancy, 1, 1–473.
  49. Wojtoń, M., Kania, I. & Kopeć, K. (2018) Sylvicola Harris, 1780 (Diptera: Anisopodidae) in the Eocene resins. Annales Zoologici, 68 (4), 849–866. https://doi.org/10.3161/00034541ANZ2018.68.4.009
  50. Wojtoń, M., Kania, I., Krzemiński, W. & Ren, D. (2019) Phylogenetic relationships within the superfamily Anisopodoidea (Diptera: Nematocera), with description of new Jurassic species. Palaeoentomology, 2 (2), 119–139. https://doi.org/10.11646/palaeoentomology.2.2.4

How to Cite

Hebert, F., Boderau, M., Muller, V.N., Coster, P. & Nel, A. (2025) The first wood gnat (Diptera: Anisopodidae) from the Oligocene of Luberon (France). Zootaxa, 5723 (4), 587–594. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5723.4.8