Biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) as indicators of biostratigraphy, ecological reconstructions and identification of amber deposits

2016 ◽  
Vol 107 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 219-230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryszard Szadziewski
Keyword(s):  
Lower Cretaceous ◽  
Upper Cretaceous ◽  
Large Family ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Baltic Amber ◽  
Wing Membrane ◽  
Biting Midges ◽  
Fossil Species ◽  
The Family ◽  
Protein Rich

ABSTRACTBiting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) are a large family of flies that commononly appear in Lower Cretaceous to Miocene strata, with over 280 fossil species (4.3 % of the family), belonging to 49 genera (26 extant; 23 extinct). Morphological characters used in the identification of fossil genera and species are identical to those used in studies of extant Ceratopogonidae and, as a result, their potential indicative value is reliable. Two relictual extant genera, Leptoconops and Austroconops, reported from Lower Cretaceous Lebanese amber, are at least 125 million years old. Certain ceratopogonid genera are indicative for the Lower Cretaceous, Upper Cretaceous, Eocene or Miocene. A morphological character indicative for the Upper Cretaceous and Cenozoic is macrotrichia on the wing membrane of adults. Indicator species and genera are reviewed for all amber deposits. Eocene Baltic amber contains the best known fauna of biting midges, with 109 named species. Some genera are indicative of aquatic and semiaquatic habitats (predaceous genera, subfamily Ceratopogoninae), forests with rotting trees (Forcipomyia), sandy sea shore habitats (Leptoconops), a cold boreal climate (Ceratopogon) or warm climates (Nannohelea, Austroconops, Leptoconops, Meunierohelea, Metahelea). Females require a protein-rich meal and are well known for feeding on the blood of vertebrates, but many feed on other things, so this information can help with the interpretation of palaeoenvironments. Washingtonhelea taimyrica Szadziewski, 1996, described from Siberian amber, is transferred to the fossil genus Palaeobrachypogon: P.taimyricus (Szadziewski, 1996), comb. nov. For Serromyia alphea, mistakenly redescribed and illustrated from Eocene Bitterfeld amber (= Baltic amber) by Szadziewski (1993), a new name – Serromyiaerrata Szadziewski, nom. nov. – is proposed.

First male of Corethrella andersoni Poinar & Szadziewski, 2007 (Diptera: Corethrellidae) from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 47 ◽  
Author(s):  
RYSZARD SZADZIEWSKI ◽  
ELŻBIETA SONTAG
Keyword(s):  
North Africa ◽  
Lower Cretaceous ◽  
Biting Midges ◽  
Northern Asia ◽  
Fossil Species ◽  
Burmese Amber ◽  
Annotated List ◽  
Extant Species ◽  
The Family ◽  
Single Genus

The family Corethrellidae, called frog-biting midges, with the single genus Corethrella Coquillett, 1902, is a small group of dipterans including 107 extant species (Borkent, 2017). Females of most species are haematophagous and feed on males of frogs and toads locating them by their calls (Borkent, 2008). Extant frog-biting midges have a pantropical distribution, absent in Europe, north Africa, middle and northern Asia (Giłka & Szadziewski, 2009). The genus during its phylogenetic history dated back to Lower Cretaceous (125–129 Ma) had a broader geographical distribution, and during Eocene was present in Europe. Till now nine fossil species have been described from Lower Cretaceous Lebanese amber (1), mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber (1), Eocene Baltic amber (5) and Miocene Dominican amber (2) (a complete annotated list is provided below). 

Phylogenetic overview of flat wasps (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae) reveals Elektroepyrinae, a new fossil subfamily

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 269-283
Author(s):  
WESLEY D. COLOMBO ◽  
EVGENY E. PERKOVSKY ◽  
CELSO O. AZEVEDO
Keyword(s):  
Lower Cretaceous ◽  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
New Taxon ◽  
Fossil Species ◽  
Geological Record ◽  
Diverse Families ◽  
The Third ◽  
Extant Species ◽  
The Family

The flat wasps, Bethylidae, are cosmopolitan and one of the most diverse families of Chrysidoidea. Bethylidae have 2,920 described extant species and almost 90 fossil species. The oldest geological record of the family is the Lower Cretaceous, from Lebanese and Spanish ambers and Transbaikalian rock fossils. Here we describe and illustrate one new fossil subfamily of Bethylidae: †Elektroepyrinae subfam. nov. represented by †Elektroepyris Perrichot & Nel from the lowermost Eocene Oise amber (France), which was cladistically assessed against all other eight subfamilies of Bethylidae. The new taxon is easily distinguished from other subfamilies by the forewing venation with the third abscissa of Cu present. Phylogenetic analyses support the monophyly of all subfamilies of Bethylidae, with a matrix with 69 morphological characters and 22 terminal taxa from where †Elektroepyrinae subfam. nov. emerged as independent lineage from all other subfamilies.

scholarly journals New Lower Cretaceous basal mantodean (Insecta) from the Crato Formation (NE Brazil)

2014 ◽  
Vol 65 (4) ◽  
pp. 285-292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shih-Wei Lee
Keyword(s):  
Early Cretaceous ◽  
Lower Cretaceous ◽  
Fossil Record ◽  
Upper Jurassic ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Northeastern Brazil ◽  
Fossil Species ◽  
Cosmopolitan Distribution ◽  
The Family ◽  
Chapada Do Araripe

Abstract Mantodea are very rare in the fossil record. 28 fossil species are reported since the earliest occurrence of mantodeans in the Upper Jurassic (Tithonian). Here, I describe Cretophotina santanensis n. sp. from the Aptian (Lower Cretaceous) Crato Formation of Chapada do Araripe (northeastern Brazil). This species is characterized by long antenna and primitive raptorial forelegs. Morphological characters shared with the living genus Chaeteessa would support its assignment to the family Chaeteessidae. The tropical occurrence of the Early Cretaceous genus Cretophotina in Gondwana, together with occurrences of the genus Chaetessa from subtropical and temperate zones of Laurasia, implies that members of the family Chaeteessidae achieved nearly cosmopolitan distribution during the Early Cretaceous.

The fossil record of the planthopper family Achilidae, with particular reference to those in Baltic amber (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha)

2016 ◽  
Vol 107 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 279-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alicja Magdalena Brysz ◽  
Jacek Szwedo
Keyword(s):  
Late Cretaceous ◽  
Lower Cretaceous ◽  
Fossil Record ◽  
Baltic Amber ◽  
Fossil Species ◽  
The Family ◽  
Single Genus

ABSTRACTThe family Achilidae (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha, commonly called planthoppers) is one of the least known and least understood groups, due to their cryptic lifestyle. They appear in the fossil record in the Lower Cretaceous, with a single genus and two species from the Crato Formation of Brazil. The oldest amber inclusion is reported from the earliest Late Cretaceous amber of Burma. Surprisingly, Achilidae are relatively common among the larger inclusions that can be found in Eocene Baltic amber. The first description of a fossil species was in the mid-19th Century. Currently, there are 13 genera and 16 species known from fossils, of which nine genera and 11 species are from Baltic amber. However, many of them need reconsideration, revisionary studies and placement in the phylogenetic context of the family. Former studies on inclusions in this amber revealed several unique forms (extinct tribes Ptychoptilini and Waghildini), or taxa ascribable to the sparse Recent tribe Achilini. This paper provides an overview of the knowledge of fossil Achilidae, particularly those from Baltic amber. The Eocene appears to be the heyday of the family; however, this hypothesis should be tested with further detailed studies.

scholarly journals Completely preserved cockroaches of the family Mesoblattinidae from the Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation (Liaoning Province, NE China)

2013 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
pp. 291-304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dandan Wei ◽  
Dong Ren
Keyword(s):  
Lower Cretaceous ◽  
Hind Wing ◽  
Upper Jurassic ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Yixian Formation ◽  
Liaoning Province ◽  
Tergal Glands ◽  
The Family ◽  
Left And Right ◽  
First Time

Abstract Although cockroaches were the dominant insects in various Paleozoic and Mesozoic insect assemblages, their general morphology was extremely conservative. One of the most common of them, the Jurassic-Cretaceous family Mesoblattinidae, is described here for the first time on the basis of completely preserved specimens. Ninety-two specimens of Perlucipecta aurea gen. et sp. n. reveal details of head, mandible, male tergal glands and terminal hook; cercal, leg and antennal sensilla. Its congener, P. vrsanskyi is described from the same sediments of the Yixian Formation (Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous). The forewing venation variability of P. aurea, analysed for the first time in this family is nearly identical (CV = 6.23 %) with variability of two species of family Blattulidae that occur at the same locality (CV = 6.22 %; 5.72 %). The transitional nature of morphological characters represented by asymmetry between left and right wings (simple/branched forewing SC and hind wing M) in P. aurea documents the phylogenetic relation between the families Mesoblattinidae and Ectobiidae

scholarly journals New fossil stilt-legged mites of Neophyllobius Berlese, 1886 (Acariformes, Camerobiidae) from Eocene Baltic amber

2020 ◽  
Vol 94 (4) ◽  
pp. 696-715 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mateusz Zmudzinski
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Fossil Record ◽  
Baltic Amber ◽  
Fossil Species ◽  
The Family

AbstractThe fossil record of the family Camerobiidae has been represented by only one species, Neophyllobius succineus Bolland and Magowski, 1990, described from Eocene Baltic amber. These prostigmatan mites are distinguishable by their distinctly long and slender stilt-like legs, and they are associated with aboveground vegetation where they hunt for other small invertebrates. This paper enhances the knowledge of fossil stilt-legged mites. Two new fossil species, N. electrus new species and N. glaesus new species, are described from samples of Baltic amber, and remarks on their morphology and taphonomy are provided. The discovery is complemented with a discussion on morphological singularities (the shape of the prodorsum, the location of setae h1 and h2 in living specimens, and lengths of genual setae), an anomaly of hypertrophied seta (found in the N. glaesus holotype), and some biogeographical issues.UUID: http://zoobank.org/d1602384-ae4f-4f90-b4a1-6cdedd77c9e1

A new fossil species of the Australian endemic genus Peradenia Naumann & Masner (Hymenoptera: Proctotrupoidea, Peradeniidae) from Baltic Amber

2001 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 191-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jens-Wilhelm Janzen ◽  
Norman F. Johnson ◽  
Luciana Musetti
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Amber ◽  
Australian Capital Territory ◽  
Fossil Species ◽  
Southeastern Australia ◽  
Extant Species ◽  
The Family ◽  
The Status ◽  
Subfamily Classification ◽  
A New Species

AbstractThe family Peradeniidae (Hymenoptera: Proctotrupoidea) is represented by two rare extant species from southeastern Australia (Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, Tasmania). A new species, Peradenia galerita sp. n., is described from Eocene Baltic amber. The fossil species is very similar to the living Perndenia, but has the short metasomatic petiole typical of most Proctotrupoidea. The subfamily classification of Heloridae proposed by Rasnitsyn and the status of Peradeniidae are briefly reviewed. The subfamily Mesohelorinae Rasnitsyn, 1990 is a junior synonym of Protohelorinae Rasnitsyn, 1980 (syn. n.).

Protanthomyza ryszardi sp. nov., another Eocene species of †Protanthomyzinae (Diptera: Anthomyzidae) from Baltic amber

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
pp. 473-482
Author(s):  
JINDŘICH ROHÁČEK ◽  
CHRISTEL HOFFEINS
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Baltic Amber ◽  
Fossil Species ◽  
Fore Femur ◽  
Extinct Genus

A new fossil species of Anthomyzidae (Diptera), viz. Protanthomyza ryszardi sp. nov. is described from Baltic amber (Eocene, 48–34 Ma) on the basis of one male and one female inclusion found in the same amber specimen. This is the tenth species of the extinct genus Protanthomyza Hennig, 1965 and extinct subfamily Protanthomyzinae Roháček, 1998. It belongs to a group lacking a ctenidial spine on fore femur. Based on analysis of morphological characters the relationships of the new species are discussed. Its discovery expands again the diversity of Anthomyzidae known to occur in the Eocene ‘Baltic amber forestʼ.

A new biting midge of the genus Forcipomyia Meigen, 1818 from Miocene Ethiopian amber (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
RYSZARD SZADZIEWSKI ◽  
ELŻBIETA SONTAG ◽  
MADELINE V. PANKOWSKI
Keyword(s):  
Middle Eocene ◽  
Baltic Amber ◽  
Early Eocene ◽  
Gulf Of Gdańsk ◽  
Biting Midges ◽  
Fossil Species ◽  
Biting Midge ◽  
Dominican Amber ◽  
The World ◽  
Sakhalin Amber

Biting midges (Ceratopogonidae) are a relatively well-studied family of nematocerous flies distributed worldwide, including 6,206 extant and 296 fossil species. To date, 1,146 extant and 32 fossil species in the genus Forcipomyia have been recorded in the world (Borkent & Dominiak, 2020). Biting midges of the subgenus Forcipomyia s. str. are indicative of forests because their larvae and pupae usually live under the bark of rotting trees (Szadziewski, 2018). The oldest records of the genus are from the Eocene. Forcipomyia are reported from early Eocene Fushun amber (one species; Hong, 1981; Stebner et al., 2016; Szadziewski, 2018; Krzemiński et al., 2019), early Eocene Cambay amber (unnamed, Stebner et al., 2017), middle Eocene Sakhalin amber (one species, Szadziewski & Sontag, 2013), Eocene Baltic amber from the Gulf of Gdańsk, Rovno and Bitterfeld (21 species; Szadziewski, 1988, Szadziewski, 1993, Sontag & Szadziewski, 2011), Miocene Dominican amber (10 species, Szadziewski & Grogan, 1998) and Miocene Mexican amber (unnamed, Szadziewski & Grogan, 1996).

scholarly journals Taxonomic description and phylogenetic placement of two new species of Spalangiopelta (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae: Ceinae) from Eocene Baltic amber

PeerJ ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. e10939
Author(s):  
Marina Moser ◽  
Roger A. Burks ◽  
Jonah M. Ulmer ◽  
John M. Heraty ◽  
Thomas van de Kamp ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Single Species ◽  
3D Models ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Baltic Amber ◽  
Fossil Species ◽  
Phylogenetic Placement ◽  
Taxonomic Description ◽  
Extant Species ◽  
Minimum Age ◽  
Functional Relevance

Spalangiopelta is a small genus of chalcid wasps that has received little attention despite the widespread distribution of its extant species. The fossil record of the genus is restricted to a single species from Miocene Dominican amber. We describe two new fossil species, Spalangiopelta darlingi sp. n. and Spalangiopelta semialba sp. n. from Baltic amber. The species can be placed within the extant genus Spalangiopelta based on the distinctly raised hind margin of the mesopleuron. 3D models reconstructed from µCT data were utilized to assist in the descriptions. Furthermore, we provide a key for the females of all currently known Spalangiopelta species. The phylogenetic placement of the fossils within the genus is analyzed using parsimony analysis based on morphological characters. Phylogenetic and functional relevance of two wing characters, admarginal setae and the hyaline break, are discussed. The newly described Baltic amber fossils significantly extend the minimum age of Spalangiopelta to the Upper Eocene.

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