Two new genera, Mycophoris gen. nov., (Orchidaceae) and Synaptomitus gen. nov. (Basidiomycota) based on a fossil seed with developing embryo and associated fungus in Dominican amber

Botany ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 95 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
George Poinar
Keyword(s):  
Dominican Republic ◽  
Orchid Mycorrhiza ◽  
New Genera ◽  
Dominican Amber ◽  
Single Piece ◽  
Embryo Cells ◽  
Orchid Seed

Aside from a variety of arthropod remains, Dominican amber also contains an assortment of leaves, flowers, and seeds. An orchid seed with a developing embryo in Dominican amber is described as Mycophoris elongatus gen. et sp. nov. Cells of the developing embryo were infected with a fungus that is described as Synaptomitus orchiphilus gen. et sp. nov. The fungus represents a Basidiomycota that was probably serving as an orchid mycorrhiza (OM), based on its morphology and the formation of pelotons inside infected embryo cells. The single piece of amber containing the fossil was obtained from a mine in the Dominican Republic and is at least 15–20 Ma.

CRICKETS (GRYLLOPTERA: GRYLLOIDEA) IN DOMINICAN AMBER

1994 ◽  
Vol 126 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vernon R. Vickery ◽  
George O. Poinar
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Dominican Republic ◽  
New Genera ◽  
Dominican Amber ◽  
Extant Genus ◽  
Ability To Regenerate

AbstractTwenty-eight pieces of amber from the Dominican Republic were studied. These pieces, 22–40 million years old, contain 29 cricket specimens as inclusions. Six new species in the Trigonidiidae: Trigonidiinae are described, one in the extant genus Anaxipha (A. dominica) and in three related new genera: Proanaxipha (P. latoca and P. bicolorata), Abanaxipha (A. longispina and A. incongrua), and Grossoxipha (G. yaque). One specimen is described in the Mogoplistidae: Mogoplistinae in the extant genus Ornebius (O. ambericus). The presence of these specimens in amber proves that utilization of the boreal habitat is of long standing. Disparity in the size of the hind legs of one specimen indicates that crickets may once have had the ability to regenerate lost limbs.

A fossil Aspergillus from Eocene Dominican amber

1988 ◽  
Vol 62 (01) ◽  
pp. 141-143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerard M. Thomas ◽  
George O. Poinar
Keyword(s):  
Dominican Republic ◽  
Fossil Species ◽  
First Report ◽  
Dominican Amber ◽  
Eocene Amber

A sporulating Aspergillus is described from a piece of Eocene amber originating from the Dominican Republic. The Aspergillus most closely resembles a form of the white spored phase of Aspergillus janus Raper and Thom. This is the first report of a fossil species of Aspergillus.

scholarly journals A male of the bee genus Agapostemon in Dominican amber (Hymenoptera: Halictidae)

2013 ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael S. Engel ◽  
Laura C.V. Breitkreuz
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Dominican Republic ◽  
West Indian ◽  
The West ◽  
Single Male ◽  
Fossil Species ◽  
Dominican Amber ◽  
Modern Species

Thefirst fossil species of the caenohalictine bee genus Agapostemon Guérin-Méneville (Halictinae: Caenohalictini:Agapostemonina) is described and figured from a single male preserved in EarlyMiocene (Burdigalian) amber from the Dominican Republic.  Agapostemon (Notagapostemon) luzziiEngel & Breitkreuz, new species, is compared with modern species and isnoteworthy for the absence of metafemoral modifications [in this regardplesiomorphically resembling the West Indian A. kohliellus (Vachal)and A. centratus (Vachal)], form of the head and protibial antennalcleaner, integumental sculpturing, and male terminalia, the latter of which arefortunately exposed and cleared.  Briefcomments are made on the affinity of the species to others in the West Indiesand surrounding regions as well as possible biogeographic implications.

Remarkable stasis in some Lower Tertiary parasitoids: descriptions, new records, and review of Strepsiptera in the Oligo-Miocene amber of the Dominican Republic

1993 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Grimaldi ◽  
Jeyaraney Kathirithamby
Keyword(s):  
Dominican Republic ◽  
Lower Cretaceous ◽  
New Record ◽  
New Records ◽  
Dominican Amber ◽  
Lower Tertiary ◽  
New Findings ◽  
History Of

AbstractKathirithamby, J. & Grimaldi, D.: Remarkable stasis in some Lower Tertiary parasitoids: descriptions, new records, and review of Strepsiptera in the Oligo-Miocene amber of the Dominican Republic. Ent. scand. 24: 31-41. Copenhagen, Denmark. April 1993. ISSN 0013-8711. 25-30 million years of parasite stasis is recorded in amber from the Dominican Republic, by the finding of a species of strepsipteran morphologically indistinguishable from Bohartilla melagognatha Kinzelbach, 1969 (Bohartillidae), and two species very close to Caenocholax fenyesi (Pierce 1909) (Myrmecolacidae). A new record is made of a species previously described from Dominican amber, Myrmecolax glaesi Kinzelbach, 1983. The history of the Tertiary strepsipteran fauna is discussed. Minimal ages of taxa are extrapolated based on these amber and other fossils, higher-level cladistic relationships, and fossil dating of major host groups. These new findings are consistent with Kinzelbach's hypotheses of an ancient, Lower Cretaceous/Jurassic origin of the Strepsiptera.

Remarks on the age of Dominican amber

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 236-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
MANUEL A. ITURRALDE-VINENT ◽  
ROSS D.E. MACPHEE
Keyword(s):  
Dominican Republic ◽  
Analytical Approach ◽  
Late Eocene ◽  
Early Pleistocene ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Lower Miocene ◽  
Dominican Amber ◽  
Geological Age ◽  
Best Fit ◽  
Age Estimates

Amber from the Dominican Republic is famous for the high quality, frequency, and diversity of organic fossils found as inclusions in this mineral (Grimaldi, 1996; Poinar & Poinar, 1999). However, its geological age of origin remains a continuing source of controversy. Over the years a wide variety of age estimates have been made for occurrences of Dominican amber, ranging from Cretaceous (Brouwer & Brouwer, 1982) to Late Eocene (Lambert et al., 1985) to pre-Lower Miocene (Baroni-Urbani & Saunders, 1982). Some authors have also favored a spread of ages that covers much of the Cenozoic (e.g., 40 or 45 Ma to 15 Ma; Poinar & Poinar, 1999). Iturralde-Vinent & MacPhee (1996) attempted to resolve discrepancies in age assignments by taking a multi-pronged analytical approach which yielded a best-fit estimate of mid-Miocene age (20–15 Ma). This estimate has been widely accepted and additionally corroborated by new studies (Iturralde-Vinent, 2001; Ortega-Ariza et al., 2015). However, Braga et al. (2012) have challenged the assessment of Iturralde-Vinent & MacPhee (1996) by arguing for a Pliocene–early Pleistocene date for the amber-bearing Yanigua Formation. Here we address the sources of disagreement and suggest a solution.

First fossil record of the pseudoscorpion family Pseudochiridiidae (Arachnida, Chelonethi, Cheiridioidea) from Dominican amber

Zootaxa ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 1393 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARK L.I. JUDSON
Keyword(s):  
Dominican Republic ◽  
Fossil Record ◽  
Family Group ◽  
Publication Date ◽  
Dominican Amber ◽  
Extant Species ◽  
The Family

Pseudochiridium lindae n. sp. is described from Dominican amber (Miocene), representing the first fossil record of the family Pseudochiridiidae. The extant species Pseudochiridium insulae Hoff, 1964 is newly recorded from the Dominican Republic. Paracheiridium vachoni Vitali-di Castri, 1970 is transferred to the genus Pseudochiridium With, 1906 (n. comb.). The correct publication date for family-group names based on Cheiridiinae Hansen is shown to be 1894.

Revision and cladistic analysis of the spider family Hersiliidae (Arachnida, Araneae) with emphasis on Neotropical and Nearctic species

2004 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina Anne Rheims ◽  
Antonio Domingos Brescovit
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Dominican Republic ◽  
Scientific Knowledge ◽  
Cladistic Analysis ◽  
Taxonomic Revision ◽  
Neotropical Region ◽  
Identification Key ◽  
New Genera ◽  
The Family ◽  
Nomina Dubia

AbstractHersiliidae Thorell is a family of conspicuously long-legged spiders, characterized by extremely elongate posterior lateral spinnerets. To date, it includes 148 species distributed within seven genera, of which Tama Simon is the only one recorded in the Neotropical Region. Of the 23 known Tama species, 18 are exclusively Neotropical. In order to enhance the scientific knowledge on the family and its members this study presents a cladistic analysis and a taxonomic revision of the Neotropical and Nearctic hersilids. The cladistic analysis places the Neotropical and Neartic species in two separate clades, none of which are closely related to the genus Tama. Based on this result, Tama mexicana (O.P.-Cambridge) and T. forcipata (F.O.P.-Cambridge) are transferred to Neotama and three new genera are proposed to include the remaining species: Ypypuera n. gen. to include T. crucifera Vellard and T. vittata (Simon); Iviraiva n. gen. to include T. pachyura Mello-Leitão and T. argentina Mello-Leitão; and Yabisi n. gen to include T. habanensis Franganillo. Based on the taxonomic revision, eight synonymies are proposed: Tama crulsi Mello-Leitão, Tama micrura Mello-Leitão and T. occidentalis Schenkel with Ypypuera crucifera (Vellard); T. brasiliensis Piza and T. karinae Carcavallo with I. pachyura (Mello-Leitão); T. catamarcaensis Carcavallo and T. longipes Carcavallo with I. argentina (Mello-Leitão); and T. guianensis Mello-Leitão with Neotama mexicana (O.P.-Cambridge); three names are placed as nomina dubia: Tama americana (Simon), T. albigastra Mello-Leitão and T. sasaimae Mello-Leitão and four new species are described: Neotama cunhabebe, from São Paulo, Brazil, Neotama obatala, from Bahia, Brazil, Ypypuera esquisita, from Quevedo, Ecuador, and Yabisi guaba, from Pedernales, Dominican Republic. The family Hersiliidae, the genus Neotama and all three new genera, as well as all Neotropical and Nearctic species are redescribed and diagnosed and a identification key is presented.

Assemblages of mammalian hair and blood-feeding midges (Insecta: Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) in Miocene amber

2005 ◽  
Vol 96 (2) ◽  
pp. 177-195 ◽  
Author(s):  
Enrique Peñalver ◽  
David Grimaldi
Keyword(s):  
Dominican Republic ◽  
Ixodid Tick ◽  
Blood Feeding ◽  
Sand Flies ◽  
Decayed Wood ◽  
Fossil Species ◽  
Terrestrial Vertebrates ◽  
Dominican Amber ◽  
Parasitic Association ◽  
Mammalian Hair

ABSTRACTFive new fossil species of the Recent genus of blood-feeding sand flies Lutzomyia (Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) are described: L. filipalpis, L. miocena, L. paleopestis, L. schleei, and L. succini. All are preserved in Miocene amber from the Dominican Republic; today Hispaniola harbours only two known species of this genus. Recent Lutzomyia feed on a wide variety of terrestrial vertebrates, including reptiles, birds, and mammals. Three rare pieces of the amber are reported, two described in detail, which preserved assemblages of Lutzomyia swarms with strands of mammalian hair, indicating that at least some of the fossil species were mammal feeders. Microstructure of the fossil hair offers little diagnostic evidence, but is very similar to that of insectivores in the Solenodontidae. Further preserved evidence indicates that the fossil midges swarmed about an arboreal nest or site of decayed wood that was worked by a mammal, but at very specific times during formation of the amber. Other very rare Dominican amber pieces containing a flea and an ixodid tick also contain mammalian hairs of similar microstructure, together with Lutzomyia sandflies, possibly reflecting the ectoparasite community of a Miocene mammal. This parasitic association has implications regarding the evolution of vectors of mammalian pathogens like Leishmania and the study further reveals the extent of palaeobiological inference that is possible with amber.

A fossil palm bruchid, Caryobruchus dominicanus sp. n. (Pachymerini: Bruchidae) in Dominican amber

1999 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 219-224 ◽  
Author(s):  
George O. Poinar
Keyword(s):  
Dominican Republic ◽  
Seed Predation ◽  
West Indies ◽  
American West ◽  
Indirect Evidence ◽  
West Indian ◽  
Central American ◽  
The West ◽  
Dominican Amber

AbstractPoinar Jr, G. O.: A fossil palm bruchid, Caryobruchus dominicanus sp. n. (Pachymerini: Bruchidae) in Dominican amber. Ent. scand. 30: 219-224. Copenhagen, Denmark. July 1999. ISSN 0013-8711. The first fossil palm bruchid, Caryobruchus dominicanus sp. n. (Coleoptera; Bruchidae) is described from Dominican Republic amber. This species is closely related to extant Central American-West Indian members of the genus, all of which develop in the seeds of palms. Aside from providing indirect evidence of fan palms, especially those of the genus Sabal, in the original Dominican amber forest, the present find shows that seed predation by Caryobruchus spp. was established in the West Indies some 15-45 million years ago.

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