The oldest record of window fly supports a Gondwanan origin of the family (Diptera: Scenopinidae)

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
pp. 483-491
Author(s):  
CORENTIN JOUAULT ◽  
ANDRÉ NEL
Keyword(s):  
Fossil Record ◽  
First Record ◽  
Central American ◽  
North Central ◽  
Burmese Amber ◽  
Wind Circulation ◽  
The Family ◽  
Tethys Ocean ◽  
Aerial Transport ◽  
New Hypothesis

Palaeobiogeographic hypotheses need to be based on accurate palaeomaps and phylogenies of the concerned clades with a fossil record as complete as possible. Here we re-analyse the palaeobiogeography of the small fly family Scenopinidae, based on its first record in the mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber that we describe herein as Burmaprorates alagracilis gen. et sp. nov. and we assign to the subfamily Proratinae. At that time, the corresponding palaeobiota was an isolated island in the Southern part of the Tethys Ocean far away from the Laurasian plate and with general wind circulation unfavorable for aerial transport from Laurasia to the “Burmese Terrane”. Our results challenge and question the hypothesis of a North-Central American origin for the Scenopinidae at the beginning of the Cretaceous, and support a new hypothesis of a South Gondwanan origin.

The recently proposed odonatan ‘suborder’ Cephalozygoptera: fact or fiction

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 165-170
Author(s):  
ANDRÉ NEL ◽  
DARAN ZHENG
Keyword(s):  
Phylogenetic Analysis ◽  
Fossil Record ◽  
Burmese Amber ◽  
Current State ◽  
The Family

The new ‘suborder’ Cephalozygoptera was recently proposed for three fossil families of damselfly-like Odonata, on the basis of three characters of the head. Here we show, thanks to counter-examples of the presence of these characters in compression fossils of genuine Zygoptera, that these ‘characters’ do not exist in reality but are due to deformations and compression of the heads, a very frequent phenomenon in the fossil record of the whole superorder Odonatoptera. Furthermore, these alleged characters would have to have been regarded as symplesiomorphies, insufficient to support a new clade. Consequently, we consider the Cephalozygoptera as unfounded, to be rejected in the current state of knowledge. A new phylogenetic analysis of the whole clade Panodonata would be welcome. We also discuss the position of some previously described fossils: the Paleocene genus Valerea is restored in the Epallagidae (Euphaeidae), and the two Burmese amber genera Electrodysagrion and Palaeodysagrion are restored in the family Dysagrionidae.

scholarly journals First Record of Mites of the Family Stigmaeidae (Acari, Raphignathoidea) from Rovno Amber with Description of a New Species of the Genus Mediolata

2010 ◽  
Vol 44 (6) ◽  
pp. e-49-e-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Kuznetsov ◽  
A. Khaustov ◽  
E. Perkovsky
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Fossil Record ◽  
First Record ◽  
Late Eocene ◽  
Rovno Amber ◽  
The Family ◽  
A New Species

First Record of Mites of the Family Stigmaeidae (Acari, Raphignathoidea) from Rovno Amber with Description of a New Species of the Genus Mediolata A new species, Mediolata eocenica Kuznetsov, Khaustov et Perkovsky, sp. n., is described from the Late Eocene Rovno amber. It is the first fossil record of Stigmaeidae.

A new genus and tribe of Cretaceous net-winged beetles from Burmese amber (Coleoptera: Elateroidea: Lycidae)

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 262-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
ERIK TIHELKA ◽  
DIYING HUANG ◽  
CHENYANG CAI
Keyword(s):  
Fossil Record ◽  
New Genus ◽  
Single Specimen ◽  
New Genus And Species ◽  
Burmese Amber ◽  
The Family ◽  
New Tribe

With over 4,600 species distributed worldwide, the net-winged beetles belong among the most speciose elateroid lineages. Despite this, beetles of the family Lycidae are rare in the fossil record. A new genus and species of Lycidae, Cretolycus praecursor gen. et sp. nov., is herein described based on a single specimen preserved in mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. Cretolycus praecursor represents the second known lycid from the Mesozoic. A new tribe, Cretolycini trib. nov., is erected for the species, characterised by 11-segmented filiform antennae, 3-segmented labial palpi with an enlarged apical palpomere, and elytra without costae. A catalogue of fossil net-winged beetles is appended.

scholarly journals Just a Fragment of Undescribed Diversity: Twenty New Oriental and Palearctic Species of Sciaroidea (Diptera), including DNA Sequence Data and Two New Fossil Genera

Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 19
Author(s):  
Jan Ševčík ◽  
Heikki Hippa ◽  
Nikola Burdíková
Keyword(s):  
Type Species ◽  
Sequence Data ◽  
First Record ◽  
New Genera ◽  
Burmese Amber ◽  
Mitochondrial Coi ◽  
Dna Sequence Data ◽  
Incertae Sedis ◽  
The Family ◽  
Palearctic Species

The following 17 extant new species of Sciaroidea (Diptera: Bibionomorpha) are described: Bolitophila nikolae Ševčík sp. nov. (Bolitophilidae, Taiwan), Catocha jingfui sp. nov. (Cecidomyiidae, Taiwan), Catocha manmiaoe sp. nov. (Cecidomyiidae, Taiwan), Catocha shengfengi sp. nov. (Cecidomyiidae, Taiwan), Planetella taiwanensis sp. nov. (Cecidomyiidae, Taiwan), Diadocidia pseudospinusola sp. nov. (Diadocidiidae, Taiwan), Asioditomyia bruneicola sp. nov. (Ditomyiidae, Brunei), Asioditomyia lacii sp. nov. (Ditomyiidae, Taiwan), Ditomyia asiatica sp. nov. (Ditomyiidae, Thailand), Chetoneura davidi sp. nov. (Keroplatidae, Brunei), Euceroplatus mantici sp. nov. (Keroplatidae, Thailand), Setostylus fangshuoi sp. nov. (Keroplatidae, Taiwan), Platyceridion yunfui sp. nov. (Keroplatidae, Hainan), Terocelion adami sp. nov. (Keroplatidae, Taiwan), Hadroneura martini sp. nov. (Mycetophilidae, Taiwan), Paratinia furcata sp. nov. (Mycetophilidae, Czech Republic, Slovakia), and Nepaletricha sikorai sp. nov. (Sciaroidea incertae sedis, Thailand). Two new genera are described from the mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber, Burmasymmerus gen. nov. (Ditomyiidae, type species Burmasymmerus korneliae sp. nov., including also B. wieslawi sp. nov.), representing the first record of the family Ditomyiidae from the Mesozoic, and Burmatricha gen. nov. (Sciaroidea incertae sedis, type species Burmatricha mesozoica sp. nov.). Molecular phylogeny of Ditomyiidae, based on two DNA markers (28S, COI), as well as that of Catocha Haliday, 1833, based on the mitochondrial COI and 16S fragments, are also presented.

New Burmese amber fossils clarify the evolution of bethylid wasps (Hymenoptera: Chrysidoidea)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corentin Jouault ◽  
Valérie Ngô-Muller ◽  
Jean-Marc Pouillon ◽  
André Nel
Keyword(s):  
Burmese Amber ◽  
Identification Keys ◽  
The Family ◽  
Taxonomic Studies ◽  
New Hypothesis

Abstract Two new bethylid wasps from Cenomanian Burmese amber, one tentatively placed in †Protopristocerinae: Cretapristocera longiscapa gen. & sp. nov. and one in †Holopsenellinae: Megalopsenella pouilloni gen. & sp. nov., are described and illustrated here. They provide new data on the Cretaceous diversity of the family and extend the Cenomanian Burmese amber records to six species. We discuss their systematic placements and provide identification keys to species of †Holopsenellinae and †Protopristocerinae to assist future taxonomic studies. We phylogenetically analyse Bethylidae, adding several fossil taxa to a recent study, suggesting a new hypothesis for the relationships between the different subfamilies. We also address the distribution and underestimated diversity of the family during the Cretaceous and the evolution of the venation of their wings. Finally, we discuss the possible misplacement of the families Plumariidae and †Falsiformicidae.

scholarly journals A new lineage of Cretaceous jewel wasps (Chalcidoidea: Diversinitidae)

PeerJ ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e4633 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Haas ◽  
Roger A. Burks ◽  
Lars Krogmann
Keyword(s):  
Fossil Record ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Phylogenetic Position ◽  
Burmese Amber ◽  
Phylogenetic Placement ◽  
New Family ◽  
Early Diversification ◽  
The Family ◽  
Family Level ◽  
Cladistic Analyses

Jewel wasps (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) are extremely species-rich today, but have a sparse fossil record from the Cretaceous, the period of their early diversification. Three genera and three species,Diversinitus attenboroughigen. & sp. n., Burminata caputaeriagen. & sp. n. andGlabiala barbatagen. & sp. n. are described in the family Diversinitidae fam. n., from Lower Cretaceous Burmese amber. Placement in Chalcidoidea is supported by the presence of multiporous plate sensilla on the antennal flagellum and a laterally exposed prepectus. The new taxa can be excluded from all extant family level chalcidoid lineages by the presence of multiporous plate sensilla on the first flagellomere in both sexes and lack of any synapomorphies. Accordingly, a new family is proposed for the fossils and its probable phylogenetic position within Chalcidoidea is discussed. Morphological cladistic analyses of the new fossils within the Heraty et al. (2013) dataset did not resolve the phylogenetic placement of Diversinitidae, but indicated its monophyly. Phylogenetically relevant morphological characters of the new fossils are discussed with reference to Cretaceous and extant chalcidoid taxa. Along with mymarid fossils and a few species of uncertain phylogenetic placement, the newly described members of Diversinitidae are among the earliest known chalcidoids and advance our knowledge of their Cretaceous diversity.

scholarly journals Biogeography of Neotropical Meliaceae: geological connections, fossil and molecular evidence revisited

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra N. Muellner-Riehl ◽  
Blanca M. Rojas-Andrés
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
South America ◽  
Fossil Record ◽  
Central American ◽  
Molecular Evidence ◽  
Geological Evidence ◽  
North Central ◽  
Modern Distribution ◽  
North And South America ◽  
North And South

AbstractWe here provide, first, a general introduction into the woody angiosperm family Meliaceae, including updated numbers of the genera and species found in different parts of the globe, paying attention to geographic centres of diversity and patterns of endemism. Second, and more specifically, we review the latest literature concerning land connections (i) between Eurasia and North America, (ii) between North America and South America, as well as (iii) dispersal paths between Africa and South America that have existed since the proposed evolutionary origin of modern Meliaceae, i.e. from the Upper Cretaceous onwards (ca. 100 Million years ago). Comparing geological evidence with the fossil record as well as biogeographic studies, there is indication that the nowadays pantropically distributed family has made use of all these three routes. Five out of the eight modern Neotropical genera have a fossil record, namely Carapa Aubl., Cedrela P. Browne, Guarea F. Allam., Swietenia Jacq., and Trichilia P. Browne. Carapa and Trichilia have a modern transatlantic disjunction (distribution in Africa, Central and South America), and a fossil record in Africa and North/Central America (Trichilia), or Africa and Eurasia (Carapoxylon). Cedrela has a rich fossil record in Eurasia and the Americas. The global decrease in temperatures and a lack of Cedrela fossils in North America from the Late Miocene onwards suggest the genus had gone extinct there by that time, leading to its modern distribution in Central and South America. Oligocene to Pliocene fossils of Guarea, Swietenia and Trichilia in Central American key regions support biotic interchange between North and South America at various times.

First fossil record of the genus Reissa Evenhuis & Báez (Diptera: Mythicomyiidae: Mythicomyiinae) from the Eocene Green River Formation of North America, and discussion of biogeographical implications

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 223-228
Author(s):  
NEAL L. EVENHUIS
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
North America ◽  
Fossil Record ◽  
New World ◽  
First Record ◽  
Green River Formation ◽  
Green River ◽  
Fossil Specimen ◽  
The Family ◽  
Fossil Genus

The genus Reissa Evenhuis & Báez in Greathead & Evenhuis (2001) was originally described based on a short series of extant specimens from the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands. No further species of the genus have been discovered since. A related fossil genus (Riga Evenhuis) was described from Eocene Rovno amber (Evenhuis, 2013) and has some characters in common with the fossil specimen but differs in thoracic and antennal features. The new species described and illustrated here is represented by a single compression fossil of the new species Reissa kohlsi sp. nov. from the Parachute Creek member of the Green River Formation of Wyoming/Utah/Colorado, USA, the site of which dates from 51.2–48.7 my (Smith et al., 2008). It marks the first fossil record of the genus and its first record from the New World, and the first fossil record of the family Mythicomyiidae from North America. The family was previously known in the New World fossil record from the Miocene Dominican amber (cf. Evenhuis, 2013), including two representatives from the Mythicomyiinae (Mythicomyia dominicana Evenhuis, 2002 and Pieza dominicana Evenhuis, 2002).

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