New early Eocene Siricomorpha (Hymenoptera: Symphyta: Pamphiliidae, Siricidae, Cephidae) from the Okanagan Highlands, western North America

2015 ◽  
Vol 148 (2) ◽  
pp. 209-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Bruce Archibald ◽  
Alexandr P. Rasnitsyn

AbstractWe describe three new genera and four new species (three named) of siricomorph sawflies (Hymenoptera: Symphyta) from the Ypresian (early Eocene) Okanagan Highlands: Pamphiliidae,Ulteramus republicensisnew genus, new speciesfrom Republic, Washington, United States of America; Siricidae,Ypresiosirex orthosemosnew genus, new speciesfrom McAbee, British Columbia, Canada; and Cephidae,Cuspilongus cachecreekensisnew genus, new speciesfrom McAbee and another cephid treated as Cephinae species A from Horsefly River, British Columbia, Canada. These are the only currently established occurrences of any siricomorph family in the Ypresian. We treat the undescribed new siricoid from the Cretaceous Crato Formation of Brazil as belonging to the Pseudosiricidae, not Siricidae, and agree with various authors that the YpresianMegapterites mirabilisCockerell is an ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). The Miocene speciesCephites oeningensisHeer andC. fragilisHeer, assigned to the Cephidae over a century and a half ago, are also ants. Many of the host plants that siricomporphs feed upon today first appeared in the Eocene, a number of these in the Okanagan Highlands in particular. The Okanagan Highlands sites where these wasps were found also had upper microthermal mean annual temperatures as are overwhelmingly preferred by most modern siricomorphs, but were uncommon in the globally warm Ypresian, only found then in higher elevations and highest latitudes.

2014 ◽  
Vol 146 (4) ◽  
pp. 429-443 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Bruce Archibald ◽  
Christian Kehlmaier ◽  
Rolf W. Mathewes

AbstractThree new species of Pipunculidae (Diptera) are described (one named), from the early Eocene (Ypresian) Okanagan Highlands of British Columbia, Canada and Washington State, United States of America: Metanephrocerus belgardeaenew species from Republic, Washington; and Pipunculidae species A and Pipunculinae species A from Quilchena, British Columbia. We re-describe the late Eocene (Priabonian) species Protonephrocerus florissantius Carpenter and Hull from Florissant, Colorado, United States of America, and assign it to a new genus proposed here, Priabonanew genus. Pipunculinae species A is the oldest known member of the family whose wing lacks a separated M2 vein; previously this had been known in species only as old as Miocene Dominican amber. This is a presumably derived character state that is predominant in modern species. Molecular analysis indicates an origin of the Pipunculidae in the Maastrichtian; the morphological and taxonomic diversity seen here in the Ypresian is consistent with an early radiation of the family. This is concordant with the radiation of Auchenorrhyncha, upon which they mostly prey, which is in turn associated with the early Paleogene diversification of angiosperm-dominated forests recovering from the K-Pg extinction event.


Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4951 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-79
Author(s):  
S. BRUCE ARCHIBALD ◽  
VLADIMIR N. MAKARKIN

Four new species of Raphidiidae are described from the early Eocene of western North America: Megaraphidia antiquissima sp. nov. from McAbee, M. ootsa sp. nov. from Driftwood Canyon, M. hopkinsi sp. nov. from the Allenby Formation (all from British Columbia, Canada), M. klondika sp. nov. from Republic (Washington, United States of America). Archiinocellia Handlirsch, 1910, Archiinocellia oligoneura Handlirsch, 1910 from Horsefly River (British Columbia, Canada), and A. protomaculata (Engel, 2011), comb. nov., from the Green River Formation (Colorado, United States of America) are redescribed. Archiinocellia is assigned to Raphidiidae, sit. nov. The apparent absence of sclerotized gonocoxites 9 in the Archiinocellia protomaculata male is probably plesiomorphic at the family level. As some modern snakeflies do not require a cold interval to complete their development and Eocene Inocelliidae and Raphidiidae lived in regions of warm winters (especially A. protomaculata), adaptation to cold winters in many modern snakeflies is a post-Eocene phenomenon. Eocene Raphidiidae of Europe (Priabonian) differ greatly from those of North America (Ypresian and Priabonian). This pattern might reflect dispersal in either direction or ranges established prior to continental separation. Eocene Inocelliidae of Europe (Priabonian), however, are more similar to those of North America (Ypresian and Lutetian). 


2015 ◽  
Vol 147 (6) ◽  
pp. 744-753 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Bruce Archibald ◽  
Sven Bradler

AbstractStem-group Phasmatodea, known as the Susumanioidea, are previously established from the Jurassic through the Paleocene. Here, we extend this record to the early Eocene with five new fossils: two forewings from the Klondike Mountain Formation exposures at Republic, Washington, United States of America, and three partially complete specimens from the McAbee locality in southern British Columbia, Canada. We assign both of the Republic specimens to the new genus and species Eoprephasma hichensinew genus, new species. Two of the McAbee fossils appear to represent two further new species, which we refer to as Susumanioidea species A and B for lack of clearly preserved diagnostic species-level character states. The third might belong to one of these two species, but this is unclear. In all three, the mesothorax and metathorax are not notably extended, the forewings are not shortened, the foreleg femur is straight, and species A possesses an extended, external ovipositor with an operculum (unknown in the other specimens). These conditions are rare and never found in combination in Euphasmatodea. All other stem-group Phasmatodea younger than the Early Cretaceous of China are only known from isolated wings.


Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4934 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-133
Author(s):  
S. BRUCE ARCHIBALD ◽  
ROBERT A. CANNINGS ◽  
ROBERT J. ERICKSON ◽  
SETH M. BYBEE ◽  
ROLF W. MATHEWES

We describe the Cephalozygoptera, a new, extinct suborder of Odonata, composed of the families Dysagrionidae and Sieblosiidae, previously assigned to the Zygoptera, and possibly the Whetwhetaksidae n. fam. The Cephalozygoptera is close to the Zygoptera, but differs most notably by distinctive head morphology. It includes 59 to 64 species in at least 19 genera and one genus-level parataxon. One species is known from the Early Cretaceous (Congqingia rhora Zhang), possibly three from the Paleocene, and the rest from the early Eocene through late Miocene. We describe new taxa from the Ypresian Okanagan Highlands of British Columbia, Canada and Washington, United States of America: 16 new species of Dysagrionidae of the existing genus Dysagrion (D. pruettae); the new genera Okanagrion (O. threadgillae, O. hobani, O. beardi, O. lochmum, O. angustum, O. dorrellae, O. liquetoalatum, O. worleyae, all new species); Okanopteryx (O. jeppesenorum, O. fraseri, O. macabeensis, all new species); Stenodiafanus (S. westersidei, new species); the new genus-level parataxon Dysagrionites (D. delinei new species, D. sp. A, D. sp. B, both new); and one new genus and species of the new family Whetwhetaksidae (Whetwhetaksa millerae). 


2014 ◽  
Vol 147 (4) ◽  
pp. 359-369 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Bruce Archibald ◽  
Vladimir N. Makarkin

AbstractArchaeochrysa sanikwanew species (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae: Nothochrysinae) is described from early Eocene (Ypresian) Okanagan Highlands shale at Driftwood Canyon, British Columbia, Canada. The evolutionary trends of three chrysopid wing venation characters (the shape of the intramedian cell, the position of the crossvein 2m-cu, and the development of the pseudocubitus) are analysed. The forewing venation of this species is very plesiomorphic compared with the vast majority species of Nothochrysinae, both fossil and extant.


2019 ◽  
Vol 56 (8) ◽  
pp. 803-813
Author(s):  
Gerald Mayr ◽  
S. Bruce Archibald ◽  
Gary W. Kaiser ◽  
Rolf W. Mathewes

We survey the known avian fossils from Ypresian (early Eocene) fossil sites of the North American Okanagan Highlands, mainly in British Columbia (Canada). All specimens represent taxa that were previously unknown from the Eocene of far-western North America. Wings from the McAbee site are tentatively referred to the Gaviiformes and would constitute the earliest fossil record of this group of birds. A postcranial skeleton from Driftwood Canyon is tentatively assigned to the Songziidae, a taxon originally established for fossils from the Ypresian of China. Two skeletons from Driftwood Canyon and the McAbee site are tentatively referred to Coliiformes and Zygodactylidae, respectively, whereas three further fossils from McAbee, Blakeburn, and Republic (Washington, USA) are too poorly preserved for even a tentative assignment. The specimens from the Okanagan Highlands inhabited relatively high paleoaltitudes with microthermal climates (except Quilchena: lower mesothermal) and mild winters, whereas most other Ypresian fossil birds are from much warmer lowland paleoenvironments with upper mesothermal to megathermal climates. The putative occurrence of a gaviiform bird is particularly noteworthy because diving birds are unknown from other lacustrine Ypresian fossil sites of the Northern Hemisphere. The bones of the putative zygodactylid show a sulphurous colouration, and we hypothesize that this highly unusual preservation may be due to the metabolic activity of sulphide-oxidizing bacteria.


2016 ◽  
Vol 148 (6) ◽  
pp. 693-697 ◽  
Author(s):  
William P. Brown ◽  
Marion E. Zuefle ◽  
Jason J. Dombroskie

AbstractOak twig pruner (Anelaphus parallelus(Newman); Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) larvae develop inside twigs pruned from host plants. Reasons for this behaviour are unknown and differential emergence due to twig diameter has not been explored. Twigs pruned from walnuts (Juglans nigraLinnaeus; Juglandaceae) (n=179) and oaks (QuercusLinnaeus; Fagaceae) (n=84) were collected in Pennsylvania, United States of America in 2010; 118 pruned oak twigs were collected in New York State, United States of America in 2012. Twigs from 2012 were dissected to determine rates of emergence and larval mortality; both samples were examined for parasitoids. As the diameter of oak twigs (range of 3–16 mm) increased, larval mortality increased and adult emergence decreased. Date of collection did not influence twig diameter nor emergence rates. Three new parasitoids were associated with the oak twig pruner:AtanycolusFörster (Hymenoptera: Braconidae),Eubazus denticulatus(Martin) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), and a potentially new genus of wasp (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Hormiinae nearPambolusHaliday). Parasitism rates were an order of magnitude greater among twigs that contained more than one larva or pupa (23.1%;n=26) compared to those that contained only one (2.3%;n=341).


2019 ◽  
Vol 151 (04) ◽  
pp. 521-530 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vladimir N. Makarkin ◽  
S. Bruce Archibald ◽  
James E. Jepson

AbstractOne new genus of Inocelliidae (Raphidioptera) with one new species and one undetermined specimen is described from the Eocene of North America: Paraksenocellia borealis new genus, new species from the early Eocene (Ypresian) Okanagan Highlands shale at Driftwood Canyon, British Columbia, Canada (a forewing), and Paraksenocellia species from the middle Eocene (Lutetian) of the Coal Creek Member of the Kishenehn Formation, northwestern Montana, United States of America (a hind wing). These are the oldest records of the family. The new genus possesses many character states that are rare in Inocelliidae, e.g., a very long pterostigma extending to ScP in both the forewings and hind wings; the forewing subcostal space has three crossveins; the forewing and hind wing AA1 are deeply forked; the crossvein between CuA and CuP is located far distad the crossvein 1r-m. Paraksenocellia is confidently a member of the Inocelliidae, as it possesses a proximal shift of the basal crossvein 1r-m (connecting R and M) in the forewing and the loss of the basal crossvein 1r-m in the hind wing, both apomorphies of the family. It shares some character states with the Mesozoic Mesoraphidiidae, which we consider to be mostly stem-group plesiomorphies.


2013 ◽  
Vol 87 (4) ◽  
pp. 677-695 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Bruce Archibald ◽  
Rolf W. Mathewes ◽  
David R. Greenwood

The scorpionfly (Mecoptera) superfamily Panorpoidea underwent an Eocene radiation, replacing the extinct Mesozoic orthophlebiid grade and reaching its greatest family-level diversity: Panorpidae, Panorpodidae, Austropanorpidae, Holcorpidae, Dinopanorpidae, and a new family proposed here, the Eorpidae. Only the Panorpidae and Panorpodidae survived the Eocene and persist to the present day. This cluster of family extinctions is exceptional within Cenozoic insects. The Eorpidae includes at least one new genus and three new species described here from four localities of the early Eocene Okanagan Highlands of British Columbia, Canada, and Washington, U.S.A.:Eorpa ypsipedan. gen. n. sp. (McAbee and possibly Falkland, BC, Canada; and Republic, WA, U.S.A.),Eorpa elverumin. gen. n. sp. (Republic), andEorpa jurgenin. gen. n. sp. (Quilchena, BC). Some of the other fragmentary and poorly preserved specimens might represent further new species. We propose that the apex of Panorpoid family diversity ended by pressures from post-Eocene icehouse world climatic stress and the rise to ecological dominance of ants, some of which would have provided strong competition in scavenging for dead arthropods.


2012 ◽  
Vol 86 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen R. Westrop ◽  
Jennifer D. Eoff

Nine agnostoid species from late Cambrian (Paibian: Steptoean) boulders from the Cow Head Group in western Newfoundland fall into three biostratigraphically distinct faunas. The Glyptagnostus reticulatus Fauna contains only the eponymous species and correlates with the lower part of the Paibian and the basal Steptoean of North America. The “Innitagnostus” inexpectans Fauna is more diverse and likely correlates into part of the lower Steptoean Aphelaspis Zone of western North America. The youngest fauna, the Acmarhachis kindlei n. sp. Fauna, also includes species of Homagnostus and Pseudagnostus, as well as a second new species of Acmarhachis, A. whittingtoni. It probably correlates with the Dunderbergia Zone (mid-Pabian and mid-Steptoean) of the western United States. The Laurentian species Acmarhachis typicalis Resser (1938) and A. acuta (Kobayashi, 1938) are evaluated from restudy of type material, and types of “Innitagnostus” inexpectans (Kobayashi, 1938) from British Columbia are also reillustrated.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document