The first described turtle beetles from Eocene Baltic amber, with notes on fossil Chelonariidae (Coleoptera: Byrrhoidea)

Abstract. Chelonariidae, or turtle beetles, are rarely represented in the fossil record. Two new extinct species of this thermophilous coleopteran family, Chelonarium andabata Alekseev and Bukejs sp. nov. and Ch. dingansich Alekseev and Bukejs sp. nov., are described and illustrated from Eocene Baltic amber using X-ray micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). They are the first formally described species of turtle beetles from Eocene Baltic amber and the first known European representatives of this family. Based on modern habitats of the group, the presence of the plants with which their larvae are associated (epiphytic orchids) is proposed in the Eocene amber forest. The Eocene Florissant Formation fossil Chelonarium montanum Wickham, 1914, which was originally placed within Chelonariidae, is discussed based on its original description, and placement as incertae sedis within Byrrhoidea is proposed for this compression fossil (http://zoobank.org/References/C2EE164D-59DD-42FE-937D-B01C78DCD228, last access: 8 February 2021).

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The first described fossil species of Litargus Erichson (Coleoptera: Mycetophagidae) from Eocene Baltic amber examined with X-ray microtomography, and new records of Crowsonium succinium Abdullah, 1964

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4768.3.7 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4768 (3) ◽

pp. 405-414

Author(s):

VITALII I. ALEKSEEV ◽

JANUSZ KUPRYJANOWICZ ◽

KRISTAPS KAIRIŠS ◽

ANDRIS BUKEJS

Keyword(s):

Computed Tomography ◽

New Records ◽

Original Description ◽

Baltic Amber ◽

Micro Computed Tomography ◽

Fossil Species ◽

X Ray ◽

Incertae Sedis ◽

The Family ◽

A New Species

A new species of Mycetophagidae belonging to the genus Litargus, namely L. (Litargosomus) dantiscensis Alekseev, Kupryjanowicz et Bukejs sp. nov., is described and figured from Eocene Baltic amber using X-ray micro-computed tomography (μCT). Three additional specimens of a mycetophagid beetle that is rather common in Baltic amber, Crowsonium succinium Abdullah, are also reported. Prototoma striata Heer, which was originally placed in Mycetophagidae, is discussed based on its original description and illustration: it is proposed that the position incertae sedis within Coleoptera be given to this Early Jurassic fossil. Consequently, the records of Mycetophagidae from Eocene European amber should be considered the earliest occurrence of the family known to date.

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A new fossil species of Pycnomerus Erichson (Coleoptera: Zopheridae) from Baltic amber, and a replacement name for a Recent North American congener

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4550.4.6 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 4550 (4) ◽

pp. 565 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

ANDRIS BUKEJS ◽

VITALII I. ALEKSEEV ◽

DAVID M.L. COOPER ◽

GAVIN A. KING ◽

RYAN C. MCKELLAR

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

North American ◽

Fossil Record ◽

Baltic Amber ◽

Micro Ct ◽

Fossil Species ◽

X Ray ◽

Extant Species ◽

The Baltic

Based on a well-preserved specimen from Eocene Baltic amber, the second fossil species belonging to the genus Pycnomerus Erichson (Coleoptera: Zopheridae: Zopherinae), P. agtsteinicus Bukejs, Alekseev & McKellar sp. nov. is described and illustrated using synchrotron X-ray micro-CT observations. The new species adds to the sparse fossil record of Pycnomerus, which consists of the Baltic amber discoveries, and only four subfossil records in sediments that are less than one million years old. As part of this work, the new replacement name Pycnomerus lordi Bukejs, Alekseev & McKellar nom. nov. is also established for the extant species Pycnomerus sulcicollis LeConte, 1863 [non Pycnomerus sulcicollis (Germar, 1824)].

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A new megaspilid wasp from Eocene Baltic amber (Hymenoptera: Ceraphronoidea), with notes on two non-ceraphronoid families: Radiophronidae and Stigmaphronidae

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.5174 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

pp. e5174 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

István Mikó ◽

Thomas van de Kamp ◽

Carolyn Trietsch ◽

Jonah M. Ulmer ◽

Marcus Zuber ◽

...

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Fossil Record ◽

Morphological Traits ◽

Baltic Amber ◽

Invasive Technique ◽

Intermediate Form ◽

Micro Ct ◽

Non Invasive ◽

Incertae Sedis ◽

3D Data

Ceraphronoids are some of the most commonly collected hymenopterans, yet they remain rare in the fossil record. Conostigmus talamasi Mikó and Trietsch, sp. nov. from Baltic amber represents an intermediate form between the type genus, Megaspilus, and one of the most species-rich megaspilid genera, Conostigmus. We describe the new species using 3D data collected with synchrotron-based micro-CT equipment. This non-invasive technique allows for quick data collection in unusually high resolution, revealing morphological traits that are otherwise obscured by the amber. In describing this new species, we revise the diagnostic characters for Ceraphronoidea and discuss possible reasons why minute wasps with a pterostigma are often misidentified as ceraphronoids. Based on the lack of ceraphronoid characteristics, we remove Dendrocerus dubitatus Brues, 1937, Stigmaphronidae, and Radiophronidae from Ceraphronoidea and consider them as incertae sedis. We also provide some guidance for their future classification.

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The invisibile becomes visible: X-ray micro-CT reconstruction of Aneurus damzeni sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Aradidae) from Eocene Baltic amber

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4950.1.11 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4950 (1) ◽

pp. 189-195

Author(s):

ERNST HEISS ◽

KRISTAPS KAIRIŠS ◽

ANDRIS BUKEJS

Keyword(s):

Morphological Characters ◽

Baltic Amber ◽

Micro Ct ◽

Ct Reconstruction ◽

Micro Computed Tomography ◽

Fossil Species ◽

Burmese Amber ◽

X Ray ◽

Extant Species ◽

A New Species

The subfamily Aneurinae of the flat bug family Aradidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) contains about 150 extant species assigned to seven genera, and seven fossil species of which six were described from Eocene Baltic amber and one from Cretaceous Burmese amber. A new species Aneurus damzeni sp. nov. from Baltic amber is described and illustrated using X-ray micro-computed tomography (μCT) reconstructing concealed morphological characters. A key to all five extant and fossil Aneurinae species with triangular scutellum is provided.

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A new species of anapid spider (Araneae: Araneoidea, Anapidae) in Eocene Baltic amber, imaged using phase contrast X-ray computed micro-tomography

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.2742.1.4 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 2742 (1) ◽

pp. 60 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

DAVID PENNEY ◽

ANDREW MCNEIL ◽

DAVID I. GREEN ◽

ROBERT BRADLEY ◽

YURI M. MARUSIK ◽

...

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Phase Contrast ◽

Baltic Amber ◽

X Ray ◽

The Family ◽

X Ray Computed ◽

Micro Tomography ◽

The Baltic ◽

A New Species ◽

Eocene Amber

A new species of the extant spider family Anapidae is described from a fossil mature male in Eocene amber from the Baltic region and tentatively assigned to the genus Balticoroma Wunderlich, 2004. Phase contrast X-ray computed micro-tomography was used to reveal important features that were impossible to view using traditional microscopy. Balticoroma wheateri new species is easily diagnosed from all other anapids by having clypeal extensions that run parallel to the ectal surface of the chelicerae and in having the metatarsus of the first leg highly reduced and modified into what is presumably a y-shaped clasping structure. Although only a single extant anapid species occurs in northern Europe, the family was diverse in the Eocene. The discovery of yet another anapid species in Baltic amber supports the idea that Eocene European forests may have been a hotspot of evolution for this family of spiders.

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First fossil representative of Cerylonidae (Coleoptera: Coccinelloidea) described using X-ray micro-computed tomography, from Eocene Baltic amber

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.5032.2.4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5032 (2) ◽

pp. 225-236

Author(s):

ANDRIS BUKEJS ◽

ADAM ŚLIPIŃSKI ◽

JERIT L. MITCHELL ◽

RYAN C. MCKELLAR ◽

MAURICIO BARBI ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Computed Tomography ◽

New Species ◽

Baltic Amber ◽

Micro Computed Tomography ◽

Extinct Species ◽

X Ray ◽

The Family

Based on material originating from five amber collections of Eocene Baltic amber, Protostomopsis pandema gen. et sp. nov. is described and illustrated using X-ray micro-computed tomography. It is the first formally described extinct species of Cerylonidae, and the first known Palaearctic representative of the subfamily Ostomopsinae. As such, the new species extends the temporal range of the family Cerylonidae by approximately 45 Ma.

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Endogenous Production of n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Promotes Fracture Healing in Mice

Journal of Healthcare Engineering ◽

10.1155/2017/3571267 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2017 ◽

pp. 1-6 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Yuhui Chen ◽

He Cao ◽

Dawei Sun ◽

Changxin Lin ◽

Liang Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Transgenic Mice ◽

Fracture Healing ◽

Histological Analysis ◽

Callus Formation ◽

Healing Process ◽

Proximal Femoral Fracture ◽

Fracture Repair ◽

Micro Ct ◽

Micro Computed Tomography ◽

X Ray

Bone fracture is a global healthcare issue for high rates of delayed healing and nonunions. Although n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) is considered as a beneficial factor for bone metabolism, only few studies till date focused on the effects of n-3 PUFAs on fracture healing. In this study, we investigated the effect of endogenous n-3 PUFAs on fracture healing by measuring femur fracture repair in bothfat-1transgenic mice and WT mice. Proximal femoral fracture model was established infat-1transgenic mice and WT mice, respectively, and then the fracture was analyzed by using X-ray, micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), and histological assessment at 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35 days after fixation. The results showed that compared with WT mice,fat-1mice exhibited acceleration in fracture healing through radiographic and histological analysis (18–21 days versus 21–28 days postfracture). Meanwhile, X-ray and micro-CT analysis that showed better remodeling callus formation were in thefat-1group compared to WT group. Furthermore, histological analysis revealed that endogenous n-3 PUFAs promoted local endochondral ossification and accelerated the remodeling of calcified calluses after fracture. In conclusion, the present study indicated that endogenously produced n-3 PUFAs promote fracture healing process and accelerate bone remodeling in mice, and supplementation of n-3 PUFAs was positively associated with fracture healing.

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Description of a new fossil Pseudogarypus (Pseudoscorpiones: Pseudogarypidae) with the use of X-ray micro-CT to penetrate opaque amber

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.1305.1.4 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 1305 (1) ◽

pp. 41 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

HANS HENDERICKX ◽

VEERLE CNUDDE ◽

BERT MASSCHAELE ◽

MANUEL DIERICK ◽

JELLE VLASSENBROECK ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Baltic Amber ◽

Micro Ct ◽

X Ray

Pseudogarypus pangaea Henderickx n. sp., a new fossil pseudoscorpion from Baltic amber, is described. Epoxy embedding and X-ray micro-CT are used to visualize the morphology of the single available specimen.

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A new fossil Eurypinae genus and sexual dimorphism in the representatives of Omineus (Coleoptera: Mycteridae) from Tertiary amber of Europe

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4820.3.8 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4820 (3) ◽

pp. 551-562

Author(s):

VITALII IGOREVICH ALEKSEEV ◽

ANDRIS BUKEJS ◽

DARREN ANDREW POLLOCK

Keyword(s):

Computed Tomography ◽

Sexual Dimorphism ◽

Baltic Amber ◽

Micro Computed Tomography ◽

Fossil Species ◽

X Ray ◽

Secondary Sexual Characters ◽

Kaliningrad Region ◽

First Time ◽

Secondary Sexual

Europoeurypus inglaeso gen. et sp. nov. is described from Eocene Baltic amber found on the Sambian Peninsula, Kaliningrad Region, Russia. Four additional specimens of mycterid beetles from collections of Baltic amber are reported. The secondary sexual characters and sexual dimorphism in the Eocene representatives of the genus Omineus Lewis, 1895 are documented for the first time and examined using X-ray micro-computed tomography (μCT). The studied Omineus male specimens were attributed to the fossil species Omineus febribilis Alekseev, Pollock & Bukejs, 2019. A key to fossil species of Eurypinae from Eocene ambers is provided and several aspects of the biogeography of the subfamily Eurypinae are discussed.

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The first extinct species of <i>Acritus</i> LeConte, 1853 (Histeridae: Abraeinae) from Eocene Baltic amber: a microscopic beetle inclusion studied with X-ray micro-computed tomography

Fossil Record ◽

10.5194/fr-24-223-2021 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 24 (2) ◽

pp. 223-231

Author(s):

Vitalii I. Alekseev ◽

Andris Bukejs

Keyword(s):

Computed Tomography ◽

Light Microscopy ◽

Baltic Amber ◽

Micro Computed Tomography ◽

Absolute Size ◽

Male Specimen ◽

Current Finding ◽

X Ray ◽

Size Limits ◽

Average Size

Abstract. Acritus sutirca sp. nov. is described and illustrated from Eocene Baltic amber on the basis of one adult male specimen. As the first extinct member of the subfamily Abraeinae (Histeridae) and the smallest known fossil histerid specimen, this material was examined using a combination of light microscopy and X-ray micro-computed tomography (µCT). Internal features of the abdomen are well preserved, allowing us to study sclerotized parts of the aedeagus and illustrate these structures in detail. The current finding expands the range of known Histeridae diversity from the Eocene (48–34 Ma) “amber forests” of Europe. The absolute size limits and the probable average size for Baltic amber coleopteran inclusions are also briefly discussed (urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:A2B17479-8628-47C7-A8D4-3E0789BF088B).

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