A camel spider from Cretaceous Burmese amber

Abstract

The first camel spider (Arachnida, Solifugae) from the Upper Cretaceous (lowermost Cenomanian, ca. 99 Ma) Burmese amber from Myanmar is described as Cushingia ellenbergeri gen. et sp. nov. It represents one of only a handful of fossils belonging to this arachnid order, but its precise systematic affinities are difficult to resolve. It shares characters with Karschiidae, the subfamily Gylippinae among the Gylippidae and the subfamily Dinorhaxinae containing a single, monotypic genus Dinorhax Simon, 1879 in the family Melanoblossiidae; the latter genus occurring in South-East Asia today. Its general habitus is closest to Dinorhax, but differences between the fossil and this modern genus remain. On balance, the uncertain nature of some features precludes unequivocal referral to any one of the families above. We prefer to place this new genus as Solifugae incertae sedis and further discuss the wider biogeographical implications of this find. Our new fossil is also significant for coming from a presumed forest habitat, whereas most camel spiders today are associated with arid environments.