A new palaeodictyopteroid (Megasecoptera: Brodiopteridae) from the Early Pennsylvanian of northern China reveals unique morphological traits and intra-specific variability

Abstract

Pecharová, M., Ren, D. & Prokop, J., 29.01.2015. A new palaeodictyopteroid (Megasecoptera: Brodiopteridae) from the Early Pennsylvanian of northern China reveals unique morphological traits and intra-specific variability. Alcheringa 39, XXX–XXX. ISSN 0311-5518Evaluation of abundant insect fossils from the Early Pennsylvanian (Namurian) Tupo Formation of northern China (Xiaheyan locality, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region) enabled description of a new megasecopteran, i.e., Brodioptera sinensis sp. nov. and emendation of Brodiopteridae. Brodioptera sinensis is defined principally on wing venation characters and darkly pigmented wing apices, but a few have hyaline wing membranes possibly reflecting freshly emerged imagoes or subimagoes without fully developed coloration. The large assemblage of 54 specimens enabled documentation of intra-specific variability in wing venation. In addition, the new species reveals the detailed morphology of the haustellate mouthparts with conspicuous elongated stylets, and external copulatory organs that, previously, were poorly documented or unknown. The male and female external genitalia are similar to members of Protohymenidae (Megasecoptera) and Asthenohymenidae (Diaphanopterodea). Brodioptera sinensis is related to Brodioptera stricklani and Brodioptera cumberlandensis both known from localities in Euramerica suggesting faunal exchange occurred during the Bashkirian. Moreover, based on our analysis of veinal characters and re-examination of the holotype of Sylvohymen pintoi Brauckmann known from Namurian of Hagen-Vorhalle (Germany), we propose transferring this taxon to Brodiopteridae as Brodioptera pintoi comb. nov. Despite the different palaeoclimatic conditions in Euroamerica and Gondwanaland, we assume that Brodiopteridae are closely related to Xenopteridae (type genus: Xenoptera) known solely from South America because these groups have similar venation patterns and were contemporaneous.Martina Pecharová [martina.pecharova@natur.cuni.cz] Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Science, Department of Zoology, Viničná 7, CZ-128 44, Praha 2, Czech Republic; Dong Ren [rendong@mail.cnu.edu.cn] Key Lab of Insect Evolution & Environmental Changes, College of Life Science, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, PR China; Jakub Prokop [jprokop@natur.cuni.cz] Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Science, Department of Zoology, Viničná 7, CZ-128 44, Praha 2, Czech Republic.