A peculiar new genus of Scytinopteridae (Hemiptera, Cicadomorpha) from the Permian-Triassic boundary beds of Mongolia

Abstract

Scytinopteridae Handlirsch, 1906 is a widespread family of extinct Cicadomorpha known worldwide from the Permian and Triassic (Lambkin, 2016). This family was understood very broadly (e.g., Evans, 1956), but was later restricted to the genera with heavily sclerotized punctate tegmina having a costal fracture and a hypocostal socket fixed on the thorax in repose, and was placed in the superfamily Scytinopteroidea Handlirsch, 1906 (Shcherbakov, 1984). Based on these features, scytinopteroids are considered inhabitants of waterside vegetation capable of temporary submergence, and are ancestors of true bugs (Shcherbakov, 1996, 2000). In the beds near the Permian-Triassic boundary of Mongolia, an unusual new genus of Scytinopteridae was discovered with pointed coleopterous tegmina lacking the costal fracture and the claval furrow. These modifications indicate that the flying ability in the new scytinopterid was reduced or lost, and the peculiar shape of the tegmina probably helped to mimic host plant buds or seeds (plant-part mimicry).