Biting midges (Diptera, Ceratopogonidae) in amber forest communities based on analysis of syninclusions in Late Eocene Rovno amber

Abstract

Over 2,500 pieces of unselected Rovno amber (Late Eocene of Ukraine) are studied for their contents of syninclusia depending on amber piece weight class and taxonomic position of syninclusion components. Unlike previous publications (Perkovsky et al. 2010a, 2012), ceratopogonid components enter analysis separately (as genera or genus groups) rather than as entire taxon. This changes the resulting pattern drastically. Instead of two correlation pleiades, the air-plankton one (include biting midges), and the ‘Sciarazone’ dwellers, we have six pleiades now depending on developmental environments (terrestrial saprotrophsvs. aquatic) and adult behavior (low level fliers and tree trunk visitorsvs. air plankton and others which show no preference to tree trunks). Causes of some differences are uncertain.