Fossil Family Research Articles

New genera and species of aphids (Hemiptera, Aphidomorpha, Burmitaphididae) in mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber

In this paper new aphid genera and species, Echinoaphis penalverii gen. et sp. nov. and Vasteantenatus hukawngi gen. et sp. nov. in the fossil family Burmitaphididae are described and illustrated; these aphids are from the mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber of northern Myanmar.

Modo de apropiación de la naturaleza en las unidades de producción campesinas de amaranto y maíz en Tochimilco, Puebla, México

Para satisfacer sus necesidades el hombre tiene que apropiarse de la naturaleza. De los dos modos contrapuestos de apropiación, el campesino y el agroindustrial, el menos degradante es el primero, además de ser el más importante por el volumen de alimentos producidos, el trabajo generado y las ventajas ecológicas. Por la relevancia de este modo de apropiación, se planteó como objetivo mostrar la pertinencia ecológica, social y económica del modo de apropiación campesino y las características que propician tendencia al agroindustrial. El estudio se realizó en las comunidades San Lucas Tulcingo y La Magdalena Yancuitlalpan del municipio de Tochimilco, Puebla, México, seleccionadas por el patrón de paisajes (gradientes de altitud), la superficie sembrada de amaranto y de maíz, y el tipo de tecnología usada. Se analizó la Unidad de Producción Campesina que tiene como base la siembra de amaranto y de maíz. Las técnicas de investigación fueron la encuesta y la observación directa. Se realizó un muestreo estratificado aleatorio, resultando una muestra de 74 productores. Se construyó un Índice de Campesinidad (IC) con base a nueve atributos. Se aplicó una regresión logística por el método de Wald (hacia adelante) para determinar los indicadores con mayor influencia en el Índice de Campesinidad (IC). Los resultados de los nueve atributos muestran que las dos localidades se clasifican en el modo de apropiación campesino. San Lucas Tulcingo presentó mayor empleo de energía fósil por el uso de maquinaria agrícola, mientras que en La Magdalena Yancuitlalpan el modo campesino emplea mayor mano de obra familiar. Tanto la fuente de energía como la fuerza de trabajo manifestaron asociación con el Índice de Campesinidad de acuerdo al procedimiento de selección de variables con el método de Wald (hacia adelante). Se concluye que las Unidades de Producción Campesinas de San Lucas Tulcingo presentaron un Índice de Campesinidad de 0.327 (tendiente al agroindustrial), y las de La Magdalena Yancuitlalpan de 0.298, pero ambas conservan su modo de apropiación campesino. La diferencia está en la principal fuente de energía usada; energía fósil y energía de trabajo familiar, respectivamente.

Cretohisteridae, a new beetle family from the Early Cretaceous of China, and its implications for the early evolution of the basal group of Histeroidea (Coleoptera)

AbstractA new beetle family Cretohisteridae fam.n. is described from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation (∼125 Ma) at Huangbanjigou of Beipiao City, Liaoning Province, Northeastern China based on a well preserved fossil beetle, Cretohister sinensis gen., sp.n. This discovery has established the oldest fossil record for the superfamily Histeroidea, backdating the minimum age of the group by 25 Ma from the earliest Cenomanian (∼99 Ma) to the Barremian of the Cretaceous Period. Based on cladistic analyses of a comprehensive morphological dataset, Cretohisteridae is unambiguously recovered as the sister group of Histeridae, exhibiting several character states that bridge the span between Sphaeritidae, Synteliidae and Histeridae. The discovery of the new fossil family sheds new light on the early evolution and diversity of the Histeroidea in the Early Cretaceous, and provides new clues to solving the long‐ambiguous phylogenetic relationships among the modern families of Histeroidea.This published work has been registered in ZooBank, http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:C3F85BBB‐D60E‐44BC‐87C8‐B6D54374EE00.

The aphid Hormatalis lancigerens gen. et sp. nov. from Burmese amber sheds new light on the phylogenetic position of the Cretaceous family Isolitaphidae (Hemiptera: Aphidomorpha)

In this paper a new genus and species of the female aphid Hormatalis lancigerens Wegierek and Wang, gen. et sp. nov., in the fossil family Isolitaphidae are described and illustrated from the mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber of northern Myanmar. Based on a cladistic analysis the Cretaceous aphid family Isolitaphidae, including Hormatalis Wegierek and Wang, gen. nov. and Isolitaphis Poinar, 2017, is recognized as monophyletic and sister to siphunculi aphids.

Explaining global insect species richness: lessons from a decade of macroevolutionary entomology

AbstractThe last 10 years have seen more research on insect macroevolution than all the previous years combined. Here, I summarize and criticise the claims that have been made by comparative phylogenetic and fossil studies, and identify some future opportunities. We know the fossil record and phylogeny of insects much better than we did 10 years ago. We cannot simply ascribe the richness of insects, or their subtaxa, to either age or diversification rate. There is evidence that fossil family richness peaked much earlier than previously suspected. Phylogenetic evidence, however, suggests that species‐level net diversification rates are accelerating, though this is highly variable across taxa, implying ongoing changes in global taxonomic composition. Although there is evidence that wings and metamorphosis have had some macroevolutionary effects, the most definitive broad phylogenetic study does not suggest that they directly elevated net diversification of species. There is little evidence that insect body size influences net diversification rate. Compared to other phyla, arthropod richness, of which insects comprise the major part, is best explained by non‐marine habit, presence of parasitic lifestyles, a skeleton, vision, and dioecy. Herbivory cannot yet robustly be said to increase diversification over other diets across all insects: there are contrary analyses, and effects differ in different taxa. Many phylogenetic studies now document how it sometimes does: from co‐speciation, to diffuse co‐evolution with host shifting. The last decade has shown that climate change and biogeographic processes are likely important in generating or limiting insect diversification, but there is a need for greater statistical rigour in such studies. There is also a need to understand the validity of some widely used statistical methods better, and to make better use of the data and methods that exist. Macroevolutionary entomology could greatly benefit from online data integration platforms to facilitate analyses of broader scope.

Large Jurassic Scorpionflies Belonging to a New Subfamily of the Family Orthophlebiidae (Mecoptera)

This paper presents a further step in a revision of the fossil family Orthophlebiidae. A new fossil subfamily, Gigaphlebiinae subfam. nov., and two new genera, Gigaphlebia gen. nov. and Longiphlebia gen. nov., are established within Orthophlebiidae. The new subfamily comprises species characterized by a large size, ninebranched (exceptionally eight-branched) radial sector in both wings, and medial sector with six branches in the fore- and five in the hindwing. Four species, Gigaphlebia grandis comb. nov., G. palmaris comb. nov., G. riccardii comb. nov., and Longiphlebia stigmosa comb. nov. were transferred from genus Orthophlebia and Mesopanorpa. The diagnoses of newly established taxa are presented, all transferred species are redescribed and refigured. The significance of orthophlebiid taxonomy in the phylogeny of the Panorpoidea is discussed.

A review of the nomenclature of Cyclostigma (Cyclostigmatales: Cyclostigmataceae; fossil Isoetophyta)

AbstractThe complicated nomenclatural history of the extinct genus Cyclostigma Haught., established for arborescent trunks of presumably ancient isoetopsids (Isoetophyta: Cyclostigmatales), is reviewed and corrected with newly found bibliographic and historical data. The fossil name Cyclostigma, an illegitimate later homonym of two extant angiosperm genera, Cyclostigma Hochst. ex Endl. (Apocynaceae) nec Cyclostigma Klotzsch (Euphorbiaceae), was recently conserved and listed in App. III of ICN since the XVIII IBC in 2011. The fossil generic name Cyclostigma, associated with three species epithets and a distinct fossil family name Cyclostigmataceae (“Cyclostigmeae”), was invalidly published by Haughton in his series of works of 1859 and 1860 (reprinted several times), the genus lacking a description. Haughton’s family name based on his “Cyclostigma” and the species published in this genus were also not validly published. However, the generic name Cyclostigma was validly published in a little‐known publication by Haughton in 1859, not by Heer in 1871, as generally accepted in modern systematic palaeobotany, or Baily in 1861. In course of thorough nomenclatural analysis it has been shown that three fossil species names, which fell into oblivion still in the early works in the 19th century, Sigillaria dichotoma Haught. 1855, Lepidodendron griffithii Brongn. 1857 and L. minutum Haught. 1855 (non Sauveur) have priority over Cyclostigma kiltorkense Haught. 1859. Since C. kiltorkense has entered solidly into systematic palaeobotany and served as an index marker in historical geology, its retention through conservation is proposed. The nomenclature of the name Cyclostigmataceae is corrected as to be first validly published by Haughton in 1860.

Marsupial brood care in Cretaceous tanaidaceans

Parental care in animal evolution has long fascinated biologists, but tracing this complex of behavioural repertoires is challenging, as these transitory states often leave no corporeal traces as fossils. Among modern invertebrates, the tanaidaceans (Malacostraca: Peracarida), a lineage of marsupial crustaceans, show an interesting variety of brooding strategies. Here we report on fossil tanaidaceans from the Cretaceous of Spain and France that provide conclusive evidence for marsupial care of brood-offspring. Two exceptionally preserved female specimens of Alavatanais carabe and A. margulisae from Late Albian Peñacerrada I amber (Spain) possess four pairs of rudimentary oostegites, indicating formation of a marsupium. From Recent data, given the taxonomic distribution of a marsupium of four pairs of oostegites, we hypothesize that this may be plesiomorphic for the Tanaidomorpha. We also report on a peculiar tanaidacean specimen referable to the fossil family Alavatanaidae, Daenerytanais maieuticus gen. et sp. nov., from Early Cenomanian La Buzinie amber (France), preserved with its marsupial pouch and content. Our discoveries provide early evidence of the peracarid reproductive strategy, as seen in modern Tanaidacea, and argue that this form of parental care may have played a role in the diversification of the lineage during this period.

A replacement family-group name among fossil Neuroptera (Insecta)

The nomenclature of the enigmatic fossil family Rafaelidae is summarized and its status as a nomen invalidum requiring replacement is recognized, due to homonymy of its type genus, Rafaelia Nel et al. (nec Rafaelia Townsend). The replacement family-group name is made available as Rafaelianidae Engel & Nel, new name, based on the type genus Rafaeliana Nel et al., which is itself a former replacement for the junior Rafaelia.

On the ages of resonant, eroded and fossil asteroid families

In this work we have estimated 10 collisional ages of 9 families for which for different reasons our previous attempts failed. In general, these are difficult cases that required dedicated effort, such as a new family classifications for asteroids in mean motion resonances, in particular the 1/1 and 2/1 with Jupiter, as well as a revision of the classification inside the 3/2 resonance.Of the families locked in mean motion resonances, by employing a numerical calibration to estimate the Yarkovsky effect in proper eccentricity, we succeeded in determining ages of the families of (1911) Schubart and of the “super-Hilda” family, assuming this is actually a severely eroded original family of (153) Hilda. In the Trojan region we found families with almost no Yarkovsky evolution, for which we could compute only physically implausible ages. Hence, we interpreted their modest dispersions of proper elements as implying that the Trojan asteroid families are fossil families, frozen at their proper elements determined by the original ejection velocity field. We have found a new family, among the Griquas locked in the 2/1 resonance with Jupiter, the family of (11097) 1994 UD1.We have estimated the ages of 6 families affected by secular resonances: families of (5) Astraea, (25) Phocaea, (283) Emma, (363) Padua, (686) Gersuind, and (945) Barcelona. By using in all these cases a numerical calibration method, we have shown that the secular resonances do not affect significantly the secular change of proper a. We have confirmed the existence of the family resulting from cratering on (5) Astraea by computing a new set of resonant proper elements adapted to the resonance g+g5−2g6: this new family has a much larger membership and has a shape compatible with simple collisional models.For the family of (145) Adeona we could estimate the age only after removal of a number of assumed interlopers.With the present paper we have concluded the series dedicated to the determination of asteroid ages with a uniform method. Overall we computed 53 ages for a total of 49 families. For the future work there remain families too small at present to provide reliable estimates, as well as some complex families (221, 135, 298) which may have more ages than we could currently estimate. Future improvement of some already determined family ages is also possible by increasing family membership, revising the calibrations, and using more reliable physical data.

Palaeobiology of tanaidaceans (Crustacea: Peracarida) from Cretaceous ambers: extending the scarce fossil record of a diverse peracarid group

Diverse assemblages of tanaidacean peracarid crustaceans from western Tethyan continental deposits suggest that the group was relatively common in or around ancient resin-producing forests. Here we report the results of an examination of 13 tanaidacean specimens from three Cretaceous (Albian to Turonian) French amber deposits. Two new species of the fossil family Alavatanaidae are placed in the previously described Early Cretaceous genus Eurotanais: Eurotanais pyrenaensis sp. nov. from Cenomanian Pyrenean amber (Fourtou, Aude) and Eurotanais seilacheri sp. nov. from Turonian Vendean amber (La Garnache, Vendee). The remaining specimens are placed in three newly erected genera and species (but family incertae sedis): Arcantitanais turpis gen. et sp. nov. from Albian–Cenomanian Charentese amber (Archingeay, Charente-Maritime), and Tytthotanais tenvis gen. et sp. nov. and Armadillopsis rara gen. et sp. nov. from Pyrenean amber. These are the first formally described fossils that might be related to the paratanaoidean families Nototanaidae and Paratanaidae, sharing with these some putatively derived features and providing possible evidence for the antiquity and morphological stability of these families and the suborder Tanaidomorpha. The distinctive features and character combinations of these fossil taxa are discussed in connection with possible relationships to the living lineages of tanaidaceans. Propagation phase-contrast X-ray synchrotron microtomography was used to obtain high-quality 3D images for some fossils. A discussion is provided on the putative palaeobiology of tanaidaceans and the French resiniferous forest ecosystem. The discovery of these new tanaidaceans extends the palaeogeographical distribution and stratigraphical range of the family Alavatanaidae and sheds new light on the palaeoecology and diversity of tanaidaceans in pre-angiospermous woodlands.

Phylogenetic position of the extinct insect family Vetanthocoridae (Heteroptera) in Cimiciformes

The extinct fossil family Vetanthocoridae, with the tribes Vetanthocorini and Crassicerini, was considered a member of the Cimicoidea. Because the tribe Vetanthocorini has been transferred to Nabidae, the systematic position of Vetanthocoridae is in doubt. Punctivetanthocoris pubens gen. et sp. nov. from the Early Cretaceous Yixian Formation of China is assigned to Vetanthocoridae. Based on the combination of fossil and extant taxa, two cladistic analyses were conducted to confirm the phylogenetic position of the fossil family Vetanthocoridae within Cimiciformes and Cimicoidea. The monophyly of Cimiciformes and Cimicoidea is supported. The fossil family Vetanthocoridae is included in Cimicoidea, and forms a monophyletic group with the extant flower bugs.http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:404279F9-D9F7-4871-A7C7-9839E62139BD

A new species of Vetanthocoridae (Heteroptera: Cimicomorpha) from the Lower Cretaceous of China

A new species, Crassicerus limpiduspterus sp. n., is characterized, described and assigned to the tribe Crassicerini of the fossil family Vetanthocoridae. All of the specimens were collected from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation at Chaomidian Village, Liaoning Province. The Crassicerini are interpreted to have thrived in live plant habitats, including flowers, shrubs and trees, based on their antennal type.

Endocasts and brain evolution in Anthracotheriidae (Artiodactyla, Hippopotamoidea).

Anthracotheres are a fossil family of 'Suiformes' from the Old World, North and Central America. They are known from the middle Eocene to the late Pliocene, and are suggested to be the stem group of Hippopotamidae. Yet, their soft anatomy remains poorly known. In this study we describe the virtual endocast of the late Oligocene anthracothere Microbunodon minimum, reconstructed using microtomography, as well as the natural endocast of Merycopotamus medioximus from the late Miocene. These are the first anthracothere endocasts ever described. Particular attention is given to the relative proportions of the brain, the neocortex, the cerebellum and the olfactory bulbs. The 'backward shift' of the pituitary of M. minimum, and the possible presence of a K lobe in M. medioximus, is discussed. Previous statements that some endocranial characters were subject to convergence among mammals are also corroborated.

New fossil flower bugs (Heteroptera: Cimicomorpha: Cimicoidea: Vetanthocoridae) with uniquely long ovipositor from the Yixian Formation (Lower Cretaceous), China

A new genus and new species, Longilanceolatus tenellus gen. et sp. nov., is described and assigned to the tribe Vetanthocorini of the fossil family Vetanthocoridae. In addition, a new species, Curvicaudus spinosus sp. nov., is also described. All specimens were collected from the Lower Cretaceous of the Yixian Formation at Huangbanjigou, Chaomidian Village, Beipiao City, Liaoning Province, northeastern China. Body size, ovipositor length, abdomen length, and other characters of eleven genera from the Middle Jurassic to Eocene are summarized. Comparison of body size of all specimens in the Vetanthocoridae and Anthocoridae (sensu lato) indicate a general trend toward smaller body size through their evolution. Moreover, Longilanceolatus, with uniquely long ovipositor, is related to a different type of oviposition compared with extant flower bugs.

Phylogenetic relationships between living and fossil spinicaudatan taxa (Branchiopoda Spinicaudata): reconsidering the evidence

In order to understand relationships between living and fossil groups of spinicaudatan clam shrimp, it is important to review historical and contemporary attempts at evaluating the evolutionary history of the group. A comprehensive review of previous phylogenetic and paleontological work is presented here and considered in an evolutionary context in an attempt to bridge the gap between neontological and fossil works and to present a foundation upon which future studies may contribute to the understanding of spinicaudatan evolutionary history. This study is broken into three discrete sections dealing with various aspects of spinicaudatan neontology and paleontology. First, a brief review of the current state of branchiopod systematics is presented. Second, we offer reviews of contemporary efforts in the paleontological study of fossil Spinicaudata with familial and super-familial descriptions of major fossil groups. Finally, an effort to establish biologically sound hypotheses of relatedness between fossil and living lineages of ‘clam shrimp’ is presented. We conclude that attempts to integrate modern and extinct representatives of the spinicaudatans in a holistic approach result in many of the fossil families becoming paraphyletic or polyphyletic, highlighting the persistent rift between biological and palaeontological studies of the group. It is our hope that the hypotheses presented here will aid in a more synthetic studies of Spinicaudata and also allow biological patterns to be investigated across the groups over geologic time.

Western European middle Eocene to early Oligocene Chiroptera: systematics, phylogeny and palaeoecology based on new material from the Quercy (France)

Fossil material from 90 fossil localities, mostly paleokarstic, has been gathered together to study western European bat evolution and diversity from the middle Eocene (~44 Ma) to the early late Oligocene (~29 Ma). The morphological and biometric observations and comparisons of the tooth material allow recognition of 7 families, 10 genera and 57 species; amongst the latter, 45 are described in detail here together with 11 subspecies. Several taxa of various systematic ranks are described as new: 1 subgenus and 17 species including 6 new subspecies; 1 new family and 2 new genera were described in a previously published paper but originate from this large review. From these new results, and the long period covered (more than 10 Ma), this work suggests a number of phyletic hypotheses. Amongst others, the relationship between the new fossil family Mixopterygidae and the fossil and extant families Emballonuridae and Hipposideridae is discussed. The peculiar Necromantis fossil genus being now better documented, its particular inferior molar pattern is exemplified as defining the necromantodont pattern. Even though the affinities of Necromantis remain unclear, the new data indicate that the previous assignment to Megadermatidae was incorrect. Thanks to the available information from the bat material, the relative dating of yet unstudied and undated new localities is proposed from biochronal reference stages, characterized by some bat species with a given size and morphology. Also, further data are given for faunas dated by the numerical ages method. The comparison of fossil and modern bat cenograms suggests that the body weight composition of a community is linked to the nature of the environment in which it evolves. Finally, these analyses allow deducing some possible bat evolutionary modalities either by the variations in the represented weight range or by the proportion of the different weight categories. They indicate that extinctions preferentially affected “extreme species” from a morphological point of view, as well as in terms of body mass. Consequently, this allows discussion of the effect of Stehlin’s faunal Grande Coupure faunal event amongst western European bats at the Eocene–Oligocene boundary.

A Revised Key to the Living and Fossil Families of Strepsiptera, with the Description of a New Family, Cretostylopidae

A new family, Cretostylopidae Kathirithamby and Engel, is erected to accommodate the mid-Cretaceous species Cretostylops engeli Grimaldi and Kathirithamby. Based on this as well as various other recent works pertaining to the higher classification of Strepsiptera, a revised key is provide to the living and fossil families.

A rich and diverse tanaidomorphan (Crustacea: Tanaidacea) assemblage associated with Early Cretaceous resin-producing forests in North Iberia: palaeobiological implications

The extinct tanaidomorphan diversity from Early Cretaceous Spanish amber, currently comprising 26 specimens, is reassessed. The fossil family Alavatanaidae Vonk & Schram, 2007, described from Spanish amber, is revised on account of new preparation of type specimens and the discovery of new material. The described tanaidomorphan taxa are classified within the superfamily Paratanaoidea. An emended diagnosis for Alavatanaidae is provided, as well as for the genera Alavatanais Vonk & Schram, 2007 and Proleptochelia Vonk & Schram, 2007, and their respective species Alavatanais carabe Vonk & Schram, 2007 and Proleptochelia tenuissima Vonk & Schram, 2007. Three new species, two of them classified in a new genus each, are described: Alavatanais margulisae Sánchez-García, Peñalver & Delclòs sp. nov., Eurotanais terminator Sánchez-García, Peñalver & Delclòs gen. et sp. nov. and Electrotanais monolithus Sánchez-García, Peñalver & Delclòs gen. et sp. nov. Proleptochelia euskadiensis Vonk & Schram, 2007 is considered a junior synonym of A. carabe, and the genus Proleptochelia, together with its type and only species P. tenuissima, is left without familial placement within Paratanaoidea. Within this superfamily, Alavatanaidae is closely related to Leptocheliidae. Also, morphological variability due to sexual dimorphism in the studied paratanaoids has been determined. Multiple lines of taphonomic and palaeobiological evidence indicate that the Spanish amber tanaids were most likely inhabitants of wet or moist forest floors.http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:DC943B18-A01C-412C-8378-C644FEFDA716

The karyotype of the Amu Darya sturgeon, Pseudoscaphirhynchus kaufmanni (Actinopterygii: Acipenseriformes: Acipenseridae)

The order Acipenseriformes is an ancient group of vertebrate animals represented by two fossil families: Peipiaosteidae, extending back to the Upper Jurassic, and Chondrosteidae, dating from the Lower Jurassic, and extant representatives in two families: Acipenseridae and Polyodontidae (see Findeis 1997, Nelson 2006). Both extant families have fossil records with Mesozoic dating. Most primitive and the oldest paddlefishes (Polyodontidae) are known from the Lower Cretaceous of China (Protopsephurus) and North America (Paleopsephurus) (Grande and Bemis 1991); the only two living freshwater species represent two distinct phylogenetic lineages and genera (Hilton 2004): Polyodon spathula (Walbaum, 1792) in United States and Psephurus gladius (Martens, 1862) in China. Both the oldest sturgeon (Acipenseridae) species dated back to the Late Cretaceous in Montana are treated as taxa with an uncertain position, namely plesion Protoscaphirhynchus Wilimovsky, 1956, insertae sedis, and plesion Priscosturion Grande et Hilton, 2009, sedis mutabilis (see Hilton et al. 2011). The phylogenetic relations and taxonomic states of recent 25 sturgeon species also are the subject of a long-term discussion. Usually, living Acipenserid fish are subdivided into two subfamilies. Some authors (Findeis 1997, Nelson 2006) ACTA ICHTHYOLOGICA ET PISCATORIA (2014) 44 (2): 111–116 DOI: 10.3750/AIP2014.44.2.04