Lower Cretaceous Amber Research Articles

The earliest fossil mosquito

Female mosquitoes are among the most notorious blood-feeding insects, sometimes causing severe allergic responses or vectoring a variety of microbial pathogens.1,2 Hematophagy in insects is likely a feeding shift from plant fluids, with the piercing-sucking mouthparts serving as suitable exaptation for piercing vertebrates' skin. The origins of these habits are mired in an often-poor fossil record for many hematophagous lineages,3,4 particularly those of sufficient age, as to give insights into the paleoecological context in which blood feeding first appeared or even to arrive at gross estimates as to when such shifts have occurred. This is certainly the case for mosquitoes, a clade estimated molecularly to date back to the Jurassic.5 The known Mesozoic Culicidae are Late Cretaceous, assigned to the modern Anophelinae or to the extinct Burmaculicinae, sister to other Culicidae, all with mouthparts of a modern type. Here, we report the discovery, in Lower Cretaceous amber from Lebanon, of two conspecific male mosquitoes unexpectedly with piercing mouthparts, armed with denticulate sharp mandibles and laciniae. These male fossils were likely hematophagous. They represent a lineage that diverged earlier than Burmaculicinae, extending the definitive occurrence of the family into the Early Cretaceous and serving to narrow the ghost-lineage gap for mosquitoes.

Birmaniaespina robustispina gen. et sp. nov., a new yuripopovinid bug from Cenomanian Kachin amber, Myanmar (Hemiptera, Pentatomomorpha)

The true bug family Yuripopovinidae was first reported in Lower Cretaceous amber of central Lebanon, and subsequently documented in the Lower Cretaceous of northeastern China and Cenomanian Kachin amber of Myanmar. Based on one well-preserved bug fossil trapped in Kachin amber, we herein describe and illustrate another new yuripopovinid taxon, Birmaniaespina robustispina gen. et sp. nov. The new genus and species can be easily distinguished from known yuripopovinids by bearing a series of deviant autapomorphic characters: one horn arranged on each lateral margin of head behind compound eye, pronotal posterior lobe surface reticular, and ovipositor extremely long and apparently extending beyond pygofer. The new bizarre yuripopovinid further evidences that this extinct pentatomomorph lineage once diversified multi-dimensionally and was flourishing in the late Mesozoic.

Jordanian–Lebanese–Syrian cockroaches s.s. from Lower Cretaceous amber – Monograph

Jordanian–Lebanese–Syrian cockroaches s.s. from Lower Cretaceous amber – Monograph

A review of the Cretaceous genus Eltxo (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) with description of the new species Eltxo grimaldii from El Soplao amber

A new species, Eltxo grimaldii sp. nov., is described from Spanish Lower Cretaceous (middle Albian) amber from El Soplao, based on a single female. The new species is compared with the other only known species of the genus, Eltxo cretaceus Arillo & Nel, 2000, based on a single male specimen also found in Spanish amber, but slightly younger (Peñacerrada I amber; upper Albian). The holotype of E. cretaceus is reviewed and its description corrected and expanded, providing the first micrographs of its anatomical features. The holotype of the new fossil species is the only female specimen known of the cecidomyiid tribe Amediini Jaschhof, 2021, a tribe recently described after changes of taxonomic attribution of the genus Eltxo during the last 20 years.

Paleopsychoda jarzembowskii, a new Lower Cretaceous species of moth flies from Lebanese amber (Diptera: Psychodidae: Psychodinae)

Paleopsychoda jarzembowskii sp. nov. is characterized, illustrated, and described from the lower Barremian amber of Mdeyrij-Hammana (Lebanon). It represents the first psychodid fly in Lower Cretaceous amber showing sexual dimorphism in wing characters. The discovery of this Cretaceous psychodid fly demonstrates that this genus had a large diversification and broad distribution, and improves our knowledge of the evolution of moth flies.

A braconid wasp (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) from the Lower Cretaceous amber of San Just, eastern Iberian Peninsula.

Braconid parasitoid wasps are a widely diversified group today, while their fossil record from the Mesozoic is currently poorly known. Here, we describe Utrillabraconelectropteron Álvarez-Parra & Engel, gen. et sp. nov., from the upper Albian (Lower Cretaceous) amber of San Just in the eastern Iberian Peninsula. The holotype specimen is incomplete, although the forewing and hind wing venation are well preserved. The new taxon is assigned to the subfamily †Protorhyssalinae (Braconidae) and, based on characteristics of the wing venation, seems to be closely related to Protorhyssalusgoldmani Basibuyuk & Quicke, 1999 and Diorhyssalusallani (Brues, 1937), both from Upper Cretaceous ambers of North America. We discuss the taxonomy of the Cretaceous braconids, considering †Seneciobraconinae as a valid subfamily. We also comment on possible relationships within †Protorhyssalinae, although a phylogenetic analysis is necessary. Additionally, a checklist is included of braconids known from Cretaceous ambers.

New fossil biting midge from the Lower Cretaceous amber of Lebanon (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

A new species of the fossil genus Minyohelea (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) from the lower Barremian (Lower Cretaceous) Lebanese amber is studied. The new species Minyohelea nexuosa sp. nov. is described, illustrated, and its unusual male genitalia is compared with those of the other fossil representatives of this extinct genus.

<p><strong>New early Barremian fossiliferous amber outcrop from North Lebanon</strong></p>

Lebanon is famous for its abundant Mesozoic amber deposits. Most of its amber outcrops are from the Lower Cretaceous [lower Barremian (Granier et al., 2016; Maksoud et al., 2017)] (ca. 430 outcrops found hitherto), while others are from Upper Jurassic (Kimmeridgian) [19 outcrops (Azar et al., 2010b; Nohra et al., 2013; Maksoud & Azar, 2020)]. Among the many Lebanese Lower Cretaceous amber deposits, only 24 of them gave biological inclusions to date (Azar et al., 2010a; Maksoud & Azar, 2020; Maksoud et al., 2020).

<p><strong>New Cecidomyiidae from the Lower Cretaceous Lebanese amber (Diptera)</strong></p>

The oldest representatives of several cecidomyiid tribes are characterised and described from the Lower Cretaceous Lebanese amber, viz. a Lestremiinae with uncertain tribe affinities; two Winnertziinae Winnertziini: Libanoclinorrhytis jaschhofi gen. et sp. nov., and Lebanowinnertzia perrichoti gen. et sp. nov.; and two Porricondylinae Dicerurini: Cretadicerura salimi gen. et sp. nov. and Libanohilversidia doryi gen. et sp. nov. These taxa are the oldest representatives of their respective tribes.

<p><strong>New early Barremian amber outcrops from Central Lebanon</strong></p>

Three new early Barremian amber outcrops are reported from Mazraat Kfardibiane (Caza Kesserouane, Central Lebanon), among which one (Red Rock area) yielded two biological inclusions and increasing as such the Lower Cretaceous Lebanese amber outcrops with fossil biological inclusions to 24. The amber from these newly discovered outcrops is described, characterized, and chemically analysed using Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy.

Early Cretaceous termites in amber from northern Spain (Isoptera)

Two virtually complete termites in Lower Cretaceous amber from the Peñacerrada I outcrop, Spain, are described and figured, representing the most well-preserved Isoptera yet discovered from the Albian stage. The material is described as Ithytermes montoyai gen. et sp. nov., and is similar in many details to the slightly younger Krishnatermes yoddha Engel, Barden, and Grimaldi from northern Myanmar amber. Given the presence of distinct soldiers in this grade of Cretaceous termites, it is likely that I. montoyai also exhibited such a tripartite caste system. In addition to the type material of I. montoyai, two fragmentary termites are recorded for the first time in Albian amber from the El Soplao outcrop, and in the few preserved details these taxa are not conspecific with the former.

A stalk-eyed true bug in mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber (Hemiptera, Pentatomomorpha, Yuripopovinidae)

The extinct family Yuripopovinidae Azar et al., 2011 was erected based on a true bug fossil in Lower Cretaceous amber of central Lebanon. Recently, a unique yuripopovinid Reticulatitergum hui Du et al. (2019), with an areolate body and strongly dilated antennal segment IV, was reported from mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber of northern Myanmar. Herein, the second yuripopovinid genus and species from this amber biota, Caulisoculus electrus gen. et sp. nov., is described and illustrated. The new taxon bears bizarre long eyestalks, which is an unusual morphological trait amongst true bugs. The two specialized yuripopovinid genera (Caulisoculus gen. nov. and Reticulatitergum) suggest that this extinct pentatomomorph lineage was with high disparity in Kachin amber biota.

<p><strong>First fossil oribatid mite from Lebanese amber (Acariformes, Oribatida, Neoliodidae)</strong></p>

We describe herein Neoliodes andreneli sp. nov., an oribatid mite belonging to the family Neoliodidae, from the Lower Cretaceous amber of Lebanon. The new taxa is characterized, illustrated, and its systematic position is discussed. Neoliodes andreneli sp. nov. constitutes the first mite to be described from the Lebanese amber, and the earliest oribatid mite in amber.

Jumping bristletails (Insecta, Archaeognatha) from the Lower Cretaceous amber of Lebanon

AbstractJumping bristletails (order Archaeognatha), the basalmost order of extant insects, include some of the earliest fossil records among hexapods, yet their overall geological occurrence remains sparse and has provided little insight into their evolution. The earliest representatives of crown‐group bristletails are those in Lebanese amber (Cretaceous), hitherto known only from a single species. Here we significantly expand the known fossil record of Archaeognatha, and from the prolific Lower Cretaceous (Barremian) deposits of Lebanon. One new genus and species, Glaesimeinertellus intermedius gen. et sp. nov., and one new species, Macropsontus bachae sp. nov., are described and figured from Hammana amber, whereas one additional Macropsontus species, M. azari sp. nov., and one meinertellid morphotype are described and figured from Al‐Rihan amber. The new taxa are compared with their modern and fossil relatives. Collectively, the new taxa render the Archaeognatha fauna from Lebanese amber the earliest with sufficient preservation to provide character data comparable to modern forms, highlighting the considerable morphological conservatism within the order.

Molliberus albae gen. et sp. nov., the oldest Laurasian soldier beetle (Coleoptera: Cantharidae) from the Lower Cretaceous Spanish amber

A new soldier beetle (Coleoptera: Cantharidae), Molliberus albae gen. et sp. nov., is described and illustrated from the El Soplao Lower Cretaceous (lower Albian) amber deposit in northern Spain. This is the first fossil species in the family to be described from the Spanish amber and the oldest representative in Europe. The new species shows affinities with the Late Cretaceous (early Cenomanian) species from Myanmar, and the fossil is compared with the other Cretaceous fossil species. The elongate prognathous head is a diagnostic character of Molliberus albae gen. et sp. nov., from which it may be inferred that this species fed on pollen or nectar.

A parasite without host: The first fossil pterygosomatid mite (Acari: Prostigmata: Pterygosomatidae) from French Lower Cretaceous amber

The oldest-known member of a small parasitic mite family Pterygosomatidae (Trombidiformes: Eleutherengona) was found in the Lower Cretaceous (Albian) amber locality of Archingeay-Les Nouillers in Charente-Maritime, France. The majority of the extant members of the family are obligate parasites of lizards, and only one genus of twelve, Pimeliaphilus Trägårdh, 1905, is known to infest arthropods – kissing bugs, scorpions, beetles and cockroaches. The excellent preservation of the fossil, its 3D preparation and optical microscopy allowed for its detailed morphological study and direct comparison to extant pterygosomatids. The fossil undoubtedly belongs to the genus Pimeliaphilus, regarded as the earliest-derivative genus in the family. Morphological comparison suggests that the Cretaceous species could be parasitic on some of the many cockroach families described from Archingeay. The discovery of another fossil specimen or an extant larva of the same Pimeliaphilus sp. in association with its host would test our hypothesis.

Early Cretaceous parasitism in amber: A new species of Burmazelmira fly (Diptera: Archizelmiridae) parasitized by a Leptus sp. mite (Acari, Erythraeidae)

A new species of the extinct family Archizelmiridae, Burmazelmira grimaldii n. sp. (Diptera: Sciaroidea), is described from the Spanish Lower Cretaceous (upper Albian) amber of San Just outcrop in the Maestrazgo Basin (Province of Teruel) based on two complete specimens. A comparison with the only previously known species of the genus, Burmazelmira aristica Grimaldi, Amorim and Blagoderov, 2003, is provided. The new species is diagnosed based on antennal features. One of the flies is parasitized by a larval Leptus sp. mite (Acari, Erythraeidae). Despite the abundance of Leptus mites in several localities of Spanish amber, it is only the third record of a Leptus attached to a host. Records of parasitism are very rare in Cretaceous ambers, unlike in Cenozoic ones. A list of the known records of dipterans parasitized by mites in amber, virtually the only medium that can preserve this relationship in the fossil record, is provided.

The first Tanyderidae (Diptera) from Lower Cretaceous Álava amber (Spain)

A new genus and species, Espanoderus barbarae gen. et sp. nov., belonging to the family Tanyderidae (Diptera, Nematocera), is described from Lower Cretaceous amber of Spain (Álava amber). The new genus is the smallest member of Tanyderinae and the first member of the family from the Álava amber. The position of the new genus in a phylogenetic tree of Tanyderidae is presented.http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:EC3284BA-C07F-48AC-8AF5-4F9D2EF4EA6C

The semi-aquatic pondweed bugs of a Cretaceous swamp.

Pondweed bugs (Hemiptera: Mesoveliidae), considered a sister group to all other Gerromorpha, are exceedingly rare as fossils. Therefore, each new discovery of a fossil mesoveliid is of high interest, giving new insight into their early evolutionary history and diversity and enabling the testing of their proposed relationships. Here, we report the discovery of new mesoveliid material from Spanish Lower Cretaceous (Albian) amber, which is the first such find in Spanish amber. To date, fossil records of this family only include one species from French Kimmeridgian as compression fossils, two species in French amber (Albian-Cenomanian boundary), and one in Dominican amber (Miocene). The discovery of two males and one female described and figured as Glaesivelia pulcherrima Sánchez-García & Solórzano Kraemer gen. et sp. n., and a single female described and figured as Iberovelia quisquilia Sánchez-García & Nel, gen. et sp. n., reveals novel combinations of traits related to some genera currently in the subfamily Mesoveliinae. Brief comments about challenges facing the study of fossil mesoveliids are provided, showing the necessity for a revision of the existing phylogenetic hypotheses. Some of the specimens were studied using infrared microscopy, a promising alternative to the systematic study of organisms preserved in amber that cannot be clearly visualised. The new taxa significantly expand the fossil record of the family and shed new light on its palaeoecology. The fossils indicate that Mesoveliidae were certainly diverse by the Cretaceous and that numerous tiny cryptic species living in humid terrestrial to marginal aquatic habitats remain to be discovered. Furthermore, the finding of several specimens as syninclusions suggests aggregative behaviour, thereby representing the earliest documented evidence of such ethology.

First records of the subfamilies Bethylinae (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) and Cleptinae (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae) in Upper Cretaceous amber from France

Two new genera and species of fossil chrysidoid wasps belonging to the families Chrysididae and Bethylidae are described from Charentese (Fouras Bois-Vert and Archingeay) lower Upper Cretaceous amber of France. New taxa include: Sphaerocleptes neraudeaui n. gen. et sp., and Nucifrangibulum carentonensis n. gen. et sp. A new bethylid wasp is also described but left in open nomenclature. These findings are the first records of the subfamilies Cleptinae and Bethylinae in these deposits and time interval. The implications of these discoveries, and the features shared with previously known taxa are discussed.