Myanmar Amber Research Articles

New beaded lacewings (Neuroptera: Berothidae) from Upper Cretaceous Myanmar amber

Two new genera with two new species in Berothidae, Maculaberotha nervosa gen. et sp. nov. and Magniberotha recurrens gen. et sp. nov., are described from Upper Cretaceous Myanmar (Burmese) amber. Based on the new specimens of the same species, we propose some venational characters as intraspecific variations, e.g., the markings on the wings and crossveins in the radial sector. We also study and compare the female genital sclerites from three genera of Haploberotha, Dasyberotha, and Jersiberotha to highlight the importance of using these characters preserved in amber for taxonomic and phylogenetic studies. Furthermore, an updated key to the berothid genera of Myanmar amber is provided.

A mid-Cretaceous Eccrinales infesting a primitive wasp in Myanmar amber

A mid-Cretaceous Eccrinales in Myanmar amber is described as Paleocadus burmiticus gen. et sp. nov. in the family Eccrinaceae. The fossil is represented by two types of sporangiospores formed on different thalli protruding from the anus of a primitive wasp, with secondary infestation spores multinucleate and thin walled. Its presence establishes the Eccrinales in the mid-Cretaceous and shows that at that time, lineages of this group parasitized wasps, an association unknown with extant members of the Order.

First record of the family Scolebythidae (Hymenoptera) in mid-Cretaceous amber from Myanmar

Two new genera and species belonging to the family Scolebythidae are described from mid-Cretaceous amber of Myanmar, Cursoribythus silvestris and Siccibythus musculosus. These taxa are introduced into the current phylogenetic tree of the family, in order to analyze their relationships and observe their impacts on our understanding of the family. The implication of the findings (this is the first record of the family in the Cretaceous amber deposits of Myanmar) are discussed.

New pelecinid wasps (Hymenoptera: Pelecinidae) from Upper Cretaceous Myanmar amber

A new genus with a new species, Brachypelecinus euthyntus gen. et sp. nov., and two new species, Abropelecinus tytthus sp. nov. and Zoropelecinus periosus sp. nov., are described and figured from three exquisitely preserved pelecinid wasps in the Upper Cretaceous Myanmar (Burma) amber. These taxa, owing to their well-preserved characters in amber, provide a better understanding of morphological changes and relationships among the constituent groups, while further highlighting the diversity of Pelecinidae in the Mesozoic.

Phylogenetic position of Corydasialidae (Insecta: Neuropterida) revisited based on a significant new fossil in Cretaceous amber of Myanmar

The family Corydasialidae, currently comprising two monotypic genera from the Eocene, is one of the few groups with undetermined ordinal placement in Neuropterida, although it was previously considered to be an intermediate form between Corydalidae and Sialidae in Megaloptera. Here we describe a new taxon of Corydasialidae – Megalopteroneura chenxingi gen. et sp. nov. – based on an exquisitely preserved specimen in mid-Cretaceous (Albian–Cenomanian) amber of Myanmar. The new corydasialid in general resembles the genus Cratochrysa Martins-Neto, 1994 (Neuroptera: familia incertae sedis) from the Early Cretaceous Crato Formation of Brazil. In light of the new fossil evidence, Corydasialidae is herein transferred from Megaloptera to Neuroptera based on sharing the following autapomorphies of the latter order: orthognathous head, absence of gula, distinctly enlarged prementum of labium, and short forewing ScA terminating on ScP. Male genitalia of M. chenxingi gen. et sp. nov. are superficially Raphidioptera-like, with well-developed male gonocoxites and gonapophyses 9 but lacking rosette of trichobothria on ectoprocts. However, male genital characters of the new corydasialid differ fundamentally from Raphidioptera in the separation of tergum and sternum 9, fusion between tergum 9 and ectoprocts, and fusion between sterna 8 and 9. These genital features, together with some wing characters, suggest a possible close relationship between Corydasialidae and Chrysopidae or Mesochrysopidae. The new corydasialid fossil, representing the first extinct lacewing family with completely preserved male genitalia, provides insight into the comparative morphology of genital sclerites in Neuropterida, and further elucidates the early evolution of lacewings.http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:FD949294-59E3-455E-AABA-3E10D9B582D6

A preliminary synopsis on amber scorpions with special reference to Burmite species: an extraordinary development of our knowledge in only 20 years.

A preliminary study on fossil scorpions found in amber, from the Lower Cretaceous through the Palaeocene and up to the Miocene is proposed. Scorpions remain rare among the arthropods found trapped in amber. Only 24 specimens are known from Cretaceous amber, representing eight families and subfamilies, ten genera and 21 species; in parallel, 10 specimens have been recorded from Baltic amber representing seven genera and ten species. A few more recent fossils from Dominican and Mexican amber have also been described. The present study of a new scorpion specimen from the Cretaceous amber of Myanmar (Burmite) resulted in the description of one new species, Betaburmesebuthus bellus sp. n. – belonging to the subfamily Palaeoburmesebuthinae Lourenço, 2015. The new description brings further elements to the clarification of the status of this subfamily, which is now raised to family level. Once again, this new Burmite element attests to the considerable degree of diversity in the Burmese amber-producing forests.

The first fossil Athyreini beetle (Coleoptera: Geotrupidae)

The first fossil Athyreini in the subfamily of Bolboceratinae from the family of Geotrupidae, †Amberathyreus beuteli Bai et Zhang gen. et sp. nov., is described based on a specimen from the mid-Cretaceous Myanmar (Burmese) amber from northern Myanmar. Its external morphology (including 3D reconstruction of the head and pronotum) was analyzed and compared with all known genera of Athyreini. †Amberathyreus’ close relationship between Athyreini and Bolboceratini is supported. †Amberathyreus was likely active at night and lived in a lowland environment. The finding of †Amberathyreus greatly enrich our knowledge of Athyreini.

A bizarre armoured spider (Araneae: Tetrablemmidae) from Upper Cretaceous Myanmar amber

A new genus and species of tetrablemmid spider, Electroblemma bifida n. gen. et sp., is described, from two adult males found in Upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian) amber of Myanmar. The genus is distinguished by its enormous dorsal carapace projection and highly modified chelicerae. The new genus is referred to the tribe Tetrablemmini within the subfamily Tetrablemminae. The presence of a relatively derived tetrablemmid on the south-east Eurasian continent during the Late Cretaceous suggests that the family was already well diversified in tropical rainforests at this time.

The oldest armoured harvestman (Arachnida: Opiliones: Laniatores), from Upper Cretaceous Myanmar amber

The oldest laniatorean harvestman, Petrobunoides sharmai gen. et sp. nov. (Opiliones: Laniatores) is described, from the Upper Cretaceous (lowermost Cenomanian) amber of Myanmar. This is the first fossil Laniatores recovered from Southeast Asia, which is placed in the extant family Epedanidae. It is also the first fossil known within the superfamily Epedanoidea; a relatively derived clade of Laniatores restricted to Southeast Asia today. At ca. 99 Ma, this new amber inclusion is substantially older than the previous oldest record of a member of Laniatores from Baltic amber (ca. 44–49 Ma); however, given the Palaeozoic age of Laniatores implied by molecular data, the new record from Burmese amber is probably still too young for constraining or calibrating the date of cladogenesis for total group Laniatores. Nevertheless, it provides a much better constraint for Epedanoidea, adding the first useful laniatorean fossil to provide an internal calibration point for a clade of Grassatores.

New long-proboscid lacewings of the mid-Cretaceous provide insights into ancient plant-pollinator interactions.

Many insects with long-proboscid mouthparts are among the pollinators of seed plants. Several cases of the long-proboscid pollination mode are known between fossil insects (e.g., true flies, scorpionflies, and lacewings) and various extinct gymnosperm lineages, beginning in the Early Permian and increasing during the Middle Jurassic to Early Cretaceous. However, details on the morphology of lacewing proboscides and the relevant pollination habit are largely lacking. Here we report on three lacewing species that belong to two new genera and a described genus from mid-Cretaceous (Albian-Cenomanian) amber of Myanmar. All these species possess relatively long proboscides, which are considered to be modified from maxillary and labial elements, probably functioning as a temporary siphon for feeding on nectar. Remarkably, these proboscides range from 0.4–1.0 mm in length and are attributed to the most diminutive ones among the contemporary long-proboscid insect pollinators. Further, they clearly differ from other long-proboscid lacewings which have a much longer siphon. The phylogenetic analysis indicates that these Burmese long-proboscid lacewings belong to the superfamily Psychopsoidea but cannot be placed into any known family. The present findings represent the first description of the mouthparts of long-proboscid lacewings preserved in amber and highlight the evolutionary diversification of the ancient plant-pollinator interactions.

A new genus and species of the paraneopteran family Archipsyllidae in mid-Cretaceous amber of Myanmar.

Paraneoptera is a group of orders, representing one of the highly diverse clades of winged insects. Paleozoic and Mesozoic fossil paraneopterans include a few primitive species, which are significant for understanding the early evolution of Paraneoptera. Here we report a new genus and species, namely Burmopsylla maculata gen. et sp. nov. from the mid-Cretaceous (ca. 99 Myr) amber of Myanmar. The new genus belongs to the family Archipsyllidae by having hindwing similar to forewing (shape, size and venation), presence of forewing ra-rp, rp-m and cua-cup crossveins, two-branched R, four-branched M, and four-segmented tarsus. The new species represents the second species of Archipsyllidae in Cretaceous Burmese amber.

†Passalopalpidae, a new family from the Cretaceous Burmese amber, as the possible sister group of Passalidae Leach (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea)

A new family of Scarabaeoidea is revealed from the Cretaceous amber of Myanmar (earliest Cenomanian, near 100 Ma), on a series of males and females, most in perfect condition. Passalopalpidae fam. nov., Passalopalpus cheni gen. et sp. nov., are probably extinct since a long time. Observations were made on the whole body (head, thorax, abdomen) and appendages (mouthparts, antennae, legs, wings). Most characters are remarkable and plesiomorphic, compared to Passalidae Leach, as well as to some other Scarabaeoidea. Morphological characteristics demonstrate that the fossil species is typically « passaloid », but that it cannot belongs to Passalidae. Passalopalpidae and Passalidae are clearly distinct families, with strong assumption to be sister groups. The systematic interpretation of the fossil could fill a historic gap: the sister group of Passalidae had been established previously never in a solid way. Passalids are Gondwanian, whereas passalopalpids lived on former eastern Laurasia. Vicariance of both taxa, each on one of the super-continents, seems to support recent hypotheses of phylogeny and paleobiogeography for Passalidae. Other preliminary notes are given on the morphology, biology and phylogenetic relationships of passalopalpids.

Toad bugs (Hemiptera: Gelastocoridae) in Myanmar amber

Two new species of toad bugs (Nerthra bichelata sp. n. and Gelastocoris curiosus sp. n.) (Hemiptera: Gelastocoridae) are described from Myanmar amber. Diagnostic characters of N. bichelata sp. n. are the large paired ocelli, subequal claws on protarsus that is fused with the protibia, slender profemur bearing two short, prominent ventral teeth, a large spherical terminal antennal segment and an elongate terminal segment of the rostrum. Diagnostic characters for G. curiosus sp. n. are paired, equal claws on the single-segmented, articulated protarsus, lateral margin of pronotum with a triangular protrusion and relatively narrow profemora with a series of broad transverse thickenings on the apical half of the ventral surface. These are the first descriptions of Gelastocoridae in amber and the first record of Gelastocorinae in Asia.

Penis morphology in a Burmese amber harvestman.

A unique specimen of the fossil harvestman Halitherses grimaldii Giribet and Dunlop, 2005 (Arachnida: Opiliones) from the Cretaceous (ca. 99 Ma) Burmese amber of Myanmar reveals a fully extended penis. This is the first record of a male copulatory organ of this nature preserved in amber and is of special importance due to the age of the deposit. The penis has a slender, distally flattened truncus, a spatulate heart-shaped glans and a short distal stylus, twisted at the tip. In living harvestmen, the penis yields crucial characters for their systematics. Male genital morphology in H. grimaldii appears to be unique among the wider Dyspnoi clade to which this fossil belongs. The large eyes in the fossil differ markedly from other members of the subfamily Ortholasmatinae to which H. grimaldii was originally referred. Based on recent data, it has been argued that large eyes may be plesiomorphic for Palpatores (i.e. the suborders Eupnoi and Dyspnoi), potentially rendering this character plesiomorphic for the fossil too. Thus, the unique structure of the penis seen here, and the probable lack of diaphanous teeth, present in all other extant non-acropsopilionid Dyspnoi, suggest that H. grimaldii represents a new, extinct family of large-eyed dyspnoid harvestmen, Halithersidae fam. nov.; a higher taxon in amber diagnosed here on both somatic and genital characters.

Evolutionary and paleobiological implications of Coleoptera (Insecta) from Tethyan-influenced Cretaceous ambers

The intense study of coleopteran inclusions from Spanish (Albian in age) and French (Albian–Santonian in age) Cretaceous ambers, both of Laurasian origin, has revealed that the majority of samples belong to the Polyphaga suborder and, in contrast to the case of the compression fossils, only one family of Archostemata, one of Adephaga, and no Myxophaga suborders are represented. A total of 30 families from Spain and 16 families from France have been identified (with almost twice bioinclusions identified in Spain than in France); 13 of these families have their most ancient representatives within these ambers. A similar study had previously only been performed on Lebanese ambers (Barremian in age and Gondwanan in origin), recording 36 coleopteran families. Few lists of taxa were available for Myanmar (Burmese) amber (early Cenomanian in age and Laurasian in origin). Coleopteran families found in Cretaceous ambers share with their modern relatives mainly saproxylic and detritivorous habits in the larval or adult stages, rather than wood-boring behavior. Fifteen of the coleopteran families occur in both the Lebanese and Spanish ambers; while only five are present in both Spanish and French. Considering the paleogeographic proximity and similarity of age of the Spanish and French ambers, the small number of taxa found in common at both areas is surprising. The ancient origin for the Lebanese and Spanish ambers, the paleogeography (including some barriers for terrestrial biota) and the local paleohabitats are factors that may explain the dissimilarity with the French specimens. Wildfires are believed to be a more likely cause of resin production during the Cretaceous than infestation by beetles. Current knowledge of the beetle species found in the Cretaceous ambers is introduced.

A Mid-Cretaceous Ectoparasitic Fungus, Spheciophila adercia gen et sp. nov., Attached to a Wasp in Myanmar Amber

A mid-Cretaceous ectoparasitic fungus in Myanmar amber is described as Spheciophila adercia gen. et sp. nov. in the new Family Spheciophilaceae fam. nov. While the specimen shares an ectoparasitic habit with representatives of the Laboulbeniales, morphological and behavioral features are not consistent with members of that group. The fossil is attached to the abdominal tergite of a primitive wasp. Its presence establishes a unique lineage of ectoparasitic insect fungi in the mid-Cretaceous. The present paper describes this interesting fossil, which adds to the diversity of ectoparasitic fungi and their insect hosts some 100 mya.

A new twisted-wing parasitoid from mid-Cretaceous amber of Myanmar (Strepsiptera)

A second Mesozoic twisted-wing parasite (Strepsiptera) is described and figured based on an exceptionally well-preserved male in mid-Cretaceous (Cenomanian) amber from northern Myanmar. Phthanoxenos nervosus Engel and Huang, gen. et sp. nov., is distinguished from other strepsipteran lineages, particularly the contemporaneous Cretostylops engeli Grimaldi and Kathirithamby, also in Burmese amber, and Protoxenos janzeni Pohl et al. in mid-Eocene Baltic amber, and assigned to a new family, Phthanoxenidae Engel and Huang, fam. nov. Phthanoxenos exhibit features indicative of a more primitive phylogenetic position than Cretostylopidae but still more derived than Protoxenidae. Brief remarks are made on the geological history of the Strepsiptera.

Hybosorus ocampoi: the first hybosorid from the Cretaceous Myanmar amber (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea)

The Hybosoridae is a cosmopolitan family of Scarabaeoidea that is most diverse in the tropics. Up to now, all published Mesozoic hybosorids were compression fossils, except for one from Lebanon amber which is incomplete. A new species, Hybosorus ocampoi Bai et Zhang sp. nov., of Hybosoridae (Scarabaeoidea) is described and illustrated based on one well-preserved Myanmar amber specimen. The phylogenetic position of H. ocampoi was analyzed by employing 117 morphological characters and 44 extant/extinct species. The documented features are discussed and analyzed with respect to the phylogenetic placement of the species which may have a strong impact on the evolution in Hybosoridae and greatly expand our knowledge on the early evolution of Scarabaeoidea. Our finding provides solid evidence to prove the very old origin of the genus Hybosorus which is the type genus of Hybosoridae. Furthermore, this finding not only supports the hypothesis of Mesozoic origin of most families in Scarabaeoidea but also supports some genera of Scarabaeoidea might have already appeared in the Mesozoic. The palaeobiogeography of Hybosoridae and its palaeoenvironmental implications are also discussed.

New species of Limoniidae (Diptera) from Myanmar amber, Upper Cretaceous

A new species of Dicranoptycha Osten Sacken, 1860, Dicranoptycha plicativa sp. nov., and a unassigned species are illustrated and described from Myanmar (Burmese) amber (lowermost Cenomanian, Upper Cretaceous). A complete list of fossil species of the genus Dicranoptycha is summarized. In addition, an updated key to the known fossil species of the Dicranoptycha is provided.

Cretaceous amber inclusions of Spain and Myanmar demonstrate early diversification and wide dispersal of Cephenniitae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Scydmaeninae)

The taxonomic status of previously misplaced species of an ant-like stone beetle from Spanish amber (Albian) is clarified. Specimens of Kachinus magnificus (originally placed as incertae sedis within Scydmaenitae) were re-examined and their characters were found different from those of the type species of Kachinus from Myanmar amber. Consequently, Archeutheia gen. nov. is proposed to accommodate the Spanish species, resulting in Archeutheia magnifica comb. nov. Moreover, in a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis Archeutheia was placed as a sister group to extant Eutheia, within the tribe Eutheiini of Cephenniitae. A specimen of an undetermined genus from Myanmar amber clearly belonging in Cephenniini is also recorded. Both taxa represent the first definite Cretaceous Cephenniitae, a supertribe whose recent members are distributed on all continents but are especially diverse in the Oriental and East Palaearctic regions. This finding demonstrates a diversification of two presently most species-rich tribes of Cephenniitae already in Early Cretaceous. Archeutheia is strikingly similar to the extant species of Eutheia and Veraphis, showing male dimorphic characters (modified protrochanters) and antennal cavities characteristic of Palaearctic Eutheiini. This fact suggests a long morphological stability in the supertribe. A previously proposed hypothesis of an early presence of the Cephenniitae in the Northern Hemisphere is for the first time supported by the fossil record, and the palaeolocalities (western Europe and Southeast Asia) demonstrate a wide distribution of Cephenniitae in the Cretaceous and an early split of its ancestral lineage.