Myanmar Amber Research Articles

A revised diagnosis of Palaeoglaesum Wagner (Diptera, Psychodidae, Bruchomyiinae) with description of two new species from Cretaceous Myanmar amber

ABSTRACT The diagnosis of Palaeoglaesum Wagner is revised to add details of the head, wing and male genitalia. A critical discussion of character states observed in this genus is provided to clarify details pertinent to accurate species delimitation. Two new species, P. carsteni n. sp. and P. wagneri n. sp., from Cretaceous Myanmar amber are described and illustrated. The holotype of P. velteni (Wagner) was acquired from a private collection to be deposited in a museum collection; further details of this species are given based on examination of an additional male specimen. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E3604C52-3DFF-4B7F-B0C6-2C2F4A8E9FD9 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:ED9F63C9-6EAA-49A2-A50C-4CEC46EA4029 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:3BE16B13-4004-45ED-9A0B-8E1E4A6D65B6

A new genus and species of burrower bugs (Heteroptera: Cydnidae) from the mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber.

A new genus and species of Cydnidae, Punctacorona triplosticha gen. et sp. nov. (Heteroptera: Pentatomomorpha) is described and illustrated from Myanmar amber. This new genus is established based on its forewing anterior margin angulated, clavus narrow, with three rows of distinct punctures, metapleuron neighboring to posterior margin of evaporatorium carinate. A comparison between the new species and the Chilamnestocoris mixtus Lis et al. 2018 from Myanmar is provided.

New bee flies from the mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber (Brachycera: Asiloidea: Bombyliidae)

Three new genera and species of bee flies, Similipioneeria mirantenna gen. et sp. nov., Cretabombylia spinifera gen. et sp. nov., and Peculibombylia relictivena gen. et sp. nov., are described from the mid-Cretaceous amber of Myanmar. These well-preserved species provide many morphological details of body characters that are of significance to understand the diversification of bee flies during the mid-Cretaceous. The occurrence of diverse bee flies in the mid-Cretaceous suggests that the divergence of main lineages of Bombyliidae should be much earlier than the current fossil records.

Still greater disparity in basal planthopper lineage: A new planthopper family Yetkhatidae (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha, Fulgoroidea) from mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber

A new family Yetkhatidae Song, Szwedo et Bourgoin fam. nov. from mid-Cretaceous amber of Myanmar is described. It is characterized by the tegmina with a triangular basal cell and in having the apex of the clavus closed, the female genitalia with robust endogonocoxal processes, the head capsule with trigones and foliated frontal margins, ridged lora (visible frontally) and by intermediate carinae on the mesonotum. Two new monotypic genera are described in this new family: Yetkhata Song, Szwedo & Bourgoin gen. nov., with Yetkhata jiangershii Song, Szwedo & Bourgoin sp. nov. and Parwaina Song, Szwedo & Bourgoin gen. nov. with Parwaina liuyei Song, Szwedo & Bourgoin sp. nov. A key to recognition of these genera is provided, and their morphological characters and disparity are briefly discussed.

Detailed descriptions of a female and male of the aphids family Parvaverrucosidae (Hemiptera: Aphidomorpha) from mid-Cretaceous amber of Myanmar revealed their new systematic position

Basing on new materials from Burmese amber, the paper presents a redescription of a female and a description of a male of Parvaverrucosa annulata Poinar and Brown, 2006. Up till now the family Parvaverrucosidae has been included into the “Aphidina vivipara” group. However, new, well-preserved inclusions of this species testify to transferring the family to “Aphidina vivipara”. The structure of apical parts of abdomen suggests that pre-adaptations to subsequent mutualistic relationships between aphids and ants might have developed in early Cenomanian.

Life habits and evolutionary biology of new two-winged long-proboscid scorpionflies from mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber

Long-proboscid scorpionflies are enigmatic, mid-Mesozoic insects associated with gymnosperm pollination. One major lineage, Aneuretopsychina, consists of four families plus two haustellate clades, Diptera and Siphonaptera. One clade, Pseudopolycentropodidae, from mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber, contains Parapolycentropus. Here, we newly establish Dualula, assigned to Dualulidae, constituting the fifth lineage. Parapolycentropus and Dualula lineages are small, two-winged, with unique siphonate mouthparts for imbibing pollination drops. A cibarial pump provides siphonal food inflow; in Dualula, the siphon base surrounds a hypopharynx housing a small, valved pump constricted to a narrow salivary duct supplying outgoing enzymes for food fluidization. Indirect evidence links long-proboscid mouthpart structure with contemporaneous tubulate ovulate organs. Direct evidence of gymnospermous Cycadopites pollen is associated with one Parapolycentropus specimen. Parapolycentropus and Dualula exhibit hind-wing reduction that would precede haltere formation, likely caused by Ultrabithorax. Distinctive, male Aneuretopsychina genitalia are evident from specimens in copulo, supplemented by mixed-sex individuals of likely male mating swarms.

A new genus and species of Stenurothripidae (Insecta: Thysanoptera: Terebrantia) from mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber

A new genus and species of thrips, Cenomanithrips primus gen et sp. nov., is described and assigned to the extant family Stenurothripidae of Thysanoptera. The new taxon is established primarily based on the following characters: pronotum with lateral, posteromarginal and posteroangular setae; forewing slender, narrow at apex, surface with microtrichia, two longitudinal veins present, only one cross-vein between the two longitudinal veins, with one seta on posterior vein basal to this cross-vein, anterior vein without setae, right forewing posterior vein with three setae, left forewing posterior vein with only one seta; hind wing with one longitudinal vein, fore tarsus 2-segmented, without a hamus and the terminal abdominal segment is not tube-like. The new amber thrips is the first fossil record of Stenurothripidae in Myanmar (Burmese) amber hitherto, dating to the mid-Cretaceous. Other fossil records of Stenurothripidae are in the Lower Cretaceous Spanish and Lebanese amber, in the Eocene Baltic, Bitterfeld and Rovno amber, and in the Miocene Bitterfeld amber. This new finding not only broadens the distribution and diversity of fossil Stenurothripidae, but also provides important morphological characters to enhance our understanding of the early evolutionary development of the Stenurothripidae.

New dustywings (Neuroptera, Coniopterygidae) from mid-Cretaceous amber of Myanmar reveal spectacular diversity.

Two new genera and species of Coniopterygidae (Neuroptera) are described and illustrated from mid Cretaceous (Cenomanian) amber of Myanmar. Mulleroconishyalinagen. n. et sp. n., attributed to the Coniopteryginae, bears a unique combination of venation characters and an abdomen without plicatures. The second new genus, attributed to the Aleuropteryginae, i.e. Palaeoconisazarigen. n. et sp. n., displays a unique pattern of crossveins 1m-cua and 2mp2-cua, with the latter crossing the pigmented spot. A check-list of all fossil genera and species of Coniopterygidae is provided.

Spinaeblattina myanmarensis gen. et sp. nov. and Blattoothecichnus argenteus ichnogen. et ichnosp. nov. (both Mesoblattinidae) from mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber

Mid-Cretaceous amber from Myanmar, also known as “burmite”, has produced 1013 species of which 693 are Insects. The Mesozoic cockroach record is rich, with thousands of specimens that show diverse ecological adaptations. Cretaceous cockroaches in amber have been reported from Lebanon, Taimyr, New Jersey and France. Cockroaches from Myanmar amber are represented by at least 74 species, of which 14 are formally described. Spinaeblattina with S. myanmarensis gen. et sp. nov. and S. yixianensis comb. n. = Piniblattella yixianensis from the Yixian Formation is along with Cratovitisma the second genus of the Mesoblattinidae known from both amber and sedimentary deposits. Fossil ootheca are rare with 6 specimens reported so far and the present isolated one, Blattoothecichnus argenteus ichnogen. et ichnosp. nov., is the most ancient, portable, otherwise resembling that of Cryptocercus. Ancient crystals of organic salt, calcium oxalate, forming the ootheca protective layer have been preserved on its surface.

A new caddisfly (Trichoptera: Polycentropodidae) from Upper Cretaceous amber of Myanmar

A new species of Polycentropodidae, Hnamadawgyia macularis gen. et sp. nov. is described based on a well-preserved specimen from Upper Cretaceous amber of Myanmar. It is the first female polycentropodid specimen reported from Upper Cretaceous Myanmar. The existence of the new species contributes toward the understanding of the diversity of the Polycentropodidae during 99 myr.

Description of the first sclerogibbid wasp (Hymenoptera: Sclerogibbidae) from Burmese (Myanmar) amber and its phylogenetic significance

Sclerogibbid wasps (Hymenoptera: Chrysidoidea: Sclerogibbidae) are the obligate parasitoids of webspinners (Embiidina) in extant fauna; fossil sclerogibbids are very rare, while fossil webspinners are more abundant. Burmese amber is the oldest Lagerstätte where both diverse webspinners and sclerogibbids are found. In this paper, Sclerogibba cretacica sp. nov. is described from Late Cretaceous Burmese (Myanmar) amber. The new species, assigned to the extant genus Sclerogibba Riggio & De Stefani-Perez, 1888, is the fourth known fossil species of Sclerogibbidae and the first known fossil male of this family. Moreover, this is the first described sclerogibbid wasp from Burmese amber and the first known fossil species of Sclerogibba. Sclerogibba cretacica is similar to extant sclerogibbid wasps with a closed discoidal cell from South-East Asia, but differs in the shape of the discoidal cell and small number of antennomeres (19 only). The phylogenetic significance of this species is discussed. Evolutionary trends in the antennal polymorphism of sclerogibbid wasps since the Cretaceous are outlined. The records of fossil webspinners, their ancestors (Alexrasniidae) and sclerogibbids suggest a Laurasian origin of Sclerogibbidae. The genus Protosclerogibba Olmi, Marletta, Guglielmino & Speranza, 2016 is synonymized with Herpetosphex Arnold, 1940 (Pompilidae) and Protosclerogibba australis Olmi, Marletta, Guglielmino & Speranza, 2016 is synonymized with Herpetosphex staphylinoides Arnold, 1940 (new synonyms).http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:8742C684-7937-401C-9958-C6106DB5C378

Priscoculex burmanicus n. gen. et sp. (Diptera: Culicidae: Anophelinae) from mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber

ABSTRACT A new genus and species of mosquito, Priscoculex burmanicus (Diptera: Culicidae: Anophelinae), are described from mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber. Diagnostic characters for the holotype female are the presence of scales and setae on the wing veins, a setaceous, straight, proboscis that is subequal in length to the maxillary palpi, rounded margin of the scutellum, the third palpomere with a sensillum chaeticum, long setae on the proboscis and palpi, antennae longer than proboscis, absence of scales on the abdomen, lack of pulvilli and spiracular setae, truncate abdomen and oval cerci. The above-mentioned features are the basis for assigning Priscoculex as an early lineage of the Anophelinae that existed ~100–110 Mya. Discussion is presented on how the Anophelinae could have originated in Gondwana and colonized the interconnected lands before the continents separated. www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:C776F051-F345-4E15-9837-DF2D1AF22DF3 www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:1601C12D-6CFC-49E9-8731-A011F98E6556 www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:C5E4DBC1-CCE1-48F4-9A08-DAA6993BAA9D

New antlions (Insecta: Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae) from the mid-Cretaceous of Myanmar and their phylogenetic implications

Myrmeleontidae (antlions) is the most species-rich family of the holometabolous order Neuroptera. Evolutionary history of this diverse lacewing family remains largely unexplored. Here we report on three new genera and four new species of antlions from the mid-Cretaceous amber of Myanmar, namely Allopteroneura burmana Lu, Zhang & Liu gen. et sp. nov., Phylloleon elegans Lu, Wang & Liu gen. et sp. nov., Phylloleon stangei Lu, Ohl & Liu gen. et sp. nov. and Nanoleon wangae Hu, Lu & Liu gen. et sp. nov. A phylogenetic analysis of the Burmese amber antlions is performed based on morphological characters. The result shows that the antlion species presently described belong to different major clades across the phylogenetic tree, suggesting a diverse palaeofauna of this family from the mid-Cretaceous of Myanmar. The phylogenetic status of the extinct subfamily Araripeneurinae is also discussed.http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:90D26B8B-1A59-465B-A530-0C0662D85E72

A mid-Cretaceous tree fern of Thyrsopteridaceae (Cyatheales) preserved in Myanmar amber

An unusual tree fern trapped in mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber is described as Thyrsopteris cretacea sp. nov. (Thyrsopteridaceae). The fossil most resembles T. elegans, a present-day species endemic to the Juan Fernández Islands, based on the character combination of pinnate fertile lamina segments with short lobes bearing terminal sori, cyathiform indusia, clavate receptacles, and oblique annuli. Thyrsopteris cretacea is the first described mid-Cretaceous tree fern preserved in amber. It adds to the diversity previously ascribed to the Thyrsopteridaceae, which has been based on Eocene fossils, and it extends the fossil record of the family further back to the mid-Cretaceous. Most previous fossils of Thyrsopteridaceae have been from the Southern Hemisphere and are therefore considered Gondwanan. Thyrsopteris cretacea represents one of the few occurrences of the family in Laurasia.

Diversification of Eupolypods in Mid-Cretaceous—Evidenced by Myanmar Amber Forest

The evolutionary history of Eupolypods still remains unclear, especially on its diversification scenarios. In recent years, it has been found that approximately 100 million-year-old Myanmar amber provides a unique source of polypod fossils. Different families and numerous sporangia, spores, and scales have been found in Myanmar amber. These discoveries are nevertheless important because they provided the first unequivocal fossil evidence that the diversity of eupolypod ferns was present already in the mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber forest. This clearly shows that Eupolypods originated before mid-Cretaceous, probably as early as the Early Jurassic, which is consistent with the recent divergence time estimate based on molecular dating.

Generalist Pollen-Feeding Beetles During the Mid-Cretaceous

The Cretaceous fossil record of amber provides a variety of evidence that is essential for greater understanding of early pollination strategies. Here, we describe four pieces of ca. 99 million-year-old (early Cenomanian) Myanmar amber containing four, closely related genera of short-winged flower beetles (Coleoptera: Kateretidae) associated with abundant pollen grains identified as three distinct palynomorphotypes of the gymnosperm Cycadopites, and Praenymphaeapollenites cenomaniensis gen. and sp. nov., a form-taxon of pollen from a basal angiosperm lineage of water lilies (Nymphaeales: Nymphaeaceae). We demonstrate how a gymnosperm to angiosperm plant-host shift occurred during the mid-Cretaceous, from a generalist pollen-feeding family of beetles, which served as a driving mechanism for the subsequent success of flowering plants.

A new fossil record of Lindsaeaceae (Polypodiales) from the mid-Cretaceous amber of Myanmar

A new fossil belonging to the Lindsaeaceae is described as Proodontosoria myanmarensis gen. et sp. nov. from the mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber. Its classification in the extant Lindsaeaceae is based on laterally fused vein tips that bear sori, indusia opening toward the segment margins, and trilete spores. The number of annulus cells and the size of sporangium suggest that the fossil probably belongs to a stem group element of this family.

The first Ironomyiidae from mid‐Cretaceous Burmese amber provides insights into the phylogeny of Phoroidea (Diptera: Cyclorrhapha)

AbstractMacalpinomyia jiewenae gen. et sp.n. is described from the mid‐Cretaceous (∼99 Ma) amber of Myanmar. Macalpinomyia jiewenae is the first Oriental representative of the enigmatic family Ironomyiidae (Diptera: Phoroidea), currently known from a single extant genus restricted to southeastern Australia, plus a monotypic genus from Canadian amber and three controversial genera based on impression fossils from China, Mongolia and Russia. A phylogenetic analysis of all Phoroidea families, including all ironomyiid extant and extinct genera, corroborates the monophyly of Ironomyiidae, and Macalpinomyia gen.n. is assigned to the subfamily Sinolestinae. Cretonomyiinae subfam.n., is erected to accommodate the basal lineage of Ironomyiidae. Lebambromyia acrai Grimaldi & Cumming, previously placed in Ironomyiidae, is supported as an early branching lineage of Platypezidae. Our topology proposes that Ironomyiidae is sister to the remaining Phoroidea. The phylogenetic results, in combination with the fossil ages and relevant molecular divergence time analysis, suggests that Ironomyiidae probably originated at least in the Berriasian of the Early Cretaceous (∼140 Ma).This published work has been registered in ZooBank, http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:5DFFC944‐1350‐418E‐BCDC‐BB87FC013D5D.

Setitheca lativalva gen. et sp. nov., a fossil flower of Laurales from mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber

A single staminate flower preserved in mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber is described as Setitheca lativalva gen. et sp. nov. The fossil’s affinities appear to be with Monimiaceae and allied families of order Laurales. The perianth is composed of ca. 12 spirally arranged tepals of varying size and shape. A single whorl of 10 stamens is attached to the margin of a flat central disc. There is no gynoecium. In some of the stamens, the bilocular anthers are held upright, but in the others, the filaments are arched abaxially and the anthers are reflexed. Dehiscence is extrorse via 2 lateral, dorsally-hinged valves, as also occurs in some members of Hernandiaceae. The spherical pollen appears to be inaperturate. Such features as the unisexual flowers, valvate anthers, and a perianth of numerous, spirally arranged tepals are consistent with assignment of the fossil to this order of angiosperms.

Fossil flowers of Lachnociona camptostylus sp. nov., a second record for the genus in mid-Cretaceous Myanmar Amber

Two flowers embedded in a single block of amber from Myanmar are here proposed as a second species of the previously described fossil genus Lachnociona. The mid-Cretaceous age of the fossils was earlier established through paleontological and U-Pb isotope dating methods. Because they lie within millimeters of each other in the amber, the flowers are assumed to have come from the same parent plant. One flower is hermaphrodite while the other is functionally pistillate. They differ by the number of styles—4 in the perfect flower and 5 in the unisexual one—and most notably by the presence, in the perfect flower, of 10 conspicuous nectar glands forming a disc above the whorl of stamens. The pistillate flower has no such glands. In the new species, the arched styles are widely divergent and the ovary is fully inferior, while in the earlier-described Lachnociona terriae, the flower is functionally pistillate, with styles that are erect and connivent or connate. It could not be determined whether the ovary is superior or half-inferior. The best-preserved anther in the perfect flower of L. camptostylus resembles, in its dorsal filament attachment and hooked filament tip, a vestigial anther present in the flower of L. terriae. Pollen of the new species is tri- or tetracolpate. As proposed in the previous paper, the genus may have participated in the early diversification of the rosid clade of eudicots.