摘要:

摘要:Whalfera wiszniewskii sp. nov?. is described from the Late Eocene Baltic amber. The genus Whalfera is considered as the only fossil genus confidently assigned to the Rhachiberothinae. Others previously placed in this subfamily belong to Paraberothinae (except perhaps for Oisea). The Late Eocene/present Rhachiberothinae and the Cretaceous Paraberothinae are considered to be the subfamilies of Berothidae.

摘要:Aphids are marked by their high polymorphism, but species reported from the Early Cretaceous are known only from alate morphs. The discovery of an apterous adult morph in Lebanese amber and a larva of the same species are very important for the understanding of both the morphological and biological evolution of this insect group at the very early stage of development. Gondvanoaphis estephani new subfamily, new genus and species of the recent aphids family Thelaxidae is described. The characters of the new genus in respect to other genera placed in Thelaxidae are reviewed. The palaeoecological and palaeogeographical data concerning Gondvanoaphis new genus are also discussed.

摘要:Parageotrupes incanus gen. et sp. nov. (Scarabaeoidea: Geotrupidae: Geotrupinae) is described and illustrated from the Yixian Formation of western Liaoning province, China.

摘要:Glaresis orthochilus ?sp. nov. (Scarabaeoidea: Glaresidae), the best preserved glaresid fossil, is described and illustrated from the Yixian Formation of western Liaoning province, north–east China. Glaresidae, the?sister group of all extant Scarabaeoidea was established in the Upper Jurassic/Lower Cretaceous and contained larger species than those found today.

摘要:Adults of the aquatic coptoclavid beetles (Coleoptera: Adephaga: Dytiscoidea), described from four Middle Jurassic fossil localities in Inner Mongolia and Liaoning in northeastern China, are attributed to Daohugounectes primitives Wang, Ponomarenko and Zhang, 2009, which was previously proposed after study of larvae. The generic name Timarchopsis Brauer, Redtenbacher and Ganglbauer, 1889 is proposed as a substitute for the preoccupied and junior homonym Necronectes Ponomarenko, 1977, non Milne-Edwards, 1881. Furthermore, the subfamily name Necronectinae Ponomarenko, 1977 is substituted by the available name Timarchopsinae. Daohugounectes is placed into Timarchopsinae because its adults have long, slightly apically widened tibiae and small femoral plates. The adults of this genus differ from those of other Timarchopsinae in the following features: antennae short and widened in the middle part; basal segments of protarsi not cut apically; metaventrite with a triangular plate. The larvae look like somewhat primitive forms in the subfamily Timarchopsinae. In contrast to these primitive larvae, the adults with some advanced characters can be regarded as among the most advanced forms in the subfamily Timarchopsinae, and probably represent a transition between the Timarchopsinae and Charanoscaphinae. Such mosaic evolution within Daohugounectes indicates that the evolutionary process of aquatic beetles is far more complex than previously thought.

摘要:A new specimen assigned to the species Iverya averyi gen. nov. and sp. nov. is described. This species is considered as a triadotypomorphan insect, a poorly known group of Triassic stem-odonatans. Like other triadotypomorphans, this species exhibits an area between MA and MP that is comparatively broad, and a cubito-anal area involving an AA stem distinct from CuA + CuP + AA emitting several posterior branches. Diagnostic character states of the new species are listed. Although incomplete, the specimen provides new information on the wing morphology of triadotypomorphans. This discovery might contribute to better assessment of the phylogenetic position of triadotypomorphan species with respect to other stem-odonatans.

摘要:The oldest representative of the genus Megarhyphus Kovalev (Diptera: Anisopodidae) is described from the Lower Jurassic (Sinemurian) of England. A summary of our knowledge of Jurassic Anisopodidae is given.

摘要:A new genus Microelectrona gen. nov. and species Microelectrona cladara sp. nov. of the extinct tribe Protodikraneurini of the leafhoppers (Cicadellidae: Typhlocybinae) from the Eocene Baltic amber is described. The piece of amber containing leafhopper inclusion is broken, unveiling some of the morphological structures, and enabling their studies using scanning electron microscopy.

摘要:The forewing of a termite from Early Miocene lake sediments in Otago, southern New Zealand is figured and described. It exhibits the generic characters of the damp-wood termite Stolotermes Hagen, but differs from forewings of the known species in size and venation pattern and is described as Stolotermes kupe sp. nov. S. kupe represents the first confident record of fossil Stolotermitidae and extends the fossil record of the family back to the Early Miocene. It also is the first direct evidence of fossil Isoptera from New Zealand, though silicified termite faecal pellets, referable to Kalotermes brauni, have been previously described. S. kupe indicates that Stolotermitidae has been present in the Australasian region since at least the Early Miocene.

摘要:Juraperla grandis sp. nov. (Grylloblattida: Juraperlidae) is described from the Daohugou locality (Middle Jurassic, China). Its wing venation is very similar to that of Juraperla daohugouensis Huang and Nel, 2007 (Grylloblattida: Juraperlidae), in the particular occurrence of a supplementary longitudinal vein in the area between the anterior wing margin and ScP. The larger size of the new specimen, the lower number of CuA1 branches, and the occurrence of two rows of cells between MP and CuA in forewings justify the erection of a new species, J. grandis sp. nov.. The material also preserved hind wing and body structures, described for the first time in Juraperlidae.

摘要:A new fossil chironomid, Tanytarsus serafini, found in Baltic amber is described and illustrated based on adult males. The new species and similar extant species of the genus Tanytarsus van der Wulp are compared. Due to several distinct characters of wing, legs and hypopygium, a new species group for Tanytarsus serafini is proposed, and its diagnostic features are evaluated.

摘要:The Mesozoic family Mesopsychidae Tillyard, 1917 presently consists of seven described genera and 13 species from the mid-Triassic to the Early Cretaceous of Australia, South Africa and Eurasia. In the present paper one new genus and three new species of fossil mesopsychids are described that add significant distributional and stratigraphic extensions to the family. This finding documents the first formal record of fossil Mesopsychidae in China. Both Lichnomesopsyche gloriae gen. et sp. nov. and L. daohugouensis gen. et sp. nov. were found from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation of Inner Mongolia, whereas Vitimopsyche kozlovi sp. nov., of mid Early Cretaceous age, was collected from the Jehol Biota of northern Hebei Province. This new, well-preserved material from China reveals complete and previously unknown body features, including head, antennae, mouthparts, legs and abdomen. The delicate and long proboscides of these new taxa indicate that they were feeding on externally exposed, nutrient-rich fluids of gymnospermous ovulate fructifications, and incapable of piercing surface epidermis – attributable principally to the absence of stylets. These proboscides originated, perhaps multiply, among basal Mecoptera and are functionally and structurally convergent with equivalent mouthparts borne by fossil and extant Diptera, Lepidoptera, Neuroptera and Coleoptera.

摘要:Fossil water scavenger beetles (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae) of the latest Oligocene Rott Formation are revised, based on the examination of the type specimens, as well as numerous additional material from Statz (Los Angeles) and Kastenholz (Bonn) collections. Seven hydrophilid species are recognized, five of which are reliably attributed to the following genera: Berosus morticinus (von Heyden and von Heyden, 1866), Paracymus excitatus (von Heyden and von Heyden, 1866), Paracymus sp., Hydrobiomorpha fraterna (von Heyden, 1859), and Hydrophilus rottensis (Statz, 1939). Coccinella? protogaeae Germar 1837 is attributed to the subtribe Hydrophilina, and Cymbiodyta? austera Statz 1939 to the subfamily Hydrophilinae. Hydrous ebeninus Statz 1939 and Paracymus excitatus (form 3) are excluded from the Hydrophiloidea. Berosus capitatus Statz 1939 is synonymized with Berosus morticinus, and Hydrous neptunus von Heyden and von Heyden 1866 with Hydrobiomorpha fraterna. Lectotypes of Philydrus morticinus von Heyden and von Heyden 1866 and Hydrous ebeninus Statz 1939 are designated. The significance of the hydrophilid fossils for paleoecological reconstructions of the former Rott Lake is briefly discussed.

摘要:A new family of so-called ‘higher’ planthoppers, Weiwoboidae fam. nov., from the Lower Eocene of Yunnan is described. A new monotypic genus, Weiwoboa gen. nov., with Weiwoboa meridiana sp. nov. is also described and illustrated. The characters of tegmen venation of the new family, its evolution, and supposed relationships are briefly discussed.

摘要:The Permian family Camptoneuritidae (Insecta: Grylloblattida) is reviewed. New synonymies are proposed: Camptoneuritidae Martynov, 1930 = Demopteridae Carpenter, 1950, syn. nov., = Jabloniidae Kukalova, 1964, syn. nov. Key to genera of Camptoneuritidae is given. All genera are redescribed and illustrated. Camptoneurites soyanensis sp. nov. from Soyana locality (Middle Permian, Kazanian Stage; Arkhangelsk Region, Russia) and Tyulkinia bashkuevi gen. et sp. nov. from Tyulkino locality (Lower Permian, Kungurian Stage; Perm Region, Russia) are described.

摘要:Representatives of the extinct psocid family Empheriidae are known from Eocene Baltic amber, Lowermost Eocene French amber (Oise), and Lower Cretaceous Spanish amber (Alava). We report herein the first discovery of an empheriid psocid from the Cretaceous amber of New Jersey as Jerseyempheria grimaldii gen. et sp. nov. The fossil is figured and described. The new species is distinguished from related taxa. A discussion and checklist of Empheriidae are provided.

摘要:A new species, Dactylolabis (Eobothrophorus) hoffeinsorum sp. nov. from the Baltic amber is described, based on one male. The distinctive characters are the shape of the discal cell in the wing and the shape of the process on tergite IX. The description of Dactylolabis (Eobothrophorus) lauryni Podenas, 2003 is amended, based on an additional specimen. With the new species added herein, the number of species of this subgenus totals four. The wing venation, antennae, and tergal processes of all four species of the subgenus described from the Baltic amber are compared.

摘要:Leaf beetles Chrysomelidae of Rovno amber, from the Late Eocene, are recorded and described. Chrysomelidae of Rovno amber are represented by three subfamilies: Galerucinae (Alticini), Chrysomelinae, and Eumolpinae. Two new genera and three new species of Alticini: Manobiomorpha Nadein, gen. nov. (type species Manobiomorpha eocenica Nadein, sp. nov.), Psyllototus Nadein, gen. nov. (type species Psyllototus progenitor Nadein, sp. nov.), and Crepidodera decolorata Nadein et Perkovsky, sp. nov. are described. A new chrysomeline genus and species Paleophaedon minutus Nadein gen. nov. et sp. nov. is described. Probable trophic association of Crepidodera decolorata sp. nov., the taxonomic positions of Manobiomorpha gen. nov. and Psyllototus gen. nov., and the composition of leaf beetle faunas of Middle and Late Eocene of Europe are discussed.

摘要:The present paper is devoted to an overview on fossil Coleoptera studied from Inner Mongolia, Daohugou (Middle Jurassic, Jiulongshan Formation) and Liaoning (Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous, Yixian Formation) deposited in Chinese collections. As a result, species of the tribe Sperchopsini and Hydrophilini from Hydrophilidae, families and subfamilies Silphidae, Syndesinae from Lucanidae, Pleocomidae, Trogidae, Trogissitidae, Pyrochroidae, Diaperinae from Tenebrionidae, and Cerambycidae were first registered in the Mesozoic and some families were defined as new. It was shown that many superfamilies represented in the Recent Fauna were formed within the Middle Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous. The materials examined confirm the hypothesis that Cucujiformian beetles are a younger group than other infraordera of Polyphaga (Staphyliniformia and Elateriformia) and, therefore, they appeared in the fossil record only in the late Mesozoic. It was shown and confirmed that most superfamilies appeared in the fossil records before Cucujoidea. The synonymy of Notocupes Ponomarenko, 1964; Sinocupes Lin, 1976, syn. nov.; Amblomma Tan, Ren et Liu 2005, syn. nov.; Euryomma Tan, Ren et Shih, 2006, syn. nov., non Stein, 1899 and Ovatocupes Tan et Ren, 2006, syn. nov.; synonymy of Tetraphalerus Waterhouse, 1901 and Odontomma Tan, Ren et Ge 2006, syn. nov.; and synonymy of Priacmopsis Ponomarenko, 1966 and Latocupes Tan et Ren, 2006, syn. nov. are proposed. Sinorhombocoleus papposus Tan et Ren, 2009 is transferred from the family Rhombocoleidae to Schizophoridae. Cervicatinius complanus Tan, Ren et Shih, 2007 and Forticatinius elegans Tan, Ren et Shih, 2007 are transferred from the family Catiniidae (suborder Archostemata) to superfamily Cleroidea (suborder Polyphaga: first among the family Peltidae and second as a closely related group to the latter family). The family Parandrexidae is transferred from the superfamily Cucujoidea to Cleroidea. The ecological circumstances of the past ecosystems and hypotheses of historical development of the order Coleoptera are discussed. The age of faunas examined is considered. The list of the taxa described from Daohugou and Liaoning is compiled.

摘要:A completely preserved cockroach Sociala perlucida gen. et sp. nov. ?(Blattida: Socialidae fam. nov.)? is described from the Mesozoic (Albian Early Cretaceous) amber of Archingeay in France. It is categorized within the new family Socialidae, originating from the Mesozoic cockroach family Liberiblattinidae, and representing the sister group to the most basal known eutermite families. Numerous direct and indirect morphological evidence (such as a unique narrow body and pronotum with reduced coloration, legs without carination and with numerous sensillar pitts (forelegs) as adaptations to life in nests analogical to the living termitophillous species; enlarged head, long palps for communication, a general venation modified in a direction towards termites (subcosta and radial vein [R] approximated, R branches approximated, simplified, cross-veins reduced), and possibly also the development of the breaking forewing sutura for detaching wings after marriage flight), suggest its eusocial mode of life. Thus, the first eusociality originated within cockroaches, prior to giving birth to termites; termites and Cryptocercus are not directly related. The group of eusocial cockroaches makes termite morphotaxon polyphyletic, but also in this case, the erection of a new order for mastotermites (including Cratomastotermitidae) and/or the inclusion of eusocial, morphological cockroaches within termites appears couterproductive, thus an example of such a general exception to the taxonomical procedure is provided.

摘要:One new genus and five new species of the family Evaniidae are described from the Early Cretaceous (Albian) Spanish amber of Pe?acerrada-I (Province of Burgos), San Just and Arroyo de la Pascueta (both in the Province of Teruel): Cretevania alonsoi sp. nov., C. montoyai sp. nov., C. alcalai sp. nov., C. rubusensis sp. nov., and Iberoevania roblesi gen. and sp. nov. Taxonomic changes include Cretevania pristina (Zhang and Zhang, 2000) comb. nov., C. exquisita (Zhang, Rasnitsyn, Wang and Zhang, 2007) comb. nov., C. vesca (Zhang, Rasnitsyn, Wang and Zhang, 2007) comb. nov., and C. cyrtocerca (Deans, 2004) comb. nov., as a result of the reinterpretation of the genera Procretevania and Eovernevania. The new well preserved specimens of the genus Cretevania, together with the characters shown by the type specimens of the synonymized genera, give new information about their anatomical characters of taxonomical importance, and the genus Cretevania Rasnitsyn, 1975 is re-diagnosed. The holotypes of the Russian species in amber have been revised. A cladistic analysis of fossil and extant groups of the superfamily Evanioidea is included. Cretevania had a wide palaeogeographic distribution, with the highest diversity known from Spain. The 13 known Cretevania species show a high interspecific variation mainly in wing characteristics, and a wide range of body and wing size.

摘要:A new genus and species of Rhachiberothidae, Raptorapax terribilissima gen. et sp. nov. from the Cretaceous amber of Lebanon is described. The new genus is assigned to the subfamily Paraberothinae. The new material confirms the great diversity of the group in the Cretaceous age and its decrease in diversity in recent times.

摘要:The classification and phylogeny of the basal Vespina (=?Orussoidea + Apocrita) are reconsidered based primarily on rich and well preserved material from the Middle Jurassic of Daohugou in Inner Mongolia, China. Comparatively smooth morphological transitions are traced from a Xiphydriidae-like ancestor toward Orussoidea via the Jurassic family Karatavitidae, and through Karatavitidae and the Jurassic and Early Cretaceous family Ephialtitidae independently to Stephanidae, to Evanioidea, and, via the extinct Jurassic Kuafuidae fam. nov. to the remaining Apocrita. New hypothesis is proposed concerning development of the characteristic wasp-waist of Apocrita, which is supposed to appear independently and in different ways in Evanioidea and in the rest of Apocrita. As a result, six infraorders are proposed for the suborder Vespina with the following taxonomic structure: infraorder Orussomorpha including the only superfamily Orussoidea (Karatavitidae +?Paroryssidae +?Orussidae), infraorder Stephanomorpha with the only superfamily Stephanoidea (Ephialtitidae +?Stephanidae), infraorder Evaniomorpha with the only superfamily Evanioidea of traditional composition, infraorder Ceraphronomorpha with the superfamilies Ceraphronoidea s. str. and monotypical Megalyroidea and Trigonaloidea, and the infraorders Proctotrupomorpha, Ichneumonomorpha, and Vespomorpha of traditional composition. The family Kuafuidae is unplaced to infraorder because it is putatively paraphyletic with respect to Ceraphronomorpha, Proctotrupomorpha, Ichneumonomorpha and Vespomorpha. Described as new are Karatavites junfengi sp. nov., Praeratavites wuhuaensis sp. nov., P.?perspicuus sp. nov., Postxiphydria daohugouensis gen. et sp. nov., P.?ningchengensis gen. et sp. nov., Postxiphydroides strenuus gen. et sp. nov., Praeratavitoides amabilis gen. et sp. nov., Proapocritus densipediculus sp. nov., P.?sculptus sp. nov., P.?longantennatus sp. nov., P.?formosus sp. nov., P.?atropus sp. nov., P.?elegans sp. nov., Stephanogaster pristinus sp. nov., Asiephialtites lini sp. nov., Praeproapocritus vulgatus gen. et sp. nov., Sinaulacogastrinus solidus gen. et sp. nov., Sinevania speciosa gen. et sp. nov., Eonevania robusta gen. et sp. nov., Kuafua polyneura gen. et sp. nov. (all from the Middle Jurassic of Daohugou), as well as Kuafuidae fam. nov. including Kuafua gen. nov. as well as Arthrogaster Rasnitsyn, 1975, and Leptogastrella Rasnitsyn, 1975 from the Upper Jurassic of Karatau in Kazakhstan.

摘要:Three lepidopteran species, from the Middle Jurassic Daohugou beds (inner Mongolia, China), are described in a new family, Mesokristenseniidae, and new genus, Mesokristensenia, which could represent the sister group of the Micropterigidae. Mesokristensenia differs from all extant Lepidoptera, but one genus (Agathiphaga, Agathiphagidae), in retaining four median veins in the forewing, a plesiomorphy also present in many Trichoptera. Evidence for placing Mesokristensenia in the Lepidoptera includes four traits, notably a previously unrecorded autapomorphy of this insect order: beyond stem M1+2, vein M1 is bent and connected to cross-vein r-m (in both wing pairs). Among 24 characters taken into account to assess the systematic position of Mesokristensenia, 12 are considered informative for a cladistic analysis involving this fossil taxon and the four suborders recognized in present-day Lepidoptera (Zeugloptera, Aglossata, Heterobathmiina, and Glossata).

摘要:The Early Cretaceous Jehol biota of northeastern China contains a diverse group of notostracans, including two genera, Chenops and Jeholops, described here. Chenops is characterized by a combination of an ovate carapace, narrow anal plate, equant distal endites and endopod on the anterior thoracic limbs. In addition to the new species, Chenops yixianensis, the genus also provisionally includes Prolepidurus oblongus Oleynikov, 1968. Jeholops, however, is monotypic, represented by the new species Jeholops hongi. It is characterized by a combination of kazacharthran and notostracan features unique to this taxon. Both new genera are provisionally placed in the taxon Notostraca. More detailed work exploring the morphology of exceptionally-preserved branchiopod crustaceans is needed. The difficulties in placing fossil notostracans into a phylogenetic framework are discussed.

摘要:Searching for early angiosperms is a riveting activity in botany because it helps to resolve the phylogenetic relationships among seed plants and among angiosperms themselves. One of the challenges for this job is what the target fossils look like. Most possibly early angiosperms may elude our scrutiny with gymnospermous appearances. This possibility becomes a reality in a Jurassic plant, Solaranthus gen. nov, which bears a peltaspermalean appearance and enclosed ovules. According to knowledge available hitherto, the latter feature makes it an angiosperm. However, such a feature is more likely to be eclipsed by its gymnospermous appearance. The early age and unexpected character assemblage of Solaranthus urge for a fresh look on the assumed-simple relationship between angiosperms and gymnosperms. Its resemblance to the order Peltaspermales favors the Mostly Male Theory.

摘要:Terrestrial plants and insects currently account for the majority of the Earth's biodiversity, and approximately half of insect species are herbivores. Thus, insects and plants share ancient associations that date back more than 400 Myr. However, investigations of their past interactions are at the preliminary stages in Western Europe. Herein, we present the first results of our study of various feeding damage based on a dataset of nearly 3500 examined plant specimens from the Lower Miocene of the Lagerst?tte Bílina Mine in the Most Basin, Czech Republic. This site provides a unique view of the Neogene freshwater ecosystems. It has long been studied by scientists working in different branches of sedimentology, paleobotany, and paleozoology. The fossils are preserved in three characteristic horizons overlaying the coal seam (Clayey Superseam Horizon, Delta Sandy Horizon, and Lake Clayey Horizon), reflecting paleoenvironmental changes in a short time period of development. The trace fossils are classified as functional feeding groups or “guilds”, without searching for a direct cause or a recent analog host relation. Approximately 23% of specimens of dicotyledonous plant leaves were found to be damaged and associated with some leaf “morphotypes”. Deciduous plant–host taxa, and those with a chartaceous texture typical of riparian habitats, were frequently damaged, such as Populus, recorded with two species Populus zaddachii and Populus populina (57.9% and 31% herbivory levels, respectively), followed by Acer, Alnus, and Carya, averaging almost 30% of damaged leaves/leaflets. There has been evidence of 60 damage types (DT) representing all functional feeding groups recorded at the Bílina Mine, including 12 types of leaf mines and 16 gall-type DT. In total, Lower Miocene of the Lagerst?tte Bílina Mine exhibits a high level of external foliage feeding types (23.7%), and a low level of more specialized DT, such as galls (4.3%) and leaf mines (<1%). A broader comparison based on DT of the main sedimentary environments shows significance supporting different biomes by frequency of damage levels and DT diversities.

摘要:Late Middle Triassic to early Late Triassic insects from Argentina have been previously described from the Bermejo and Cuyana Basins where they have been recovered from the Ischichuca–Los Rastros and Potrerillos–Cacheuta Formations, respectively. The insect fauna discussed herein was collected during field studies in 1986/1987 from the Llantenes section (Norian to Rhaetian? Late Triassic), which is situated in the Malargüe Basin in southern Mendoza province. The insect remains were found in the upper part of the Llantenes section (Llantenes Formation), which is built up of two coarsening-upwards cycles reflecting a deltaic progradation of a fluvial into a lacustrine environment (lower part), succeeded by repeated progradations into a floodplain-dominated environment (upper part; with finds of insects, conchostracans, fish remains, plant fragments, and drifted logs). The new finds represent the youngest Triassic insect records described from Argentina and even from South America in its entirety. There is only one contemporaneous fossil assemblage in Gondwana: in the Clarence/Moreton Basin (Aberdare Conglomerate; Late Norian) in Australia. The new Triassic insects include an impression of an isolated Mecopterida-like wing (Mendozachorista volkheimeri gen. et sp. nov.; Mendozachoristidae fam. nov.), coleopteran elytra of the Permosynidae (Ademosyne rosenfeldi sp. nov. and Ademosyne llantenesensis sp. nov.) and other isolated body fragments. This new Late Triassic entomofauna from Argentina is of considerable importance in the reconstruction of the biotic recovery of continental environments in Gondwana after the catastrophic mass extinction at the P/T boundary.

摘要:Beetles (Coleoptera) are the most common insects recovered from the Lower Jurassic Mintaja insect locality of Western Australia, with over half of the fossils recorded from this site being isolated coleopteran elytra. A range of partial beetle bodies and other isolated beetle sclerites have also been recovered from the locality; much of this material is taxonomically unidenitifiable due to its disarticulation and poor preservation. A number of the Mintaja coleopterans are assigned to the archostematan family Ommatidae, including Zygadenia westraliensis (Riek, 1968) comb. nov, previously placed in the morphogenus Mesothoris, and an unnamed species of Tetraphalerus. Also recorded is a new species of elaterid, Lithomerus wunda sp. nov., along with other fragments likely attributable to the same family. The remaining material is assigned into morphospecies, separated primarily on preserved body parts — specifically, there are three morphospecies based on partially articulated coleopteran bodies, two morphospecies based on isolated head capsules, three morphospecies based on isolated thoracic sclerites, three morphospecies based on isolated abdominal sclerites, and 13 morphospecies based on isolated elytra. Overall, the ecology of these fossils is difficult to interpret due to poor preservation, although some of the beetles were likely aquatic, and the Ommatidae and Elateridae were both likely xylophilous. There is a strong similarity between the Mintaja coleopterans and those from the Late Triassic Denmark Hill locality of Queensland, though many of these similarities are based on morphotaxa and may be superficial in nature. Of the species that have been assigned to named taxa, all are generally typical of the Late Mesozoic worldwide, with Zygadenia, Tetraphalerus and Lithomerus all long-ranging, cosmopolitan genera.

摘要:Arthropodan syninclusions in the Late Eocene Rovno amber were examined using c2 to reveal correlation of the component groups (some taxa of Diptera, ants, aphids, and mites) supposedly indicative of the biocoenotic relationships in the ancient amber forest. Three tightly correlated groups were identified, representing a putative aerial plankton guild (Chironomidae + Ceratopogonidae) and two tree-trunk guilds, one of which (Dolichopodidae + Germaraphis) is possibly connected to more open or/and more hygrophilous habitats than the other (Sciara zone Diptera + “Acarus” rhombeus). The ants were not linked with any of the above components.

摘要:El Soplao outcrop, an Early Cretaceous amber deposit recently discovered in northern Spain (Cantabria), has been shown to be the largest site of amber with arthropod inclusions that has been found in Spain so far. Relevant data provided herein for biogeochemistry of the amber, palynology, taphonomy and arthropod bioinclusions complement those previously published. This set of data suggests at least two botanical sources for the amber of El Soplao deposit. The first (type A amber) strongly supports a source related to Cheirolepidiaceae, and the second (type B amber) shows non-specific conifer biomarkers. Comparison of molecular composition of type A amber with Frenelopsis leaves (Cheirolepidiaceae) strongly suggests a biochemical affinity and a common botanical origin. A preliminary palynological study indicates a regional high taxonomical diversity, mainly of pteridophyte spores and gymnosperm pollen grains. According to the preliminary palynological data, the region was inhabited by conifer forests adapted to a dry season under a subtropical climate. The abundant charcoalified wood associated with the amber in the same beds is evidence of paleofires that most likely promoted both the resin production and an intensive erosion of the litter, and subsequent great accumulation of amber plus plant cuticles. In addition, for the first time in the fossil record, charcoalified plant fibers as bioinclusions in amber are reported. Other relevant taphonomic data are the exceptional presence of serpulids and bryozoans on the surfaces of some amber pieces indicating both a long exposure on marine or brackish-water and a mixed assemblage of amber. Lastly, new findings of insect bioinclusions, some of them uncommon in the fossil record or showing remarkable adaptations, are reported. In conclusion, a documented scenario for the origin of the El Soplao amber outcrop is provided.

摘要:Reports of amber predating the Lower Cretaceous are unusual and scarce; they mostly refer to amber pieces of millimetric dimension. In the present study, we report the discovery of 10 new outcrops of Jurassic amber in Lebanon. Some of these had large centimetric-sized pieces of amber. The new localities are described, amber is characterized, and its infrared spectra given. Although the new Jurassic amber yielded to date no more than fungal inclusions, this material is significant and promising. The discovery of several Jurassic outcrops provides crucial information on the prevailing paleoenvironment of that time.

摘要:To mark the occasion of the 175th anniversary of the Rheinische Naturforschende Gesellschaft in 2009 and of the centennial of the Mainz Natural History Museum in 2010, we present a short account of our present knowledge of the Eckfeld Maar after 20 years of continuous research. This paper does not attempt to include all of the detailed results on the geology of the Eckfeld site or its biota. To date, nearly 250 papers and books have been published since the start of our project. An up-to-date list of these publications can be found at www.eckfelder-maar.de.