[PaleoEntomology • 2025] Zygogrylloblatta longipalpa • Descending from Trees: A Cretaceous winged Ice-crawler illuminates the Ecological shift and Origin of Grylloblattidae

 Zygogrylloblatta longipalpa

Peng, Engel, Boderau, Legendre, Liu, Nyunt, Wang & Nel, 2025

DOI: doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2025.0557

Artwork by Dinghua Yang.

 

Abstract 

Extant ice-crawlers (Notoptera: Grylloblattidae) are wingless, ground-dwelling, relict, polyneopteran insects that live in Holarctic cold environments. Their closest living relatives are the similarly apterous bush-crawlers (Notoptera: Mantophasmatodea) from southern Africa, forming together a disjunct bipolar distribution. Meanwhile, numerous winged fossil insects have been assigned to Grylloblattodea, though the lack of defining synapomorphies has complicated efforts to clarify the evolutionary relationships between these fossils and modern wingless ice-crawlers. Here, we report a well preserved winged ice-crawler, Zygogrylloblatta longipalpa gen. et sp. nov., from the Albian/Cenomanian of northern Myanmar (ca 99 Ma). Zygogrylloblatta has the typical forewing venation of Mesozoic ‘stem-Grylloblattodea’, but also exhibits a unique unambiguous synapomorphy of extant Grylloblattidae in male genitalia (coxae IX with apical styli), making it the only fossil accurately related to crown-group Grylloblattidae. In contrast to ground-dwelling habits of extant ice-crawlers, Zygogrylloblatta has well developed wings, arolia and true foot pads, supporting a specialized arboreal lifestyle during the mid-Cretaceous. We demonstrate that Grylloblattidae diverged from some winged, arboreal ancestors prior to the mid-Cretaceous, bridging the gap between ancient stem-group and extant Grylloblattidae. Our results reveal previously unknown ecological and morphological diversity in early ice-crawlers and highlight the significance of transitional fossils in tracing the origin of this enigmatic insect lineage.

Keywords: Insecta, Grylloblattodea, morphology, phylogeny, synapomorphy, male genitalia

 

 Zygogrylloblatta longipalpa sp. nov., male, holotype, NIGP206615. Photographs of (a) dorsal view; (b) dorsal view of head; (c) ventral view of head; (d) pulvilli on metatarsus, arrow indicates a puvillus; (e) protibia and protarsus; (f) mesotarsus; (g) posterior abdomen and cerci. (h) Line drawing of forewing. (i) Line drawing of hindleg.

 Abbreviations: C, costal vein; ScP, posterior subcosta; RA, anterior branch of radius; RP, posterior radius; MA, anterior branches of media; MP, posterior branches of media; CuA, cubitus anterior; CuA1, first branch of CuA; CuA2, second branch of CuA; CuP, cubitus posterior; PCu, post cubitus; AA, anal anterior. 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, tarsomeres I–iV; ar, arolium; car, circumantennal ridge; c, cerci; ce, compound eye; cv, cervix; ga, galea; la, lacinia; lp, labial palpus; mp, maxillary palpus; p, pulvillus; pe, pedicellus; gl, glossa; sc, scape; sm, submentum. Scale bars, 1 mm.

 Palaeoecological reconstruction of Zygogrylloblatta longipalpa sp. nov. in a Mesozoic forest.

Artwork by Dinghua Yang.

Systematic palaeontology

Order Notoptera

Suborder Grylloblattodea

Family Zygogrylloblattidae fam. nov.

 

Genus Zygogrylloblatta gen. nov.

 

Etymology. The new generic name is a combination of the Ancient Greek noun ζῠγόν/zugón, meaning, ‘yoke’ (in the sense of joining beasts of burden), and the generic name Grylloblatta Walker. The gender of the name is feminine.

Diagnosis. Maxillary palpus extremely long (a putative autapomorphy); tarsal formula 4−5−5; in forewings, no ‘false costa’; RP with three short, apical branches; M and CuA separated; no ‘arculus’; a broad area between CuA and CuP; basal stem of CuA nearly straight; CuA1 with only two branches; CuA2 forming a strong basal curve; ScP short, only reaching two-third of wing length; only rather few simple crossveins between main veins.

 

Zygogrylloblatta longipalpa gen. et sp. nov. 

Type locality and horizon. Hukawng Valley, Kachin State, northern Myanmar; upper Albian–lower Cenomanian (ca 98.79 ± 0.62 Ma).

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the extremely elongate maxillary palpus.

Ancheng Peng, Michael S. Engel, Mathieu Boderau, Frédéric Legendre, Yu Liu, Thet Tin Nyunt, Bo Wang and André Nel. 2025. Descending from Trees: A Cretaceous winged Ice-crawler illuminates the Ecological shift and Origin of Grylloblattidae. Proc Biol Sci. 292 (2049): 20250557. DOI: doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2025.0557 [18 June 2025]

[PaleoEntomology • 2026] Cretosabethes primaevus • First fossil Mosquito larva in 99-million-year-old Amber with a modern type of morphology sheds light on the evolutionary history of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae)

Cretosabethes primaevus Amaral & Borkent, 

in Amaral, Borkent, Baranov, Haug & Haug, 2026

DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.gr.2025.09.011

Highlights: 

• Earliest mosquito larva ever discovered, from Cretaceous amber.

• Only Mesozoic mosquito linked to a lineage with modern representatives.

• Supports Jurassic origin and Early Cretaceous diversification of mosquitoes.

Abstract

Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) have been hypothesized to have originated during the Jurassic Period, about 201–145 million years ago, primarily based on fossil evidence from their sister group, Chaoboridae (phantom midges). However, direct evidence for such an early origin of Culicidae is currently absent. The oldest known mosquito fossils, all adults and recovered from Cretaceous amber deposits about 99 million years ago, display morphologies that differ substantially from modern forms and are regarded as representatives of an extinct lineage, Burmaculicinae. Here we report the discovery of a fossil that represents both the first mosquito larva preserved in amber and the first immature mosquito from the Mesozoic Era, named as a new genus and species Cretosabethes primaevus Amaral & Borkent gen. et sp. n. The specimen exhibits typical mosquito larval morphology and can be confidently identified as an ingroup of Sabethini, a lineage with numerous extant representatives. This finding provides strong support for the Jurassic origin of Culicidae and suggests that the larval morphology of mosquitoes has remained relatively conserved for at least the past 99 million years.

 

Keywords: Myanmar, Kachin, Cretaceous, Jurassic, Amber, Aquatic

Cretosabethes primaevus Amaral & Borkent gen. et sp. n.

 

André P. Amaral, Art Borkent, Viktor A. Baranov, Carolin Haug and Joachim T. Haug. 2026. First fossil Mosquito larva in 99-million-year-old Amber with a modern type of morphology sheds light on the evolutionary history of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae). Gondwana Research. 150, 154-162. DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.gr.2025.09.011  

 

 

[PaleoEntomology • 2025] Apis aibai • A honey bee fossil (Hymenoptera: Apidae) from the Late Pliocene to Early Pleistocene Teragi Group, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan: Bridging a Gap in Apis Evolutionary History

 

Apis (Apis) aibai 

Takahashi & Takahashi, 2025

 

DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1255.162389

Abstract

A new fossil honey bee Apis (Apis) aibai sp. nov. was discovered in the Late Pliocene–Early Pleistocene lacustrine deposit in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. Fossil species are identified based on their distinct forewing venation, thick, lighter-colored abdomens, and hind legs. Honeybee fossils exhibit a highly uneven distribution across time. Fossil species are primarily derived from older Oligocene–Miocene deposits, mostly in Europe and China, while fossils of a few modern species have been recovered from younger Pleistocene and Holocene deposits. Apis (Apis) aibai sp. nov. bridges the gap between older and younger fossil records. Additionally, this species represents the most recent extinct honey bee and the oldest known record of the subgenus Apis.

Key words: Apini, Apoidea, Cenozoic, fossil record, insect fossil, lacustrine deposit

Photographs of Apis (Apis) aibai sp. nov. (SOU-002).
A. Fossil-bearing piece (38.3 mm × 67.1 mm × 9.8 mm); B. Studied fossil reflecting dorsal view of SOU-002.

 Apis (Apis) aibai sp. nov.

 [New Japanese name: Tajima-mitsubachi]

Diagnosis. Medium-sized honey bee (body length approximately 10.0 mm). Wings hyaline. Forewing length approximately 8.4 mm. Vein 1Rs strongly slanted posterobasally, as long as vein 1Rs+M, subparallel to vein 2Rs, forming a slender subparallelogram-shaped 1st submarginal cell. Cross vein 1cu-a 0.7–0.8 times its length distant to vein 1M (basal vein). Cubital index 4.5. Hind tibia 2.3 times longer than wide, as long as basitarsus. Abdomen 1.4 times wider than thorax.

 Yui Takahashi and Jun-ichi Takahashi. 2025. A honey bee fossil (Hymenoptera, Apidae) from the Late Pliocene to Early Pleistocene Teragi Group, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan: Bridging a Gap in Apis Evolutionary History. ZooKeys. 1255: 291-301. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1255.162389

[PaleoEntomology • 2025] Aulacigaster alabaster, A. breviradia, ... • Aulacigaster Macquart (Diptera: Schizophora: Aulacigastridae) in Amber

 

Aulacigaster alabaster 

Grimaldi, 2025 

DOI: doi.org/10.4289/0013-8797.127.3.458

Abstract

Four new species of the nearly worldwide genus Aulacigaster are described based on specimens preserved in Late Miocene amber (15–17 million years old) from the Dominican Republic: Aulacigaster alabaster n. sp., A. breviradia n. sp., A. mathisi n. sp., and A. rungae n. sp. Details of the male terminalia of A. neoleucopeza are provided as a comparison to three of the fossil species. Commentary is provided on morphological characters pertaining to aulacigastrid relationships. All the fossil Aulacigaster belong to the A. leucopeza group, which today predominates in the Holarctic Region, Africa and Asia, with only a few of the 42 Neotropical species in the genus belonging to the group. No leucopeza-group species are known from the Caribbean, so the fossils probably represent significant extinction in the region.

KEYWORDS: acalyptrates, biogeography, fossil resin, Hispaniola, Neogene

David A. Grimaldi. 2025. Aulacigaster Macquart in Amber (Diptera: Schizophora: Aulacigastridae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 127(3):458-473. DOI: doi.org/10.4289/0013-8797.127.3.458 [28 November 2025]

[PaleoEntomology • 2024] Miropictopallium colouradmonens • A peculiar large-eyed aposematic bug (Heteroptera: Pentatomomorpha: Yuripopovinidae) from mid-Cretaceous Kachin Amber

Miropictopallium colouradmonens  

 Fabrikant & Novoselska, 2024

 https://ij-entomology.online 

 Researchgate.net/publication/379221354

Abstract

Miropictopallium coloradmonens, a new genus and a new species are described and illustrated in the family Yuripopovinidae, based on two specimens from the mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber. The documented diversity of the Yuripopovinidae is thus increased to 15 species in 12 genera. The new genus possesses a number of distinct morphological characteristics for this family including very large eyes, intricate body colour pattern and enlarged scutellum. In addition, the new genus has unfused costal and subcostal veins on the tegmen, a character previously not reported from amber-preserved members of the family. The diagnostic characters of the family are discussed in light of the new descriptions. The newly discovered features prompt some implications towards understanding of the palaeoecology and palaeobiodiversity of the fossil Coreoidea.

Keywords: Heteroptera, Pentatomomorpha, Cretaceous, amber, Burmese amber, fossil resins, fossils, new taxa, paleontology, taxonomy

 Holotype of Miropictopallium colouradmonens n. sp., scale = 1 mm:
 (A) head and pronotum, lateral view; (B) head, dorsal view; (C) right lateral view of specimen; (D) posterior part of pronotum and scutellum; (E) left antenna; (F) left mid tarsus (scale = 0.5 mm).

  Reconstruction of Miropictopallium colouradmonens n. sp. on a gymnosperm.

Genus Miropictopallium n. gen. 

.Etymology: the genus name is a combination of the latin mirus (wonderful), pictus (painted), and pallium (cloak) referring to the intricate colour pattern of the insect’s body. the gender is neuter. 

Miropictopallium coloradmonens n. sp.  

Dolev Fabrikant and Tania Novoselska. 2024. A peculiar large-eyed aposematic bug Miropictopallium coloradmonens n. gen., n. sp. (Heteroptera: Pentatomomorpha: Yuripopovinidae) from mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber. Israel Journal of Entomology. 53: 1–23. https://ij-entomology.online/ojs/index.php/ije/article/view/206 

 Researchgate.net/publication/379221354_Miropictopallium_coloradmonens_n_gen_n_sp_from_mid-Cretaceous_Kachin_amber

[PaleoEntomology • 2021] Ferriantenna excalibur • Drawing the Excalibur Bug from the Stone: Adding Credibility to the Double-edged Sword Hypothesis of coreid evolution (Hemiptera: Coreidae)

  

 three Cretaceous coreids with elaborate antennae.
 Dorsal habitus scaled to same uniform length to highlight the antennae to body ratios. Colorations are artistic recreations based upon extant coreids rather than the actual specimen, whose color was not preserved in the amber
A Ferriantenna excalibur gen. et sp. nov. B Ferriantenna “club-like antennae” C Magnusantenna wuae. 

Ferriantenna excalibur  Cumming & Le Tirant, 2021  

 DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1043.67730

Illustrations by Liz Sisk 

Abstract

A new genus and species of exaggerated antennae Coreidae is described from Myanmar amber of the Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian stage). Ferriantenna excalibur gen. et sp. nov. appears related to another Cretaceous coreid with exaggerated antennae, Magnusantenna Du & Chen, 2021, but can be differentiated by the fourth antennal segment which is short and paddle-like, the undulating shape of the pronotum and mesonotum, and the shorter and thicker legs. The new coreid, with elaborately formed antennae and simple hind legs instead of the typical extant coreid morphology with simple antennae and elaborately formed hind legs, begs the question: why were the elaborate features of the antennae lost in favor of ornate hind legs? Features that are large and showy are at higher risk of being attacked by predators or stuck in a poor molt and subjected to autotomy and are therefore lost at a higher rate than simple appendages. We hypothesize that because elaborate antennae play an additional significant sensory role compared to elaborate hind legs, that evolutionarily it is more costly to have elaborate antennae versus elaborate hind legs. Thus, through the millenia, as coreid evolution experimented with elaborate/ornate features, those on the antennae were likely selected against in favor of ornate hind legs.

Keywords: Autotomy, Burmese, Cenomanian, Cretaceous, extinct, fossil, leaf-footed bugs, Mesozoic

Class Insecta Linnaeus, 1758

Order Hemiptera Linnaeus, 1758

Family Coreidae Leach, 1815

Subfamily Coreinae Leach, 1815

Artist recreation of the presently known three Cretaceous coreids with elaborate antennae. Illustrations by Liz Sisk (USA). Dorsal habitus scaled to same uniform length to highlight the antennae to body ratios. Colorations are artistic recreations based upon extant coreids rather than the actual specimen, whose color was not preserved in the amber A Ferriantenna excalibur gen. et sp. nov. B Ferriantenna “club-like antennae” C Magnusantenna wuae. 

Genus Ferriantenna gen. nov.

 

Etymology: The generic name is derived from Latin prefix ferri (meaning weapon) and Latin antenna (meaning yardarm of a ship/sail yard which was the origin of the “feeler or horn” of an insect; etymonline.com). This genus epithet is referring to the weapon-like appearance of the antennae of these insects (Fig. 2A, B). Gender is neuter.

Ferriantenna excalibur gen. et, sp. nov.

Etymology: Noun in apposition, given for Excalibur, the mythical “sword in the stone” which was first described in the epic poem Merlin (about the mythical advisor to King Arthur), written by the French poet Robert de Boron sometime between 1195–1210 (Reeve and Wright 2007) which was a reworking of Geoffrey of Monmouth’s “Historia Regum Britanniae”, completed c. 1138 (Wright 1985). Within this poem is the first mention of Excalibur being the sword in the stone, which could only be removed by the true king of England. We felt that this specific epithet was fitting as this group of insects with exaggerated antennae were first described as a possible “double edged sword in evolution” as these elaborate antennae went extinct (Du et al. 2021). We felt this witty description, coupled with the insect being trapped in stone (amber) was fitting for such a long lost, and therefore mythical species.

Ferriantenna excalibur gen. et sp. nov. holotype
A dorsolateral habitus B left antennae lateral and head dorsal C amber specimen #BHM10200800678 showing the inclusion.

Royce T. Cumming and Stephane Le Tirant. 2021. Drawing the Excalibur Bug from the Stone: Adding Credibility to the Double-edged Sword Hypothesis of coreid evolution (Hemiptera, Coreidae). ZooKeys. 1043: 117-131.  DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1043.67730

[PaleoEntomology • 2025] Shaykayatcoris michalskii • A New fossil plesiomorphic Flat Bug (Aradidae) suggests widespread flower visiting in Heteroptera during the Mesozoic

  

 Shaykayatcoris michalskii

Kóbor & Szabó, 2025

  

DOI: doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-15559-8 

artistic reconstruction by Márton Zsoldos

Abstract 

The phenomenon of flower visiting (anthophily) and the pollination, though becoming prevalent with the rise of flowering angiosperms, hypothesized to have originated from the antagonistic relationship of florivory between insects and gymnosperms in the Upper Jurassic. Though not commonly known, this behaviour has been documented in several instances among the representatives of the suborder Heteroptera, i.e., the true bugs. Here, we describe Shaykayatcoris michalskii gen. nov., sp. nov., the first known representative of the plesiomorphic flat bug (Aradidae) subfamily Prosympiestinae in the Upper Cretaceous Burma Terrane amber fauna (Lowermost Cenomanian, ca. 99 Mya). Besides expanding the knowledge on the heteropteran insect fauna of the Lagerstätte, the discovery of this new true bug provides intriguing insights into the evolutionary history of true bugs. First, the new record corroborates that the subfamily Prosympiestinae is a Gondwanan relict group among the representatives of flat bugs. Second, this insect presents the first known incidence of iridescent colouration in flat bugs with a tentative role of camouflage, suggesting a more exposed lifestyle compared to the apomorphic lineages of flat bugs, which have adapted to live under tree bark. Third, the iridescence and the high amount of pollen among the syninclusions suggest that the insect was likely to be anthophilous. The suspected presence of anthophily in such a specialised heteropteran insect group like Aradidae suggests that anthophily was more widespread among the Mesosoic true bugs than it can be observed in the case of extant taxa.

Keywords: Heteroptera, Aradidae, Fossil, Iridescence, Anthophily

Reconstructions of Shaykayatcoris michalskii gen. et sp. nov.: 
(a) line drawing of the second author (parts of femora visible in dorsal view were omitted), (b) artistic reconstruction by Márton Zsoldos, Hungarian palaeoartist.

Systematic palaeontology

Order Hemiptera Linnaeus, 1758.

Suborder Heteroptera Latreille, 1810.

Infraorder Pentatomomorpha Leston, Pendergrast and Southwood, 1954.

Superfamily Aradoidea Brullé, 1836.

Family Aradidae Brullé, 1836.

Subfamily Prosympiestinae Usinger and Matsuda, 1959.

Shaykayatcoris Kóbor and Szabó gen. nov.

Differential diagnosis: Shaykayatcoris gen. nov. possesses the following synapomorphies shared with representatives of the tribe Prosympiestini: gular area smooth (in Llaimacorini gular area with a shallow longitudinal groove), peritreme situated anteriorly to hind coxa (in Llaimacorini peritreme situated close to the middle coxa). The bristle of the peritreme characteristic of tribe Prosympiestini is not observable, but it may have been broken off when trapped in resin. Shaykayatcoris gen. nov. is macropterous, possessing a triangular scutellum (shared synapomorphy with Prosympiestus Bergroth, 1894; other prosympiestine genera are brachypterous), length of head greater than the width (shared synapomorphy with Prosympiestus, length of head distinctly shorter than width in the other prosympiestine genera), antenniferous tubercle reduced (autapomorphy, antenniferous tubercles well-developed or even produced laterally in other prosympiestine genera), postocular region slightly concave (autapomorphy, postocular region convex or straight in other prosympiestine genera), width of pronotum is 1.3× greater than length (width of pronotum is at least twice greater than length in other prosympiestine genera), scutellum is slightly shorter than pronotum (autapomorphy, scutellum is at least somewhat shorter in other prosympiestine genera), hemelytron with fine, sparse punctuation at claval furrow and along veins of corium (autapomorphy, hemelytron extensively and strongly punctate in Prosympiestus).

Etymology: Generic name masculine. The name of the genus is derived from the Burmese word ရှေးခေတ် (shayyhkayat), meaning ’ancient’ and the Greek κοριός (koriós = coris), meaning ’bug’.

Shaykayatcoris michalskii Kóbor and Szabó sp. nov.

Type locality and horizon: Upper Cretaceous, lower Cenomanian (98.79 ± 0.62 Ma, according to Shi et al.24; from an amber mine in Hukawng Valley, Tanai Township, Myitkyina District, Kachin State, northern Myanmar.

Etymology: The species is named after Artur Michalski, a Polish amber collector (predominantly specialized in Baltic amber) who donated the specimen to the authors for scientific purposes. With the naming, authors intend to encourage collectors and traders to cooperate with scientists to reveal the palaeobiodiversity trapped in amber.

 

Péter Kóbor & Márton Szabó. 2025. A New fossil plesiomorphic Flat Bug (Aradidae) suggests widespread flower visiting in Heteroptera during the Mesozoic. Scientific Reports. 15: 30282. DOI: doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-15559-8 [19 August 2025]

[PaleoEntomology • 2025] Electrocera gen. nov., E. prima, Macrocera pawli, ... • Long Story of Long Antennae: Mesozoic Origins of the Subfamily Macrocerinae (Diptera: Keroplatidae)

 

Electrocera Pełczyńska & Soszyńska,

in Pełczyńska, Blagoderov,  Krzemiński et Soszyńska, 2025. 

 DOI: doi.org/10.1111/1755-6724.15345

Abstract

The early evolutionary history of the Macrocerinae subfamily (Diptera: Keroplatidae) is poorly understood. However, new material from the Cretaceous, particularly in amber, provides a better understanding of this subject. We reassign the oldest known species of Macrocerinae, Hegalari minor Blagoderov & Arillo, 2002, from the amber of Álava (~105 Mya), to the genus Macrocera (M. minor comb. nov.). Furthermore, we reassess the systematic position of the problematic genus Burmacrocera Cockerell, 1917 from Cenomanian Burmese amber (~99 Mya), providing evidence that it should be classified within this subfamily. Most significantly, we describe five new species from Burmese amber, including a new genus, Electrocera Pełczyńska & Soszyńska, gen. nov., with two new species (E. prima Pełczyńska & Soszyńska, gen. et sp. nov. and E. payini Pełczyńska & Soszyńska, gen. et. sp. nov.) and three new Macrocera species (M. vonneguti Pełczyńska & Blagoderov, sp. nov., M. sevciki Pełczyńska & Krzemiński, sp. nov. and M. pawli Pełczyńska, sp. nov.).

Keywords: new species, palaeoentomology, Álava amber, Burmese amber, Cretaceous, Sciaroidea

 Electrocera Pełczyńska & Soszyńska, gen. nov.

E. prima Pełczyńska & Soszyńska, gen. et sp. nov. 

E. payini Pełczyńska & Soszyńska, gen. et. sp. nov.

 Macrocera 

M. vonneguti Pełczyńska & Blagoderov, sp. nov.,

 M. sevciki Pełczyńska & Krzemiński, sp. nov. 

M. pawli Pełczyńska, sp. nov. 

 

Alicja PEŁCZYŃSKA, Vladimir BLAGODEROV, Wiesław KRZEMIŃSKI and Agnieszka SOSZYŃSKA. 2025. Long Story of Long Antennae: Mesozoic Origins of the Subfamily Macrocerinae (Diptera: Keroplatidae). Acta Geologica Sinica - English Edition. DOI: doi.org/10.1111/1755-6724.15345 [08 November 2025]

[PaleoEntomology • 2025] Telmatomyia talbragarica • The Oldest Gondwanan non-biting Midge (Diptera: Chironomidae: Podonominae) sheds light on the Historical Biogeography of the Clade

 

Telmatomyia talbragarica

Baranov, McCurry, Amaral, Beattie & Trewick, 2025

DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.gr.2025.09.001

Artwork by Valentyna Inshyna

 

Highlights: 

• This discovery is the oldest Southern Hemisphere record of Chironomidae.

• Podonominae rapidly dispersed from Siberia in Jurassic, or of Gondwana origin.

• Fossil has a unique suction disc—for survival in turbulent environments’.

Abstract

Podonominae, a group of non-biting midges within the Chironomidae family, serves as an important biogeographical model. For a long time, it was believed that Podonominae originated in Northern Gondwana and later spread to Laurasia. However, because the oldest known fossils of this group come from the Jurassic period in Eurasia more recent interpretations have suggested a Laurasian origin.

We present the oldest record of Podonominae from Gondwana, specifically from the Tithonian age (Jurassic) in Australia. This discovery is also the oldest Chironomidae fossil found in the Southern Hemisphere and suggests that Podonominae likely originated in Gondwana. The new fossil represents a highly specialized form of Podonominae, adapted to living in the littoral zones of large lakes. It has adaptations to this environment that are unique amongst Podonominae, and similar to those found in some modern marine Chironomidae species such as Telmatogetoninae.

 

Keywords: Biogeography, Diptera, Podonominae, Jurassic, Gondwana

Systematic palaeontology

Chironomidae (Newman, 1834).

Podonominae Thienemann and Edwards in Thienemann, 1937.

Telmatomyia talbragarica (AM F141771), female pupa.
A) Habitus B) Terminal disk; C) Terminal disk, with enhanced contrast.

Telmatomyia gen. nov.  

Differential diagnosis.

Diagnosis. Pupa: can be distinguished from any other representative of Chironomidae by its very large size (> 9 mm), almost round thoracic horns with plastron occupying about 70 %–80 % of it, and uniquely modified abdominal segments 8 and 9, which form an oval terminal disc with a suture like articulation between the segments, wider than long, apparently without fringe of terminal setae (although there are setae looking marks around the terminal disk.

Etymology: Telmatomyia, is from the Greek “Telmato-” adjective, “of stagnant water” reflecting the lacustrine nature of the habitat at Talbragar, and “myia” – Greek for “fly”.

Telmatomyia talbragarica sp.nov.

Etymology: from Talbragar formation.

 Reconstruction of the lake shore of Talbragar Fossil Fish Bed, depicting several Telmatomyia talbragarica pupae attached to a rock underwater. Pair of Orthogonikleithridae fishes are patrolling the waters of the lake, while Rhoetosaurus brownei is approaching the lakeshore, by the grove of “Agathis” jurassica.

Artwork by Valentyna Inshyna, used with permission.

 

      

Viktor Baranov, Matthew R. McCurry, André P. Amaral, Robert Beattie and Steven A. Trewick. 2025. The Oldest Gondwanan non-biting midge (Diptera, Chironomidae, Podonominae) sheds light on the Historical Biogeography of the Clade. Gondwana Research. DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.gr.2025.09.001 [8 October 2025]

[PaleoEntomology • 2021] Ankyloleon caudatus • X-ray Microtomography and Phylogenomics provide insights into the Morphology and Evolution of an enigmatic Mesozoic Insect Larva

 

 Ankyloleon caudatus  

Badano, Fratini, Maugeri, Palermo, Pieroni, Cedola, Haug, Weiterschan, Velten, Mei, Di  Giulio & Cerretti, 2021

DOI: 10.1111/syen.12482 

  Researchgate.net/publication/352213053

Scale bar: 500 μm. 

  

Abstract

Fossils sometimes show unusual morphological features absent in living organisms, making it difficult to reconstruct both their affinity and their function. We describe here a new lacewing larva, Ankyloleon caudatus gen. et sp.n. (Neuroptera) from the Cretaceous amber of Myanmar, characterized by an abdomen unique among insects, with ‘tail-like’ terminal segments bearing a ventral pair of vesicles. Phase-contrast X-ray microtomography reveals that these structures were dense and equipped with a median duct, suggesting that they were likely pygopods used for locomotion, holding the position through adhesive secretions. Our phylogenetic analyses, combining genomic and morphological data from both living and fossil lacewings, proved critical to placing Ankyloleon gen. n. on the lacewing tree of life as an early representative of the antlion clade, Myrmeleontiformia. These results corroborate the view that derived myrmeleontiform lacewings ‘experimented’ with unusual combinations of features and specializations during their evolutionary history, some of which are now lost.

 Ankyloleon caudatus gen. et sp. n. holotype (MZURPAL00111):
(A) dorsal view and (B) ventral view.

Scale bar: 500 μm. 

 Phylogeny of Neuroptera, highlighting the relationships of Ankyloleon. Based on the ML analysis of partitioned combined dataset including genomic and morphological data, see also Fig. S4. Fossil taxa are in bold characters. (i-vii) selected representatives of the diversity of lacewing larvae (not in scale): (i) Osmylidae larva indet. (photo by G. Montgomery); (ii) Dilar sp., Dilaridae; (iii) Mantispa styriaca (Poda), first instar, Mantispidae; (iv) Chrysoperla mediterranea Hölzel, Chrysopidae; (v) Ankyloleon caudatus gen. et sp. n. reconstruction; (vi) Nemoptera bipennis (Illiger) Nemopteridae; (vii) Libelloides ictericus (Charpentier) Ascalaphidae and (viii) Brachynemurus ferox (Walker), Myrmeleontidae.   

 

Davide Badano, Michela Fratini, Laura Maugeri, Francesca Palermo, Nicola Pieroni, Alessia Cedola, Joachim T. Haug, Thomas Weiterschan, Jürgen Velten, Maurizio Mei, Andrea Di  Giulio, Pierfilippo Cerretti. 2021. X-ray Microtomography and Phylogenomics provide insights into the Morphology and Evolution of an enigmatic Mesozoic Insect Larva. Systematic Entomology. 46(3); 672-684. DOI: 10.1111/syen.12482

  Researchgate.net/publication/352213053_morphology_and_evolution_of_an_enigmatic_Mesozoic_insect_larva

[PaleoEntomology • 2024] Natator giganteus • A new giant Jurassic lacewing larva reveals a particular aquatic habit and its significance to the palaeoecology

 

Natator giganteus 

Kong, Shih, Ren & Wang, 2024

 

DOI: doi.org/10.1111/jse.13071

Abstract

Neuroptera, as a small relic group of Insecta undergoing a rapid species diversification during the Mesozoic Era, is known by diverse extinct endemic lineages preserved as impression fossils and in amber. The current understanding of Mesozoic neuropterans′ diversity has mainly focused on the adults, because the contemporaneous larvae have been fairly rare especially for the Jurassic lacewings. Herein, a new giant lacewing larva, Natator giganteus gen. et sp. nov., is described from the Middle Jurassic Daohugou Beds of China. The remarkable larva is characterized by its impressively large body size, distinctively elongated cervix, and presence of swimming hairs on legs, which provide direct evidence to reveal an aquatic habit for the Jurassic lacewing larva. The morphological analysis indicates this giant larva would have probably inhabited the benthic environments of Jurassic montane rivers and streams. In addition, its morphological specialization suggests that it might have adopted an ambush predation strategy to catch its prey. The finding enhances our knowledge of the species diversity and morphological plasticity for the Jurassic lacewing larvae, and reveals that the aquatic lineages of Neuroptera exhibited dramatically structural and ecological convergence across the evolutionary process.

Keywords: Daohugou bed, fossil, larvae, Middle Jurassic, Neuroptera, swimming hairs

Natator giganteus gen. et sp. nov.

Bowen Kong, Chungkun Shih, Dong Ren and Yongjie Wang. 2024. A new giant Jurassic lacewing larva reveals a particular aquatic habit and its significance to the palaeoecology. Journal of Systematics and Evolution. DOI: doi.org/10.1111/jse.13071  [21 April 2024]

https://www.jse.ac.cn/EN/10.1111/jse.13071

https://x.com/JournalSysEvo/status/1791154041839403090

 

[PaleoEntomology • 2025] Rutrizoma donoghuei & R. pisanii • Specialized Bark-gnawing Beetles (Coleoptera: Trogossitidae) reveal Phragmotic Defence and Subcortical Ecology in the Cretaceous

Rutrizoma donoghuei, Poinarinius aristovi and polyaspidoid mites
Rutrizoma Li & Cai gen. nov.
 

in Li, Leschen, Kolibáč, Engel, Zhang, Yu, Huang et Cai, 2025.

 DOI: doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2025.1004 

Artwork by Ding-Hua Yang

Abstract

Ecological interactions are fundamental to understanding species’ trophic relationships and the evolution of ecosystem functions. However, the fossil record seldom captures these intricate dynamics, as most fossils preserve individual organisms rather than the interactions that shaped ancient ecosystems. Here, we describe a new genus of bark-gnawing beetles (Trogossitidae), Rutrizoma gen. nov., from mid-Cretaceous amber in northern Myanmar. This fossil genus reveals a rare combination of predatory and antipredatory adaptations, shedding light on the ecological complexity of Mesozoic forest ecosystems. Rutrizoma has specialized morphological features, such as shortened elytra and unidentate mandibles, suggesting an active predatory lifestyle in narrow wood galleries. Interestingly, some morphological traits of Rutrizoma mirror those of its potential prey, particularly bostrichid beetles, from the same amber deposit. One such trait is its specialized abdominal declivity, which probably functioned as a protective shield against predators and competitors, representing marked convergence with the elytral declivity of other subcortical beetles, such as bark and ambrosia beetles (Scolytinae and Platypodinae) and Bostrichidae. The presence of phoretic mites associated with Rutrizoma, along with co-preserved bostrichid prey, underscores the complex community dynamics beneath Cretaceous tree bark. This finding reveals a subcortical ecosystem that parallels modern ecological interactions.

Keywords: Cretaceous, beetle, phragmosis, defence, ecological interaction

Order Coleoptera Linnaeus, 1758

Family Trogossitidae Latreille, 1802

Subfamily Trogossitinae Latreille, 1802

Genus Rutrizoma Li & Cai gen. nov.

Type species. Rutrizoma donoghuei sp. nov., here designated.

Etymology. The generic name is formed based on the Latin rutrum, shovel, referring to the bordered declivity at the abdominal apex, and part of the name Nemozoma Latreille, a closely related trogossitid genus. When Latreille [1804] established the genus name Nemozoma, he likely intended it to reference the elongate body (νῆμα [nema]: thread + σῶμα [soma]: body). Although Latreille improperly latinized the second component, since ζῶμα (zoma) is still a Greek neuter noun, according to ICZN Article 30.1.2, Nemozoma should be treated as neuter (S. Laplante & P. Bouchard 2025, personal communication; contrary to [Kippenhan, 2023]). The new name Rutrizoma should thus also be neuter.

Diagnosis. Body slender. Frons with weak longitudinal median groove, without paired horn-like processes. Antennae with 11 antennomeres; club weakly asymmetrical; antennomeres 9 and 10 without exposed sensorial field; antennomere 11 with exposed sensorial field. Mandibles with one prominent apical tooth. Galea with ciliate setae. Pronotal disc elongate, with longitudinal median groove. Procoxal cavities narrowly separated, closed externally. Elytra strongly shortened, apically truncate, leaving abdominal segments IV–VII fully exposed, each with five distinct longitudinal grooves. Mesocoxal cavities narrowly separated, open laterally. Metacoxae contiguous, medially projecting, laterally not reaching lateral margin of metathorax. Protibia with robust spine on mesal edge. Abdominal tergite VII specialized, forming bordered declivity; margins with dense ciliate setae. Abdominal ventrites strongly convex.

Rutrizoma donoghuei sp. nov., under brightfield (A–C) or confocal (D–F) microscopy.
(A) NIGP205681, dorsal view. (B) NIGP166142, lateral view. (C) NIGP166143, ventral view. (D) NIGP205682-1, head, dorsal view, with arrow indicating median groove on frons. (E) NIGP166142, head, ventrolateral view, with arrow indicating ciliate setae of galea. (F) NIGP166142, abdominal declivity, dorsal view, with arrow indicating projected lobes. Abbreviations: an, antenna; md, mandible. Scale bars: 1 mm in (A–C); 200 μm in (D–F).

Rutrizoma donoghuei Li & Cai sp. nov. 

 

Etymology. The species is named after the evolutionary biologist Dr Philip C. J. Donoghue.

Differential diagnosis. Rutrizoma donoghuei differs from R. pisanii in the smaller body size (about 4.1 mm long in the holotype and similar in all the paratypes) and the edge of abdominal declivity with projected lobes at the base.

 Rutrizoma pisanii sp. nov., NIGP205685-1, under brightfield (A,B) or confocal (C,D) microscopy.
(A) Dorsolateral view. (B) Ventrolateral view. (C) Head, ventrolateral view. (D) Abdominal declivity, dorsolateral view. Abbreviations: an, antenna; md, mandible; t6−7, abdominal tergites VI–VII. Scale bars: 1 mm in (A,B); 300 μm in (C,D).

 

Rutrizoma pisanii Li & Cai sp. nov.  

Etymology. The species is named after the evolutionary biologist Dr Davide Pisani.

Differential diagnosis. Rutrizoma pisanii differs from R. donoghuei in the larger body size (about 5.4 mm long in the holotype) and the simple edge of abdominal declivity.

Woodboring beetles and mites associated with Rutrizoma, under brightfield (A–D) or confocal microscopy (E).
(A) NIGP205682, syninclusion of Rutrizoma donoghuei, Poinarinius aristovi and polyaspidoid mites. (B,C) NIGP205686, syninclusion of Rutrizoma sp., Poinarinius sp., and mites. (D) NIGP205687-3, Poinarinius aladelicatus preserved along with two individuals of Rutrizoma. (E) Detail of NIGP205682, showing polyaspidoid mites associated with Rutrizoma. Scale bars: 2 mm in (A–C); 500 μm in (D); 200 μm in (E).

 Artistic reconstruction of Cretaceous Rutrizoma pursuing Poinarinius beneath bark.

Artwork by Ding-Hua YANG

Yan-Da Li, Richard A. B. Leschen, Jiří Kolibáč, Michael S. Engel, Zhi-Qiang Zhang, Yali Yu, Diying Huang and Chenyang Cai. 2025. Specialized Bark-gnawing Beetles reveal Phragmotic Defence and Subcortical Ecology in the Cretaceous. Proc. R. Soc. B. 292: 20251004. DOI: doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2025.1004 [11 June 2025]