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| Baladi warru Rodriguez, Frese & Macdonald, in Rodriguez, Frese, Dettmann, Chavoshi-Jolfaei et Macdonald, 2024. |
Abstract
We report the discovery of the first fossil of an Australian species of Pergidae, Baladi warru gen. et sp. n., found at McGraths Flat, a newly discovered Miocene Konservat-Lagerstätte in central New South Wales. Using morphological data from the well-preserved fossil, along with a previously published molecular dataset of 59 taxa and a newly generated molecular dataset for 8 taxa, we constructed a data matrix and generated the first chronogram for Pergidae that incorporates internal calibration points. Our data reveal that Baladi warru belongs to the subfamily Perginae and is closely related to the Australian genera Cerealces and Xyloperga (tribe Cerealcini). According to our analysis, the origin of Pergidae appears slightly younger than previously hypothesised; however, additional calibration points are needed for a more detailed age constraint. Furthermore, ancestral character reconstruction indicates four independent adaptations to toxic Myrtaceae as host plants, while biogeographic analyses suggest that sympatry followed by founder events were the primary processes shaping the current disjunct distribution of pergids. Two significant founder events correspond with transitions to utilising Myrtaceae as host plants. With the approval of the Mudgee Local Aboriginal Land Council, Wiradjuri words were used to name the newly described species. ‘Baladi’ means ‘saw’ and ‘warru’ means ‘wasp’. This name honours the Traditional Owners of the lands on which the fossil was collected.
Systematic palaeontology
Superfamily Tenthredinoidea.
Family Pergidae Rohwer, 1911.
Subfamily Perginae Ashmead, 1898.
Tribe Cerealcini Benson, 1939.
Genus Baladi Rodriguez, Frese & Macdonald new genus.
Type species: Baladi warru Rodriguez, Frese & Macdonald new species by original designation.
Diagnosis: Antennae with at least seven segments; singular distal tarsal plantulae with transverse rugosity on the ventral surface (Figure 1c–e); forewing venation with cell 1 M shorter than vein M + Cu, vein 2MCu present, 2r cross-vein absent, distal free section of vein SC appearing like a cross-vein (Sc and R fused), vein 2R present, vein 2A absent (Figure 2b,c); hindwing venation with vein RM joining RS after it has diverged from SC + R (R cell longer than SC + R), crossvein m-cu absent, and cell 2A absent (Figure 2b,c).
Occurrence: McGraths Flat, Gulgong, New South Wales (NSW), Australia.
Derivation of name: The name “baladi” is a Wiradjuri word meaning “saw” or “serrated” (Grant & Rudder, 2010); it is to be treated as feminine in gender. The use of the name was approved by the Mudgee Local Aboriginal Land Council.
Baladi warru Rodriguez, Frese & Macdonald new species.
Derivation of name: The name “warru” is the Wiradjuri word for wasp or hornet (Grant & Rudder, 2010); it is to be treated as a noun in apposition. The use of the name was approved by the Mudgee Local Aboriginal Land Council.
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| Reconstruction of Baladi warru with larvae and Quintinia flowers. Artwork by Alex Boersma |
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| With the approval of the Mudgee Local Aboriginal Land Council, Wiradjuri words were used to name the newly described species of sawfly 'Baladi warru'. Artwork by Alex Boersma |
Juanita Rodriguez, Michael Frese, Mary Dettmann, Mahin Chavoshi-Jolfaei and John Macdonald. 2024. A New exceptionally preserved Sawfly Fossil (Hymenoptera: Pergidae) and an Evaluation of its utility for Divergence Time Estimation and Biogeography. Systematic Entomology. DOI: doi.org/10.1111/syen.12653
Fossil sawfly discovery 16 million years in the making
The find is the first of its kind in Australia, and sheds new light on the co-evolution of insects and toxic plants.
