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New proxy for Moraceae in Priabonian of Europe: first record of the genus Demimaea Pascoe, 1870 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) from Eocene Rovno amber
Historical Biology
Abstract
Two new species of the genus Demimaea from the subfamily Curculioninae are described from Rovno amber. Demimaea zherichini n. sp. is similar to the extant Demimaea mori but differs by its black antennae and tarsi, larger body, body lacking dense, white setae, sparsely not coarsely punctate pronotum and its narrower elytral interstriae. Demimaea gratshevi n. sp. differs from D. zherichini n. sp. by its smaller body, its comparatively longer scape extending towards the compound eye and its convex and wide elytral interstriae. This is the first fossil record of the subtribe Demimaeina. Assumptions are made about the presence of Moraceae plant species in the Eocene of Northern and Eastern Europe, particularly the genus Ficus. LSID urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:D89E9989-37B6-4E71-9D6E-8D616DAD2C75
... In our opinion, this might be explained by many cryophobic elements in the Danish and Rovno amber forests living on the northern limits of their distribution (e. d. Dlussky et al. 2014;Matalin et al. 2021;Jenkins Shaw et al. 2023;Kirichenko-Babko & Perkovsky 2023;Nabozhenko & Perkovsky (2023); Legalov et al. 2023aLegalov et al. , 2023bLyubarsky et al. 2023;Telnov et al. 2023;Belokobylskij et al. 2023Belokobylskij et al. , 2024aMelnitsky et al. 2024;Sokolov et al. 2024;Mamontov et al. 2024). The subgenus Neomicrambe could be a good new example of a cryophobic taxa (see Archibald et al. 2023). ...
Micrambe tristis sp. nov., a new species of Cryptophagidae (Coleoptera), is described and illustrated from Eocene Danish amber. Micrambe tristis sp. nov. differs from M. sarnensis Lyubarsky et Perkovsky, 2010 from Baltic and Rovno amber by sutural stria present, size of pronotal callosity and length of antennomere 4. Extant species of subgenus are distributed on the highest mountains of Africa from southern Ethiopia to Tanzania. The supposed migration of the subgenus to Africa is discussed.
... Furthermore, as the Rovno amber fauna includes many lineages that are now distributed only in the tropics (Jenkins Shaw et al., 2023), the similarity of C. glesoconomorphi with C. glossinae (a tropical species) suggest that C. glesoconomorphi lived in a similar environment. Overall, the climate of the Rovno amber forest was more suitable for many tropical and subtropical insects (Matalin et al., 2021;Legalov et al., 2023;Kirichenko-Babko & Perkovsky, 2023) than climate of the Baltic amber forest. ...
We examined three astigmatic mite specimens phoretic
on the beetle Glesoconomorphus ekaterinae from Eocene
Rovno amber. Due to the precious nature of this amber
piece, housing the name-bearing holotype of the host beetle,
traditional trimming for the application of high-resolution
imaging techniques at small focal distances was unfeasible.
To overcome this challenge, we employed a combination
of confocal microscopy relying on the autofluorescence
properties of the mite chitinous exoskeleton and long
working distance / water immersion objectives. This
innovative approach successfully resolved the minute mite
features from a considerable distance (700 μm). Based on
these data, we describe many taxonomically important
characters and identify these mites as a new species,
Congovidia glesoconomorphi sp. nov., within the family
Hemisarcoptidae. This represents the first fossil record for
the mite family. Additionally, we provide a key for phoretic
deutonymphs of all known species of Congovidia. As
larvae of many extant Eurypinae live in subcortical spaces
of decomposing tree trunks, we suggest that the mite C.
glesoconomorphi similarly occupied subcortical niches in
decayed wood and utilized adult beetles of G. ekaterinae for
dispersal.
... Furthermore, as the Rovno amber fauna includes many lineages that are now distributed only in the tropics (Jenkins Shaw et al., 2023), the similarity of C. glesoconomorphi with C. glossinae (a tropical species) suggest that C. glesoconomorphi lived in a similar environment. Overall, the climate of the Rovno amber forest was more suitable for many tropical and subtropical insects (Matalin et al., 2021;Legalov et al., 2023;Kirichenko-Babko & Perkovsky, 2023) than climate of the Baltic amber forest. ...
... The climate of the Rovno amber forest was warmer than the Baltic one [80,81], so the thermophilic beetles are much better represented there [27,[82][83][84][85][86][87][88][89], resulting in only 15% of known Rovno beetles having anything in common with Baltic amber [80,87]. The genus Electrorhinus could be a new addition to the list of Rovno thermophilic taxa that are much rarer in Baltic amber. ...
Fossil weevils of the subfamily Molytinae are currently represented by 103 species in 42 genera from 14 tribes. Fossil records of the tribe Aedemonini are known from the Eocene of Europe. This tribe makes up 22% of the London Clay weevil specimens identified to the genus level and 16% of the Curculionidae genera. At present, the distribution of this tribe is mainly paleotropical, but it was very prominent in the paratropical biota of the London Clay in the early Eocene, and it was still represented in the biota of the amber forests of Europe that retained some tropical elements in the Priabonian. A new species, Electrorhinus vlaskini n. sp., from the tribe Aedemonini of the subfamily Molytinae, is described from Rovno amber. It differs from E. friedhelmi in the smaller body size, finely faceted eyes, a coarser rugose pronotum, and sparser scales on the body. A list of the fossil Molytinae is compiled. This is the first record of a weevil of the subfamily Molytinae in Rovno amber, and the second finding of a representative of the genus Electrorhinus in the late Eocene and the third record of a species of Aedemonini preserved as a fossil. A key to European species of Molytinae with a rostral channel from Europe is given.
... It appears highly likely that the comparatively warmer climate of the Rovno amber forest [67] was more favourable to xenoscelines and many other thermophile forms [53] and references therein than the Baltic one, and this is the reason for their comparatively high diversity in the Rovno coleopterofauna [37,38,42,45,52,53,57,59,[68][69][70]. ...
Xenophagus simutniki sp. n. is described from a late Eocene Rovno amber specimen. The new species is similar to the fossil Xenophagus popovi Lyubarsky et Perkovsky, 2017 from the late Eocene Baltic amber (W Russia), differing in the medially notched anterior margin of the pronotum. The Rovno xenosceline fauna is the richest among both extant and extinct faunas. This fauna includes the extinct genera Xenophagus Lyubarsky & Perkovsky, 2017 and Xenohimatium Lyubarsky & Perkovsky, 2012, which are closest to the extant Mediterranean Xenoscelis Wollaston 1864 and the representative of the extant boreal genus Zavaljus Reitter, 1880. A key to extinct species of the subfamily Xenoscelinae is presented. The possible reasons of xenoscelines abundance in European amber forests are discussed.
... The climate of the Rovno amber forest was warmer than the Baltic one (Mänd et al. 2018;Perkovsky et al. 2020), so the thermophilic beetles are much better represented (Legalov et al. 2018, 2022a, Matalin et al. 2021, Telnov et al. 2021, Yamamoto et al. 2022, resulting that only 15% of known Rovno beetles are common with Baltic amber (Legalov et al. 2022b, Telnov et al. 2022. The genus Oracula is a new addition to the list of the Rovno thermophilic taxa that are much rarer in the Baltic amber. ...
A new species of the currently Oriental alleculine genus Oracula Novák, 2019 is described from the Eocene Rovno amber, Ukraine: O. campbelli sp. n. This is the first report of a representative of the family Tenebrionidae from this Lagerstätte. Extant species of Oracula occur in Nepal, southern China (Yunnan), Thailand, Laos and Indonesia. The newly discovered extinct species is similar to extant O. amica Novák, 2019 from Nepal.
... It has been assumed that the low representation of Baltic amber beetle species in Rovno amber is an artefact of insufficient sampling [13]. Current knowledge based on larger numbers of specimens, however, could indicate that it reflects a real community difference with only two new species in common [14,15], while there are over a dozen and a half new species known only from Rovno amber [16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30], including 15% in common with Baltic amber. In contrast, the well-studied Trichoptera of Baltic and Rovno ambers have 32.4% [31][32][33][34] and non-ant hymenopterans have 32% [35][36][37][38] (Voss, 1972), and P. viridis (Wanat & Borowiec, 1986)), collected in Yantarny (Russia), and Gdańsk region (Poland). ...
From the modern distribution of the tribes Anypotactini and Eudiagogini (Coleoptera, Curculionidae), it can be assumed that the climate of the late Eocene amber forests was similar to that of the Valdivian temperate forests. A new species, Paonaupactus zosimovichi sp. n. from the tribe Anypotactini of the subfamily Entiminae is described from Late Eocene Rovno amber. It differs from Paonaupactus gracilis by its rarer, decumbent scales on the elytral interstriae, elytral interstriae, which are clearly visible between scales, and its smaller body size. This is the third species of the genus Paonaupactus found in Rovno amber.
... The new Bocchus described here is the first hymenopteran and seventh named fossil arthropod from the Volyn Region, Ukraine (Martynov et al. 2021;Telnov et al. 2021;Legalov et al. 2022). The discovery of B. rex is indicative of the richness of Bocchus species in Rovno amber in comparison with Baltic amber: two species (29% of all dryinid species) in Rovno amber versus one (4.8% of all dryinid species) in Baltic amber. ...
A new fossil species of Dryinidae (Hymenoptera, Chrysidoidea) from upper Eocene Rovno amber (Ukraine) is described: Bocchus rex sp. nov. It is compared with two other species of Bocchus known from European amber: B. primaevus Martins & Melo from Baltic amber and B. schmalhauseni Perkovsky, Olmi, Vasilenko, Capradossi & Guglielmino from Rovno amber. A new key to the Cretaceous and Paleogene species of Bocchus is presented. The Dryininae are the most common representatives in all the amber dryinid faunas since the mid-Cretaceous. The Rovno amber fauna is an exception; possible explanations for the abundance of Bocchus species within this amber are presented.
The third fossil species of the tribe Bacaniini (Coleoptera, Histeridae), Bacanius caterinoi Sokolov et Perkovsky,
sp. nov., is described from the Eocene Rovno amber. Previous two extinct species were known from the
Rovno and Baltic amber. We compared the new species with them and extant representatives of related taxa.
The new species belongs to the extant genus Bacanius LeConte, 1853 and can be included to the extant
subgenus Gomyister Mazur 1984. This is the second species of the subgenus from Rovno amber indicating
the diversity of this currently primarily tropical group in the Eocene of Europe.
Stephanopachys ambericus Zahradník & Háva, 2015 from the subfamily Dinoderinae is recorded from Eocene Danish amber and Baltic amber from Latvia for the first time. Diagnosis of this species is made, and illustrations are given. Fossil records of auger beetles are discussed.
The first record of the tribe Paussini Latreille is reported based on a specimen from late Eocene Rovno amber. It is the first known close relative of the genus Eohomopterus (subtribe Carabidomemnina) in the Old World. The recent and Neogene distribution of Eohomopterus is Neotropical, with extant representatives in Ecuador, Brazil and the West Indies, and extinct species in Dominican and Mexican amber. The occurrence of the Neotropical Carabidomemnina in Rovno amber and the presence of the Oriental Protopaussini in Dominican amber are of significant interest as evidence of the probable transarctic migrations of their ant host in the early Eocene.
A new species of narrow-waisted bark beetle is described from Eocene Rovno amber (Ukraine): Diagrypnodes villumi sp. nov. (Coleoptera: Salpingidae). This fossil refutes a simplistic view of the genus Diagrypnodes as a typical Gondwanan lineage whose extant species are disjunct between Australia, New Caledonia, and New Zealand. Diagrypnodes villumi is the first definitive fossil species of the subfamily Inopeplinae, the other being Eopeplus stetzenkoi Kirejtshuk and Nel from lowermost Eocene (53 Ma) Oise amber which was placed in this subfamily, albeit tentatively. Extant inopeplines occur in tropical and subtropical areas worldwide. The presence of Diagrypnodes and Eopeplus in Eocene Europe suggest a formerly different and presumably wider distribution of the subfamily. Furthermore, the ant Lasius schiefferdeckeri Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) preserved in the amber piece as a eusyninclusion with D. villumi is a new example of the simultaneous presence of the temperate and frost intolerant elements in European Eocene amber forests.
Two fossil cockroaches belonging to the extinct genus Palaeosymploce gen. n. (P. aristovi sp. n.) and the extant genus Supella Shelford, 1911 (S. eocenica sp. n.) are described on the basis of males from Rovno amber. They are the first representatives of the family Ectobiidae Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865 from the Eocene of Ukraine. The genus Palaeosymploce gen. n. is similar to the extant genus Symploce Hebard, 1916, but differs from it by structure of tegmina, e.g. more numerous branches M + CuA and comparatively wider medial and cubital fields. The closely related genus Symploce currently has an almost circumtropical distribution. Fossil representatives of this genus are known from Baltic amber. The extant representatives of the genus Supella are mostly restricted to the Afrotropical Region. Fossil representatives of Supella were present in Central America (Mexican (Chiapas) amber) and West Indies (Dominican amber). Supella eocenica sp. n. differs from all congeners by the absence of contrasting coloration of the pronotum and tegmina. A detailed morphological description of the new taxa is given and brief conclusions about the climate of Priabonian Rovno amber forest are suggested.
We describe two larvae of Raphidioptera probably belonging to different genera of Raphidiidae, the first recorded from middle Eocene Sakhalinian amber and late Eocene Rovno amber. The Sakhalinian larva is the first confirmed representative of Raphidioptera from the Cenozoic of Asia, and most probably the oldest larvae of an extant family of the order. The Rovno amber larva is the first European Cenozoic immature raphidiopteran found outside of Russo-Scandia. The terrestrial insect assemblage of the Sakhalinian amber forest is discussed, including snakeflies. An abundance of aphids and rarity of ants distinguishes this assemblage from other Cenozoic amber faunas.
The beetle family Ptilodactylidae is recorded for the first time from Rovno amber, Ukraine. Ptilodactyla odnosum Telnov, Perkovsky, Kundrata and Bukejs sp. nov. and a male of P. eocenica Kundrata, Bukejs and Blank, 2021 are described and illustrated using X-ray micro-computed tomography. Our discoveries of two species in Rovno amber together with recently published findings in Baltic amber and Bembridge Marls suggest that ptilodactylids were rather diverse in Eocene Europe. Identification key to Ptilodactylidae described from European Eocene ambers is provided, and relationships of the Baltic and Rovno amber coleopterofaunas are briefly discussed.
A new fossil species of Dryinidae (Hymenoptera, Chrysidoidea) from upper Eocene Rovno amber (Ukraine) is described: Bocchus rex sp. nov. It is compared with two other species of Bocchus known from European amber: B. primaevus Martins & Melo from Baltic amber and B. schmalhauseni Perkovsky, Olmi, Vasilenko, Capradossi & Guglielmino from Rovno amber. A new key to the Cretaceous and Paleogene species of Bocchus is presented. The Dryininae are the most common representatives in all the amber dryinid faunas since the mid-Cretaceous. The Rovno amber fauna is an exception; possible explanations for the abundance of Bocchus species within this amber are presented.
A new lymexylid fossil species, † Raractocetus sverlilo Nazarenko, Perkovsky & Yamamoto, sp. nov. , is described from late Eocene Rovno amber of Ukraine. This new species is similar to species of the recent genera Atractocerus Palisot de Beauvois and Raractocetus Kurosawa in the ship-timber beetle subfamily Atractocerinae, but differs in pronotal and elytral features. Notably, the new species is one of the smallest atractocerines known to date. This is the first member of the family Lymexylidae found in Rovno amber. Our finding sheds further light on the paleodiversity of atractocerine beetles, highlighting a peculiar distribution during the Eocene. Only one extant atractocerine specimen has been reported from Europe (Greece), while three species from Eocene European amber forests with equable climate are known now, including two species from the otherwise tropical genus Raractocetus . Our finding of the Raractocetus beetle from Rovno amber is of significant biogeographically because it indicates the wide distribution of the genus in the Eocene European amber forests.
Glesoconomorphus ekaterinae sp. nov. (Coleoptera, Mycteridae), representing the first ever fossil species of Coleoptera from the Volyn Region of Ukraine and the first mycterid from late Eocene Rovno amber, is described and illustrated. A key to species of the fossil mycterid genus Glesoconomorphus Alekseev, Pollock & Bukejs, 2019 is presented. The systematic position of Glesoconomorphus within Eurypinae J. Thomson, 1860 is briefly discussed. The oldest finding of phoretic Winterschmidtiidae Oudemans, 1923 mites, found on the type specimen of the new beetle species, is reported.
A new species, Formica ribbeckei Radchenko & Perkovsky, sp. nov. , is described based on four workers from late Eocene Rovno amber (Ukraine). It most resembles F. flori Mayr, 1868 but differs from the latter mainly by the 5-segmented maxillary palps with the preapical segment subequal in length to the apical one, and by the shorter first funicular segment. Fossil F. luteola Presl, 1822, F. trigona Presl, 1822, F. macrognatha Presl, 1822 and F. quadrata Holl, 1829 are considered incertae sedis in Formicidae. Thus, ten valid Formica Linnaeus, 1758 species (including F. ribbeckei ) are known now from late Eocene European ambers. The diversity of Formica in the early and middle Eocene deposits of Eurasia and North America is considered. It is assumed that the genus Formica most likely arose in the early Eocene.
Ten Middle Miocene imprints of Oecophylla Smith, 1860 (Stavropol Region, Russia) are described and redescribed from the collection of the Arthropoda Laboratory of the Borissiak Paleontological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Oecophylla has distinctive features of the wing venation, allowing the identification of fossils. Based on our study of extant ants, a procedure for identifying externally similar fore-wing imprints of Formicinae using the example of Oecophylla (Bembridge, United Kingdom) is proposed. It seems that the oldest Oecophylla is recognized now among early and middle Eocene ants from North Amer-ica, a continent no longer inhabited by weaver ants, despite the apparently suitable climatic conditions. We suggest that historical distribution of weaver ants was determined by their ecology and behavior, and competition within ant assemblages.
A new fungus weevil, Glaesotropis (Electranthribus) rohdendorfi sp. nov. (Coleoptera: Anthribidae), is described
from Priabonian Rovno amber. It is similar to G. (E.) zherikhini (Legalov, 2013a) but
differs in the transverse carina extending to the scutellum, shorter
antennomere 2, wider antennal club, more convex eyes, and larger body size.
It is the first record of the subgenus Electranthribus Legalov, 2013a from Rovno amber, the
first named beetle from the Olevsk amber locality, and the sixth amber
species reported from the Zhytomyr region. An aggregation of glaesacarid
mites Glaesacarus rhombeus (Koch and Berendt, 1854) as a syninclusion with the fungus weevil is
reported for the first time (41 specimens); the possibility of the
glaesacarids feeding on fungi is discussed.
Currently, some 564 species of Curculionoidea from nine families (Nemonychidae—4, Anthribidae—33, Ithyceridae—3, Belidae—9, Rhynchitidae—41, Attelabidae—3, Brentidae—47, Curculionidae—384, Platypodidae—2, Scolytidae—37) are known from the Paleogene. Twenty-seven species are found in the Paleocene, 442 in the Eocene and 94 in the Oligocene. The greatest diversity of Curculionoidea is described from the Eocene of Europe and North America. The richest faunas are known from Eocene localities, Florissant (177 species), Baltic amber (124 species) and Green River formation (75 species). The family Curculionidae dominates in all Paleogene localities. Weevil species associated with herbaceous vegetation are present in most localities since the middle Paleocene. A list of Curculionoidea species and their distribution by location is presented.
A new pear-shaped weevil, Toxorhynchus europeoeocenicus Bukejs et Legalov, sp. nov.
(Coleoptera: Brentidae: Apioninae), is described from upper Eocene Rovno
amber using X-ray microcomputed tomography (µCT). The new fossil
species differs from the extinct Toxorhynchus robustus Poinar et Legalov, 2015 (Dominican amber,
lower Miocene) in the larger body size, narrower elytral striae, and wider
pronotum. It is the first record of the family Brentidae in Rovno amber and
the first record of the genus Toxorhynchus in the eastern hemisphere (urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:8FB7B299-EE75-4556-B4EA-203A3CBED84C).
All 142 known species of Curculionoidea in Eocene amber are documented, including one species of Nemonychidae, 16 species of Anthribidae, six species of Belidae, 10 species of Rhynchitidae, 13 species of Brentidae, 70 species of Curcuionidae, two species of Platypodidae, and 24 species of Scolytidae. Oise amber has eight species, Baltic amber has 118 species, and Rovno amber has 16 species. Nine new genera and 18 new species are described from Baltic amber. Four new synonyms are noted: Palaeometrioxena Legalov, 2012, syn. nov. is synonymous with Archimetrioxena Voss, 1953; Paleopissodes weigangae Ulke, 1947, syn. nov. is synonymous with Electrotribus theryi Hustache, 1942; Electrotribus erectosquamata Rheinheimer, 2007, syn. nov. is synonymous with Succinostyphlus mroczkowskii Kuska, 1996; Protonaupactus Zherikhin, 1971, syn. nov. is synonymous with Paonaupactus Voss, 1953. Keys for Eocene amber Curculionoidea are given. There are the first records of Aedemonini and Camarotini, and genera Limalophus and Cenocephalus in Baltic amber.
Anew species, Dorytomus groehni Bukejs & Legalov sp. n. is described and illustrated
from Eocene Baltic amber. The new species differs from D. nudus Legalov, 2016 primarily in longer and wider body size, narrower and longer rostrum, slightly convex interstriae distinctly wider than elytral striae and finely punctate pronotum with semierect setae.
A new weevil, Arostropsis perkovskyi Bukejs and Legalov, sp. nov.
(urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:408ECE71-B191-4381-AA39-C27A3A1DA082; Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae),
is described from Late Eocene Rovno amber. The new species differs from
Arostropsis groehni Yunakov et Kirejtshuk, 2011 from Baltic amber in
the pronotum lacking a distinct lateral ridge, it has a shorter rostrum,
antennomere 2 is subequal to antennomere 3, it has wider elytra with weaker
convex humeral calli and the pronotum is wider than it is long. It is the
first record of the tribe Naupactini in Rovno amber and the second finding of
Arostropsis in Eocene ambers.
New fungus weevils, Eduardoxenus unicus (ZooBank registration:
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:5732 BC85-9148-4FE5-A4F6-46847BA0138D,
urn:lsid:zoobank.org: act:4D3B3EA8-AE0E-4E6D-A770-B427AC19ED03) Legalov,
Nazarenko et Perkovsky, gen. et sp. nov. (Coleoptera: Anthribidae), are
described from late Eocene Rovno amber. The new genus is similar to the genus
Cyptoxenus Valentine, 1982, but differs in coarsely faceted eyes,
antennomere 2 shorter than antennomere 1 and an almost glabrous body. It
differs from the genus Valenfriesia Alonso-Zarazaga et Lyal, 1999 in
the coarsely faceted eyes, almost straight transversal carina on the pronotum
and distinct elytral humeri, and it differs from the genus Neoxenus
Valentine, 1999 in distinct lateral carina on the pronotum, coarsely faceted
eyes and almost straight transversal pronotal carina. This fossil fungus
weevil is the oldest finding of the tribe Valenfriesiini in fossil state and
the first record of the Choraginae from the Eocene amber. The
palaeogeographical and palaeoclimatological importance of finding
Valenfriesiini in Rovno amber is discussed.
The late Eocene ambers provide plethora of animal and plant fossils including well-preserved angiosperm flowers from the Baltic amber. The Rovno amber from NW Ukraine resembles in many aspects the Baltic amber; however, only fossilized animals and some bryophytes have yet been studied from the Rovno amber. We provide the first detailed description of an angiosperm flower from Rovno amber. The flower is staminate with conspicuous hypanthium, double pentamerous perianth and whorled androecium of 24 stamens much longer than the petals. Sepals are sparsely pubescent and petals are densely hirsute outside. The fossil shares important features with extant members of Prunus subgen. Padus s. l. (incl. Laurocerasus, Pygeum and Maddenia), especially with its evergreen paleotropical species. It is described here as a new species Prunus hirsutipetala D.D.Sokoloff, Remizowa et Nuraliev. Our study provides the first convincing record of fossil flowers of Rosaceae from Eocene of Europe and the earliest fossil flower of Prunus outside North America. Our record of a plant resembling extant tropical species supports palaeoentomological evidences for warm winters in northwestern Ukraine during the late Eocene, as well as suggesting a more significant role of tropical insects in Rovno amber than inferred from Baltic amber.
Protoceletes hirtus sp. nov. (Curculionidae: Curulioninae: Acalyptini) from the Late Eocene Rovno amber is described. This is the second fossil of the genus. The new species is close to P. wolfschwenningerae Rheinheimer, 2007 from Baltic amber and differs it in the separated coxae, asymmetrically convex eyes, longer and clearly semierect hairs on the surface, and the longer body.
Based on representative collections, the ratio of tropical and Holarctic ant species in Priabonian (Late Eocene) Baltic, Bitterfeld (Saxonian), Danish and Rovno ambers is analyzed for the first time. In surveyed representative collections of Baltic amber, the ratios of Holarctic and tropical ant species are from 1.1 to 1.5; with 10 Holarctic and 9 tropical species (out of 31) in the PIN-964 collection, and 9 and 5 species (out of 29) in the Giecewicz collection; the ratio in the representative collection of Saxonian amber is 0.9, 11 Holarctic species vs. 12 tropical species (out of 55); in the representative collection of Rovno amber it is 0.65, 15 vs. 23 species (out of 79); and in the representative collection of Danish amber it is 0.64, 7 vs. 11 species (out of 36). Hence, in representative collections of Baltic amber, Holarctic species clearly prevail not just in terms of the share of their specimens (by 9.8 to 19.6 times), but also by the number of species. In Bitterfeld amber, Holarctic species are somewhat less numerous than tropical ones, but their specimens are 6 times greater. In representative collections of Rovno and Danish ambers, the number of Holarctic species is 1.5 to 1.7 times smaller than that of tropical species, but the number of their specimens is 4.9 to 6.9 times greater. The numbers of tropical and Holarctic species represented by more than one specimen is similar in Priabonian ambers, 25 versus 22, but Holarctic species include four dominants or subdominants. The abundance of temperate elements in the Priabonian amber ant fauna along with the relatively small number of tropical elements greatly distinguishes it from the Middle European Lutetian ant faunas of Messel and Eckfeld in shale, which do not have temperate elements at all. Formica phaethusa Wheeler, Glaphyromyrmex oligocenicus Wheeler, Plagiolepis squamifera Mayr, Proceratium eocenicum Dlussky, Hypoponera atavia (Mayr), Ponera lobulifera Dlussky, Aphaenogaster mersa Wheeler, and Ennaemerus reticulatus Mayr are new records for Rovno amber, and Formica gustawi Dlussky and Gnamptogenys europaea (Mayr) for Danish amber.
The Paleocene megafossil flora of the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains region in the United States of America, including leaves, cones, fruits, and seeds, monographed by Roland W. Brown in 1962, has been reevaluated and updated to include subsequent taxonomic revisions. The scope of this investigation included thousands of specimens from more than 450 localities of the Fort Union, Evanston, Ferris, Raton, Bear, Lebo, Melville, Ludlow, Tongue River and Sentinel Butte strata of New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and North and South Dakota. A large number of floristic elements remain uncertain as to their modern familial affinities due to limited diagnostic characters, or insufficient comparative investigations. Nevertheless, many of Brown’s determinations have been upheld and several newly recognized genera and families have strong support. The flora includes greater diversity of Platanaceae and Cornales than Brown had recognized. These, together with Fagales (particularly Betulaceae and Juglandaceae), Saxifragales (Trochodendroides, Archeampelos and Nyssidium), are widespread and prominent members of the flora. New combinations introduced here include Ensete goldianum (LESQUEREUX) comb. nov., Macginitiea nobilis (NEWBERRY) comb. nov., Platanites raynoldsii (NEWBERRY) comb. nov., Trochodendroides genetrix (NEWBERRY) comb nov., Cucurbitaciphyllum lobatum (KNOWLTON) comb. nov., and Mciveraephyllum nebrascense (SCHIMPER) comb. nov. Georeference data are provided for all of the localities cited by Brown. © 2014, Acta Musei Nationalis Pragae, Series B - Historia Naturalis. All right reserved.
The types and undescribed material of the hymenopteran fossils of the Insect Bed of the Bembridge Marls from the Isle of Wight (UK) are critically revised and studied. A total of 1460 fossils are recorded and attributed to 20 families: Gasteruptiidae s.l. (1); Proctotrupidae (3); Diapriidae (24); Cynipidae (7); Figitidae (6); Pteromalidae (1); Agaonidae (3); Scelionidae (12); Platygastridae (2); Ichneumonidae (32); Braconidae (75); Bethylidae (3); Crabronidae (2); Sphecidae (1); Apidae (2); Scoliidae (1); Tiphiidae (2); Vespidae (4); and Formicidae (1220). Described as new are 51 species, 13 genera, two tribes and two subfamilies. Minimum number of species recorded (either as described species or representing higher taxa with no described species in the assemblage) is 118. The composition of the hymenopteran assemblage is most similar to that of Baltic amber and indicative of a well forested territory, as well as of a humid, equable (aseasonal but not very hot) climate, more typically equable than in the Baltic amber source area, judging from the absence of Aphidiinae and scarcity of aphids.
†Rovnodryinus khomychi new genus and new species is described from Upper Eocene Rovno amber (Ukraine). It is the first apterous pincer wasp found in amber. This new taxon is attributed to the subfamily Apodryininae and the new tribe Rovnodryinini. The key to the subfamilies and tribes of Dryinidae is modified to include the new tribe. The new genus, known by a female, is characterized by the mesosoma almost completely composed of fused sclerites, the absence of wings and the presence of ocelli in the anterior half of the face. A close relationship of the new genus with the extant Apodryininae is underlined. R. khomychi is the first apodryinine found in the Northern Hemisphere. The tribe Rovnodryinini is the first higher taxon known only from Rovno amber. †Tritophania patruelis Jacobi and the tribe Elicini (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha, Tropiduchidae) are reported from Rovno amber for the first time.
The first cerambycid from Eocene Rovno amber, Poliaenus europaeus n. sp. (Lamiinae, Pogonocherini) is described. The new species is the first known fossil of Poliaenus Bates, 1880, as well as the first representative of this genus in Europe. Relations with extant species and with the putative hosts of this fossil are discussed, leading to suppose the presence of Abies in Eocene of Ukraine.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:0E67C646-09FE-4789-94A5-313EAB48B797
Dryinus carsteni sp. nov. (Hymenoptera: Chrysidoidea: Dryinidae) is described from mid-Cretaceous Kachin (Burmese) amber. The new species is close to D. taron Martynova, Zhang, Olmi, Müller, Perkovsky, 2020, but it can be distinguished for the shorter body (about 2 mm), antennomere 3 about 5 × as long as broad and protarsomere 2 produced into hook (in D. taron, the body is longer more than 5 mm, antennomere 3 is about 20 × as long as broad and protarsomere 3 is produced into hook).
Pulchrairina electra gen. et sp. nov. is the first recorded Odonata in Upper Eocene Rovno amber (Ukraine). This new damselfly is described from Kovel (Ukraine) and is the fourth named fossil arthropod from Volyn Region. It is described mainly based on wing morphology. It belongs to Coenagrionoidea, but cannot be placed in any family because of incompletely preserved wings. Short comparisons with genus Balticoagrion known from Baltic amber are given. Both genera could belong to stem or crown groups of Coenagrionoidea.
A new species, Dorytomus mikhailovi sp. n., from late Eocene Rovno amber is described and illustrated. The new species is similar to D. groehni Bukejs et Legalov, 2019 from Baltic amber but differs in the shorter rostrum, dorsum covered with denser decumbent hairs and erect to semierect scale-like setae, and smaller body sizes. It is distinguished from D. bukejsi Legalov, 2020 from Baltic amber by the densely punctate pronotum, longer rostrum and wide elytral interstriae. The new species differs from D. vlaskini Legalov et al., 2019 from Rovno amber by the elytral interstriae covered with decumbent hairs and erect to semierect scale-like setae, shorter rostrum and coarsely punctuate pronotum. It is the first named curculionid beetle from the Olevsk amber locality, and the eleventh amber species reported from the Zhitomyr region. The presence of seven species of Dorytomus suggests a rather high diversity of Salicaceae in the late Eocene amber forests of Europe. It corresponds well with other principal Holarctic species in European amber biotas.
The beetle Ceutorhynchus is used as a proxy for Eocene core Brassicaceae. The age of Brassicaceae has been strongly debated because their fossil record is scanty. There are four species of Ceutorhynchus inaffectatus species-group known in the Priabonian: Ceutorhynchus zerovae new species in Rovno amber and three in Baltic amber. There are numerous extant members of the group, all of which feed on core Brassicaceae. Together with differentiation of Brassicaceae-feeding Pierinae (Lepidoptera) in the Priabonian, the strong presence of Ceutorhynchus indicates at least an early Priabonian age of core Brassicaceae. The oldest fossil Brassicaceae is not known in the late Eocene of Europe, but was recorded in Montana, dated in some studies as late Oligocene, but recently as Priabonian (34 Ma). Ceutorhynchus zerovae n. sp. is very close to C . electrinus from Baltic amber.
UUID: http://zoobank.org/7f10761f-463d-44c5-9eef-bb4697bfb116 .
A new fossil tiger beetle species, Goriresina fungifora gen. n., sp. n. (Coleoptera, Cicindelidae), is described from Eocene Rovno amber. The new genus belongs to the subtribe Iresiina, tribe Cicindelini, due to the glabrous head, the labrum with six submarginal setae (latero-basal setae very long) and two apical teeth with notch between them, the glabrous and globular pronotum, the lack of setae on the metepisternum and metepimeron, as well as on the visible parts of abdominal sternites, the single long seta each on the fore-and mesotrochanter. The new species is characterized by the long and moderately convex labrum, two clypeal setae, the elongate and apicad converging elytra with an angularly, but smoothly rounded apex, the small and sharp sutural spine, the probable presence of an apical portion of the elytral humeral spot, a slightly sinuate, transverse medial fascia with an extended and downward directed apical portion, and a slightly transverse basal portion of the apical spot. This is the first record of a tiger beetle in Rovno amber and only a fourth well-preserved Cicindelidae from fossil resins.
Although Asia shows moderate species richness of mulberry (Morus L.) today, unfortunately no mulberry fossil has been reported from the Cenozoic sediments of this continent to date. Here, we report for the first time the occurrence of leaf remains (both impression and compression) having similarity with modern leaves of Morus from the early Eocene sedimentary sequences of the Gurha opencast lignite Mine, western Rajasthan, India. The fossil specimens characterized by a heart-shaped ovate lamina, cordate base, long petiole, crenate–serrate margin, actinodromous nature of primary veins and craspedodromous type of secondary venation pattern are recognized as Morus asiatica Patel, Rana and Khan sp. nov. This record suggests that mulberry was an important component of tropical–subtropical evergreen forests growing in a warm humid climate in the area of north-western India during the Eocene. This taxon subsequently declined from the local present-day dry and desertic vegetation probably because of the drastic climate and latitudinal change in the area, related to the Himalayan Orogeny and rainfall seasonality since the Eocene.
Rovnotettix brachypterus gen. et sp. nov. is described and illustrated from Eocene Rovno (Ukraine) amber and tentatively placed in subfamily Bathysmatophorinae, tribe Malmaemichungiini. The new fossil is the first cicadellid described from Rovno amber from the Volyn region and the second brachypterous leafhopper adult described from the fossil record. It does not appear to be closely related to Brevaphrodella Dietrich & Gonçalves from Eocene Baltic amber, indicating that multiple flightless cicadellid lineages, now mostly associated with dry habitats with patchy vegetation, had evolved in Europe by the Eocene.
Ambers—fossilized plant resins—are a rich and unique source of paleoecological data due to their ability to preserve soft body fossils. However, interpretations concerning their environmental context are often hampered by uncertainties in the relationship between assemblages of inclusions and geological context, particularly in the case of secondarily redeposited ambers such as those from the Paleogene of Central Europe. Here we use stable carbon and hydrogen isotope analyses, as well as FTIR spectroscopy, from the northwestern Ukrainian Rovno amber deposit, to provide independent constraints on the geographic and temporal origins of Rovno amber. These analyses address the relationship between the Rovno and Baltic amber deposits as well as German Bitterfeld amber—a subject of considerable debate regarding their provenance. Rovno amber has a δ¹³C signature of −23.3 ± 0.9‰, similar to both Baltic and Bitterfeld ambers. Since there is a secular decreasing δ¹³C trend among amber deposits since the Early Eocene, a roughly contemporaneous origin of these deposits in the Eocene can be deduced. However, Rovno amber displays a δ²H signature of −258 ± 9‰, 19‰ more positive than Baltic amber, and directly comparable to Bitterfeld amber. This difference relates to precipitation sources and mean annual temperatures of the amber source regions, and suggests a much more southerly origin of Rovno amber relative to Baltic amber. FTIR spectra of each of these ambers are nearly identical and suggest that resin-producing trees were from similar families, despite contrasting source regions. Thus, we provide the first clear geochemical evidence for the distinct origin of Rovno and Baltic amber deposits, with implications for paleoecological studies involving inclusions from these deposits, and for determining the provenance of archaeological amber finds.
A new genus, Klesovia gen. nov., with the species K. pubescens sp. nov. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) are described from the Rovno amber. The new genus is closely related to Xylechinus (tribe Hylurgini) and distinguished by the wide flattened ovoid antennal club with rounded apex and the metepisternum covered with long thin sparse setae; it differs from other genera of Hylurgini in having a five-segmented funicle, four-segmented club, and large distance between the procoxa.
An outcrop of the Eocene Rockdale formation (Wilcox group) at the Elgin Standard Brick Mfg. Co., in Bastrop County, Texas, contains many angiosperm leaf and fruit impressions. Twenty-seven species were identified from the site, and an analysis of their relative abundance shows the families Celastraceae, Lauraceae, Magnoliaceae, and Moraceae to be dominant. Generic determinations and leaf margin analyses suggest a paratropical depositional environment for the florule.
During the revision of fossils of Ficus Linnaeus (1753: 1059) (Moraceae) we consulted the International Fossil Plant Names Index (IFPNI, Doweld 2016) and found a name which is a later homonym of a living Neotropical species of fig tree. Ficus clusiifolia Ettingshausen (1866: 68) is a fossil described from the Kučlín village at the south of Bílina town, Czech Republic. The Kučlín region represents a stratigraphically important locality of the North Bohemian Tertiary (Kvaček and Teodoridis 2011).
Alonso-Zarazaga, Miguel A., Christopher, Lyal, H. C. (2002): Addenda and corrigenda to ‘ A World Catalogue of Families and Genera of Curculionoidea (Insecta: Coleoptera) ’. Zootaxa 63: 1-37
All known extinct species of Mesozoic and Cenozoic weevils are listed. Ten species of Obrienioidea and 895 Curculionoidea species are recognized, including 88 Nemonychidae, 43 Anthribidae, 44 Ithyceridae, 65 Scolytidae, 12 Belidae, 67 Brentidae, 508 Curcuionidae, 45 Rhynchitidae, six Attelabidae, and 16 Platypodidae. The Triassic beds have yielded six fossil species; Jurassic, 64; Jurassic–Cretaceous boundary, 2; Cretaceous, 105; Paleogene, 510; Neogene, 190; and Pleistocene–Holocene, 22 (5 are synonyms). A new subfamily, Montsecbelinae Legalov, subfam. nov. (with the type genus Montsecbelus Zherikhin et Gratshev, 1997); the new tribes Cretochoragini Legalov, trib. nov. (with the type genus Cretochoragus Soriano et al., 2006), Montsecanomalini Legalov, trib. nov. (with the type genus Montsecanomalus Soriano et al., 2006), Montsecbelini Legalov, trib. nov. (with the type genus Montsecbelus Zherikhin et Gratshev, 1997), Gratshevibelini Legalov, trib. nov. (with the type genus Gratshevibelus Soriano, 2009), Davidibelini Legalov, trib. nov. (with the type genus Davidibelus Zherikhin et Gratshev, 2004); the new genera Allandroides Legalov, gen. nov. (with the type species Allandroides vossi Legalov, sp. nov.), Baissabrenthorhinus Legalov, gen. nov. (with the type species Baissabrenthorhinus mirabilis Legalov, sp. nov.), Ithyceroides Legalov, gen. nov. (with the type species Ithyceroides klondikensis Legalov, sp. nov.), Furhylobius Legalov, gen. nov. (with the type species Furhylobius troesteri Legalov, sp. nov.), Electrauletes Legalov, gen. nov. (with the type species Electrauletes unicus Legalov, sp. nov.); new species Allandroides vossi Legalov, sp. nov. (Baltic amber), Glaesotropis gusakovi Legalov, sp. nov. (Baltic amber), G. succiniferus Legalov, sp. nov. (Baltic amber), G. alleni Legalov, sp. nov. (Baltic amber), G. gratshevi Legalov, sp. nov. (Baltic amber), Baissabrenthorhinus mirabilis Legalov, sp. nov. (Baissa locality), Ithyceroides klondikensis Legalov, sp. nov. (Republic Graben locality), Melanapion poinari Legalov, sp. nov. (Baltic amber), M. gusakovi Legalov, sp. nov. (Baltic amber), Furhylobius troesteri Legalov, sp. nov. (Mors locality), Baltocar convexus Legalov, sp. nov. (Baltic amber), and Electrauletes unicus Legalov, sp. nov. (Baltic amber) are newly described.
The following new taxa are described: Michaelapion sugonyaevi gen. et sp. n. from northern Vietnam and northern India (Apionidae, Aspidapiini), Demimaea eugenii sp. n. from Vietnam (Curculionidae: Curculioninae), Hainokisaruzo eugenii sp. n., H. armipes sp. n., H. rufus sp. n., H. femoratus sp. n., H. pallens sp. n., H. orlovi sp. n., and H. sergii sp. n. from northern Vietnam, and H. gressitti sp. n. from Taiwan (Curculionidae: Ceutorhynchinae). A key to 6 species of Hainokisaruzo from Vietnam is given. A new subgenus Memecyderes subgen. n. is erected in Mecysmoderes Schoenherr with the type species Mecysmoderes eugenii sp. n. widely distributed in Southeastern Asia; it also includes the very close M. simulator sp. n. with a similar range but also occurring in South-Western China, and M. memecylonis Marshall from India and Nepal (new record).
: 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.
Auf der Basis von Literaturdaten werden die Ficus-Arten einiger fossiler Blattfloren Europas einer kriti-schen Durchsicht unterzogen. Argumente für ein reiches Vorkommen der Gattung Ficus im Zeitraum Eozän — unteres Miozän gibt es nicht, der größte Teil der sogenannten Ficus-Arten gehört zu anderen Gattungen.
Ficus leaf species of the Eocene — early Miocene from Europe are investigated. Arguments for the existence of a rich presence of the genus Ficus are invalid, the socalled Ficus-species belong to other genera.