New damsel-dragonflies with “calopterygid”-like wing shape from the Middle Jurassic of China (Odonata: Isophlebioidea: Campterophlebiidae)

The new damsel-dragonflies Zygokaratawia incompleta nov. sp. and Parazygokaratawia azari nov. gen., nov. sp., closely related to the campterophlebiid genus Zygokaratawia, are described from the Middle Jurassic locality of the Daohugou and Chentaizi villages, respectively (Ningcheng County, Inner Mongolia, NE China). Parazygokaratawia nov. gen. and Zygokaratawia share a narrowly reduced cubito-anal area, unique synapomorphy in the Isophlebioptera. Campterophlebiids with this character are only known from the Daohugou biota.     

Lacewings of the family Osmylidae (Insecta: Neuroptera) from the Upper Jurassic of Asia

Three new genera and five new species of osmylid lacewings are described from the locality Karatau (Kazakhstan, Upper Jurassic): Jurosmylus parvulus sp. nov. (Protosmylinae), Ensiosmylus acutus gen. et sp. nov. (Spilosmylinae), Kolbasinella elongata gen. et sp. nov. (Gumillinae), Arbusella bella gen. et sp. nov. and Jurakempynus arcanus sp. nov. (Kempyninae). Another new osmylid species (Jurakempynus sublimis sp. nov.) is described from the Upper Jurassic of Mongolia (Shar-Teg locality). The quantitative compositions of the osmylid faunas of Karatau and Shar-Teg are discussed.     

Echinocampidae fam. nov., a new family of Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous radiolarians of Arctic Siberia

When studying Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous radiolarians from the Nordvik section (Arctic Siberia), unique morphotypes of multicyrtoid nassellarians with many horns in the apical part of the shell, which continue the rays A, V, 2l, D, and 2L of the cephalic spicule, were recorded. These morphotypes are assigned to a new family, Echinocampidae fam. nov., including three new genera (Echinocampe gen. nov., Nordvikella gen. nov., and Arctocapsula gen. nov.) and eight new species. The family Echinocampidae was probably restricted to high latitudes and belonged to the boreal fauna of the terminal Jurassic and the basal Cretaceous.     

First fossil Calopterygoidea (Odonata: Zygoptera) from Southeastern Asia: A new genus and species from the Paleogene of China

Sinocalopteryx shangyongensis nov. gen., nov. sp., the first fossil calopterygoid from eastern Asia, is described from the earliest Eocene of Southwest China. Although the new genus has the principle synapomorphies of Calopterygoidea, it possesses a unique structure (possible reversal) in the pattern of vein RP1/2.     

A Remarkable New Family of Jurassic Insects (Neuroptera) with Primitive Wing Venation and Its Phylogenetic Position in Neuropterida

Background

Lacewings (insect order Neuroptera), known in the fossil record since the Early Permian, were most diverse in the Mesozoic. A dramatic variety of forms ranged in that time from large butterfly-like Kalligrammatidae to minute two-winged Dipteromantispidae.

Principal Findings

We describe the intriguing new neuropteran family Parakseneuridae fam. nov. with three new genera and 15 new species from the Middle Jurassic of Daohugou (Inner Mongolia, China) and the Early/Middle Jurassic of Sai-Sagul (Kyrgyzstan): Parakseneura undula gen. et sp. nov., P. albomacula gen. et sp. nov., P. curvivenis gen. et sp. nov., P. nigromacula gen. et sp. nov., P. nigrolinea gen. et sp. nov., P. albadelta gen. et sp. nov., P. cavomaculata gen. et sp. nov., P. inflata gen. et sp. nov., P. metallica gen. et sp. nov., P. emarginata gen. et sp. nov., P. directa gen. et sp. nov., Pseudorapisma jurassicum gen. et sp. nov., P. angustipenne gen. et sp. nov., P. maculatum gen. et sp. nov. (Daohugou); Shuraboneura ovata gen. et sp. nov. (Sai-Sagul). The family comprises large neuropterans with most primitive wing venation in the order indicated by the presence of ScA and AA1+2, and the dichotomous branching of MP, CuA, CuP, AA3+4, AP1+2. The phylogenetic position of Parakseneuridae was investigated using a phylogenetic analysis of morphological scoring for 33 families of extinct and extant Neuropterida combined with DNA sequence data for representatives of all extant families. Parakseneuridae were recovered in a clade with Osmylopsychopidae, Prohemerobiidae, and Ithonidae.

Conclusions/Significance

The presence of the presumed AA1+2 in wings of Parakseneuridae is a unique plesiomorphic condition hitherto unknown in Neuropterida, the clade comprising Neuroptera, Megaloptera, Raphidioptera. The relative uncertainty of phylogenetic position of Parakseneuridae and the majority of other families of Neuroptera reflects deficient paleontological data, especially from critical important periods for the order, earliest Triassic and latest Triassic/earliest Jurassic.     

Three new anascosporic genera of the Saccharomycotina: Danielozyma gen. nov., Deakozyma gen. nov. and Middelhovenomyces gen. nov

Three new non-ascosporic, ascomycetous yeast genera are proposed based on their isolation from currently described species and genera. Phylogenetic placement of the genera was determined from analysis of nuclear gene sequences for D1/D2 large subunit rRNA, small subunit rRNA, translation elongation factor-1α and RNA polymerase II, subunits B1 and B2. The new taxa are: Deakozyma gen. nov., type species Deakozyma indianensis sp. nov. (type strain NRRL YB-1937, CBS 12903); Danielozyma gen. nov., type species Danielozyma ontarioensis comb. nov. (type strain NRRL YB-1246, CBS 8502); D. litseae comb. nov. (type strain NRRL YB-3246, CBS 8799); Middelhovenomyces gen. nov., type species Middelhovenomyces tepae comb. nov. (type strain NRRL Y-17670, CBS 5115) and M. petrohuensis comb. nov. (type strain NRRL Y-17663, CBS 8173).     

THREE NEW GENERA AND THREE NEW SPECIES OF DRAGONFLIES FROM THE LATE JURASSIC OF NORTHEAST CHINA (ANISOPTERA: AESHNIDAE,GOMPHIDAE, CORDULIIDAE)*

Abstract Rudiaeschna limnobia gen. et sp. nov. (Aeshnidae), Liogomphus yixianensis gen. et sp. nov. (Gomphidae) and Mesocordulia boreala gen. et. sp. nov. (Corduliidae) are described and figured. All the specimens are recovered from the Upper Jurassic deposits of Beipiao City, Liaoning Province, China, and now housed in the Geological Museum of China, Beijing.     

New Insects (Insecta: Trichoptera,Reculida, Eoblattida) from the Mesozoic of Asia

New caddisflies, reculid and eoblattid insects from the Mesozoic of Asia are described. Caddisflies of the families Philopotamidae (Mesoviatrix paradoxa gen. et sp. nov. and Kempia piotri gen. et sp. nov.) and Polycentropodidae (Polylongevus eskovi gen. et sp. nov.) from the Upper Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous of the Kempendyai locality in Yakutia are described. A short review and comparison of fossil members in these families are provided. New Gryllones insects, Shurabia tanga sp. nov., Sauk batkenicus gen. et sp. nov. from the Sauk Tan’ga locality (Lower Jurassic of Kyrgyzstan), Say kirgizicus gen. et sp. nov. from the Shurab III locality (Reculida: Geinitziidae; Lower or Middle Jurassic of Kyrgyzstan) Griphopteron iya sp. nov. (Eoblattida: Blattogryllidae) from Iya locality (Middle Jurassic of Russia) are described.     

Taxonomy of the fossil grylloblattid nymphs (Insecta: Grylloblattida)

Nymphs of fossil grylloblattid insects are revised. Newly described taxa are Lemmatonympha gracilissima gen. et sp. nov. and Kaltanympha vorcutensis sp. nov. from the Verkhne-Syr’yaginsk locality (Ufimian, Lek-Vorkuta Formation in the Vorkuta Coal Basin), genera Sylvalitoralis gen. nov. and Tshebardanympha gen. nov. from the Tshekarda locality (Kungurian, Koshelevka Formation, Middle Urals), Tataronymphakamensis gen. et sp. nov. from the Tikhie Gory locality (Lower Kazanian, linguloid beds of the Baitugan Formation, Tatarstan), and Kaltanympha ornata sp. nov. from the Kerbo locality (Upper Tatarian, lower part of the Degali Formation, Evenki Autonomous Region). Liomopterites (?) gracilis Sharov, 1961 from Lower Kazanian deposits of the Kuznetsk Formation in the Kuznetsk Basin is transferred to the genus Kaltanympha Sharov, 1961; Permonympha arcuata Sharov, 1957 from the same locality is synonymized under Permonympha gracile Sharov, 1957; the nymph described from the Karatau locality (Upper Jurassic, Karabastau Formation in southern Kazakhstan) as Blattogryllus karatavicus Rasnitsyn, 1976 is excluded from grylloblattids. Keys to extinct grylloblattid nymphs are provided.     

The first isophlebioid dragonfly (Odonata: Isophlebioptera: Campterophlebiidae) from the Mesozoic of China

Bellabrunetia catherinae gen. et sp. nov., the first Chinese Mesozoic isophlebioid dragonfly, is described. This fossil is the first known Isophlebioptera with well–preserved body structures, demonstrating that the fore– and hindwings are of very different size and shape in Campterophlebiidae, and that the female Campterophlebiidae had an endophytic way of oviposition, unlike the Isophlebiidae.     

Systematics and palaeoecology of middle Toarcian Asteroidea (Echinodermata) from the “Seuil du Poitou”, Western France

Complete, articulated starfish fossils are rare. However, more frequently encountered dissociated skeletal elements (ossicles) permit reliable taxonomic identification, making them a valuable data source for diversity estimates. Nearly 300 asteroid ossicles, collected from the middle Toarcian marls in western France can be assigned to five species. Four species and two genera are described: Comptoniaster vrinensis nov. sp. (Goniasteridae), Poncetaster crateri nov. gen. nov. sp. (Stauranderasteridae), Galbaster recurrans nov. gen. nov. sp. (Goniasteridae) and Pentasteria? liasica nov. sp. (Astropectinidae). The known diversity of Early Jurassic asteroids is increased from 12 to 16 species. These taxa illustrate the diversification of crown-group asteroids early in the Jurassic, following the Permo-Triassic crisis. They also reflect bias of the fossil record, and imply the existence of numerous ghost lineages in the evolutionary trees of extant groups. Variation in asteroid diversity across the “Seuil du Poitou” was driven by ecological constraints. The relative frequency (abundance of ossicles and diversity) of goniasterids and stauranderasterids increases in shallower environments. The Benthopectinidae, represented by Plesiastropecten hallovensis, occurred primarily from deep-shelf sediments. Similar ecological patterns are observed for more recent fossil and extant relatives, which further supports the idea of conservative evolution in post-Palaeozoic starfishes since the Early Jurassic.     

New bugs of the family Archegocimicidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) from the Upper Jurassic of Mongolia

Two new genera and five new species of Archegocimicidae are described from the Upper Jurassic of the Shar-Teg locality in Mongolia: Shartegocimex rasnitsyni, gen. et sp. nov., S. distans, sp. nov., Shartegocorpus paranotalis, gen. et sp. nov., Saldonia formosa, sp. nov., S. insolita, sp. nov.     

A new genus of the family Panfiloviidae (Insecta,Neuroptera) from the Middle Jurassic of China

Abstract: Epipanfilovia oviformis gen. et sp. nov. (Neuroptera: Panfiloviidae) is described from the Middle Jurassic locality of Daohugou (Inner Mongolia, China) based on six specimens. A revised diagnosis of this family is provided. It includes two genera, Panfilovia Makarkin and Epipanfilovia gen. nov.; Osmylogramma Ponomarenko is removed from the family. Panfiloviidae is most closely related to another Jurassic family Grammolingiidae, and both are provisionally assigned to the superfamily Osmyloidea.     

Kimmeridgian-Volgian Aporrhaidae (Stromboidea: Gastropoda) of the Russian Platform

Kimmeridgian-Volgian Aporrhaidae from European Russia are described for the first time. They are referred to three genera, including two new genera, Undoriptera gen. nov. and Volgacheilus gen. nov. with three new species, Undoriptera tridactylus sp. nov., Volgacheilus rogovi sp. nov., and Dicroloma tenuistriata sp. nov.     

New mesozoic Ithyceridae beetles (Coleoptera)

A new subfamily, Mongolocarinae subfam. nov. of the family Ithyceridae, from the Middle-Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous of Asia is described. It includes five genera with five species: Palaeocar gen. nov. (with P. princeps sp. nov.), Mongolocar gen. nov. (M. orcinus sp. nov.), Praecar gen. nov. (P. stolidus sp. nov.), Karacar gen. nov. (M. contractus sp. nov.), and Baissacar gen. nov. (B. passarius sp. nov.).     

The oldest giant lacewings (Neuroptera: Kalligrammatidae) from the Lower Jurassic of Germany

We describe the oldest Kalligrammatidae, two distantly related species of different subfamilies from the Lower Jurassic (lower Toarcian) of Germany: Liassopsychops curvatus Bode, 1953, sit. nov. (Liassopsychopinae n. subfam.) and Ophtalmogramma klopschari n. gen. n. sp. (Kallihemerobiinae). They lived in warm and relatively dry conditions. Subfamily Liassopsychopinae includes the Jurassic genera Liassopsychops and Huiyingogramma, sit. nov., which bear forewings characterized by Sc and RA not fused distally; MP, CuA, CuP, and A1 dichotomously branched; and a well-developed central eye-spot. The forewing of Ophtalmogramma n. gen. is most similar to that of Apochrysogramma Yang et al., 2011. The diversity of early Toarcian kalligrammatids indicates a late Triassic–earliest Jurassic origin of the family. A modified classification of the central eye-spots is proposed based on the presence/absence of four main components, i.e., the central pigmented disc (A), swellings (B), ocules (C), and outer rings (D). The function of the swellings is unclear, but they may have served as pheromone containers.     

New archaeocyatha from the Atdabanian Stage of the Siberian Platform

New Archaeocyatha genera and species, Turgorocyathus elegans gen. et sp. nov., Angustocyathus porus gen. et sp. nov., Flossocyathus squamosus gen. et sp. nov., Rotundocyathus oimuranicus sp. nov., and Carinacyathus inopinatus sp. nov., from the type sections of the Atdabanian Stage of the Lower Cambrian of the Siberian Platform are described.     

A distinct large vole lineage from the Late Pliocene - Early Pleistocene of China

A distinct large vole lineage involving three species from the Late Pliocene - Early Pleistocene of China is morphologically and quantitatively delineated. A special sinuous line (linea sinuosa) pattern, not previously recognized, diagnoses the new lineage, and distinguishes the species in the lineage from all other vole genera known either from China or elsewhere. At present, only two morphologically discrete evolutionary stages can be recognized in the lineage. The primitive stage is represented by rooted Mimomys peii and M. banchiaonicus, and the advanced stage is represented by the newly described rootless Heteromimomys zhengi nov. gen., nov. sp. from the Paleolithic site of Renzidong Cave in Anhui Province. The schmelzmuster of M. peii and Heteromimomys zhengi nov. gen., nov. sp. is also examined to provide more details about the lineage. This lineage diverged from Mimomys by the Late Pliocene within North China. The comparison between the arvicoline species co-existing with Heteromimomys zhengi nov. gen., nov. sp. and those from Haiyan Formation in the Yushe Basin, Shanxi Province, suggests the age of Heteromimomys zhengi nov. gen., nov. sp. can be correlated to or predate the Haiyan Formation, which is in reversely magnetized sediment identified as Chron 2r. The loss of roots in the lineage corresponds with a cooling event at the beginning of the Pleistocene, and seems to characterize the Nihewanian age of the Chinese Land Mammal ages from the perspective of arvicoline biochronology.     

New curculionoid beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea) from the Baltic amber

New genera and species of curculionid beetles from the Baltic amber, Pseudoglaesotropis martynovi gen. et sp. nov. (Anthribidae), Palaeometrioxena zherikhini gen. et sp. nov. (Belidae), Eocenorhynchites vossi gen. et sp. nov. (Rhynchitidae), and Archaeosciaphilus marshalli gen. et sp. nov. (Curculionidae), are described.     

Late Jurassic cockroaches (Insecta,Blattaria) from the Houtiyn-Hotgor locality in Mongolia

A low-diversity cockroach assemblage from the Upper Jurassic of the Houtiyn-Hotgor locality in Mongolia is described, comprising Solemnia alexandri gen. et sp. nov. (Caloblattinidae), Blattula choutinensis sp. nov. (Blattulidae) and a presumed Triassic relict Irreblatta relicta gen. et sp. nov. (incertae familiae). The carnivorous Raphidiomimidae supposedly originated directly from the Caloblattinidae.