Four new Psocoptera from Lebanese amber (Insecta: Psocomorpha: Trogiomorpha)

Four new trogiomorphan Psocoptera are described from the Lower Cretaceous Lebanese amber, viz. Bcharreglaris amunobi n. gen., n. sp., Setoglaris reemae n.gen., n. sp., Libanoglaris chehabi n.sp., and Libanoglaris randatae n. sp. These discoveries show that the Lower Cretaceous biodiversity of the Trogiomorpha was very high.     

New jewel beetles (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) and similar beetles from the Cretaceous and Early Paleogene of Asia

A new genus and two new species of jewel beetles are described, Andakhudukia ponomarenkoi gen. et sp. nov. from the Lower Cretaceous of Mongolia and Metabuprestium ustkivdense sp. nov. from the lowermost Paleogene of the Amur Region. In addition, four new monotypic genera that share some features with jewel beetles are described: Cretoelaterium kazanovense gen. et sp. nov. from the Lower Cretaceous of Eastern Transbaikalia and Cretopoena gratshevi gen. et sp. nov. from the Lower Cretaceous of Mongolia have been referred to the families Elateridae and Eucnemidae; Cretofalselaterium baiankhongoricum gen. et sp. nov. from the Lower Cretaceous of Mongolia and Cretogermen turonicum gen. et sp. nov. from the Upper Cretaceous of Kazakhstan have been erected for isolated elytra and placed in Coleoptera incertae sedis.     

The family Phryganeidae (Insecta,Trichoptera) from the Mesozoic and Cenozoic of Asia (with a brief worldwide overview of the fossil caddisfly fauna)

The following new taxa of the family Phryganeidae are described: Proagrypnia sinitsae gen. et sp. nov. from the Upper Jurassic or Lower Cretaceous of Russia (Chernovskie Kopi locality) and Baissophryganoides popovi sp. nov. from the Lower Cretaceous of Mongolia (Anda-Khuduk locality). A larval case of Folindusia (Acrindusia) phryganoides sp. nov. from the Paleocene of Russia (Arkhara–Boguchan brown coal field) is described. A worldwide overview of the records of fossil adult insects and larval cases of Phryganeidae is presented.     

New and little known orthopteroid insects (Polyneoptera) from fossil resins: Communication 1

New taxa of uncertain position within the infraclass Polyneoptera (Gryllomantidae fam. nov.: Gryllomantis gen. nov., Lower Cretaceous; Mantoblattidae fam. nov.: Mantoblatta mira gen. et sp. nov., Upper Cretaceous) and within the order Dictyoptera (Pseudojantaropterix gen. nov., Lower Cretaceous) are described. The superfamily Umenocoleoidea of uncertain position within the latter order is discussed on the basis of new information on Jantarimantidae and some other Cretaceous Dictyoptera.     

A new Mesozoic Chinese genus of aeshnopteran dragonflies (Odonata: Anisoptera: Progobiaeshnidae)

Mongoliaeshna sinica gen. et sp. n., third record of the Mesozoic aeshnopteran family Progobiaeshnidae is described from the Lower Cretaceous of Yixian Formation in Liutiaogou (Ningcheng County, Inner Mongolia, China).     

Additional thylacocephalans (Arthropoda) from the Lower Triassic (upper Olenekian) Osawa Formation of the South Kitakami Belt,Northeast Japan

The Lower Triassic Osawa Formation in the South Kitakami Belt, Northeast Japan, consisting mostly of mudstone of shallow-marine environment, was deposited during the late Olenekian (ca. 250 Ma), and is an important unit through which to examine the biotic recovery process after the end-Permian mass extinction. The Osawa Formation is the only unit in Japan that yields thylacocephalans (Arthropoda). Three species belonging to three genera have been reported before: Ankitokazocaris bandoi, Kitakamicaris utatsuensis and Ostenocaris sp. In addition to the known species, some thylacocephalans, including one new genus and three new species, are described in the present paper: Ankitokazocaris tatensis n. sp., Concavicaris parva n. sp., Miyagicaris costata n. gen. n. sp. and Ostenocaris? sp. Although Thylacocephala have a rather long stratigraphic range (from Silurian to Cretaceous) and are known from a wide geographical region, there are only about thirty genera in this group. The Osawa thylacocephalan fauna comprises at least five genera, making it one of the most diverse in the world at the generic level. During the Triassic Period, the Thylacocephala diversified and spread widely throughout low-latitude regions.     

A new odonatan (Stenophlebiidae) from the Lower Cretaceous Sinuiju Formation of North Phyongan Province,the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

A new fossil species, Stenophlebia ryonsangensis n. sp. (Stenophlebiidae), collected from the Lower Cretaceous non-marine Sinuiju Formation, North Phyongan Province, has the following forewing characters: preserved wing slender and longer than 47.1 mm; Cr long, with three cells below it, and well aligned with distal part of ScP; Sn shorter than Cr, one cell long; supplementary veinlet below Sn aligned with RP2 and about two cells long; base of IR1 five cells distal of base of RP2. This well preserved material is the first odonatan reported in the DPRK. Congeneric species has previously been found in the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of western Liaoning Province, Northeast China, thus the new discovery of Stenophlebia ryonsangensis n. sp. may contribute to evaluating the distribution and migration of Stenophlebidae and may further indicate the close relationship of the fossil layer with the famous Jehol Biota in Northeast China.     

The first record of crawling water beetles (Coleoptera, Haliplidae) in the Lower Cretaceous of Mongolia

A new species of crawling water beetles (Coleoptera, Haliplidae), Haliplus (subgenus unclear) cretaceus sp. nov., is described from the Lower Cretaceous of Mongolia, Bon-Tsagan (Bööntsagaan) locality.     

A new species of Tingidae (Insecta: Hemiptera: Heteroptera) from the Lower Cretaceous of Transbaikalia

A new species of lace-bug Sinaldocader ponomarenkoi sp. nov. (Tingidae: Phatnomatini) is described from the Lower Cretaceous Transbaikalian locality Baissa. The new species differs from the type species S. drakei Popov, 1989 from the Lower Cretaceous of Mongolia in the well-developed lateral carinae of pronotal disc and in the details of hemelytral venation.     

New jewel beetles (Coleoptera, Buprestidae) from Cretaceous deposits of Russia

A new genus and two new species of jewel beetles, Cretalbiana sukatshevae gen. et sp. nov. and C. major sp. nov., are described from the Middle Albian (Lower Cretaceous) of Khetana, Khabarovsk Region, Russia.     

New and little-known orthopteroid insects (Polyneoptera) from fossil resins: Communication 4

New taxa of Ensifera and Caelifera orthopterans (Insecta, Orthoptera), from the families Gryllotalpidae [Marchandiinae, subfam. nov. (Lower Cretaceous)], Haglotettigoniidae [?Haglotettigonia aenigmatosa, sp. nov. (Lower Cretaceous)], Tettigoniidae [Meconematinae: Archixizicus occidentalis, gen. et sp. nov. (Eocene), Eogrigoriora gracilis, gen. et sp. nov. (Eocene), Miophlugis rostratus, gen. et sp. nov. (Miocene)], Stenopelmatidae [Siinae: Electrosia baltica, gen. et sp. nov. (Eocene); Gryllacridinae: Plesiolarnaca prior, gen. et sp. nov. (Eocene)] and Tridactylidae [Mongoloxyinae: Birmitoxya intermedia, gen. et sp. nov. (Upper Cretaceous). The Eocene species Lipotactes martynovi Zeun. and L. bispinatus Weidn. are transferred to the genus Eomortoniellus Zeun. (Tettigoniidae: Tympanophorinae); Prorhaphidophora zeuneri Chop. and P. tachycinoides Chop. are transferred to the genus Protroglophilus Gor. (Rhaphidophoridae: Protroglophilinae). The Eocene species E. handlirschi Zeun., species of the genus Protroglophilus, and a possible member of the genus Succinotettix Piton (Tetrigidae: Tetriginae), as well as a Miocene representative of the genus Archaeoellipes Heads (Tridactylidae: Tridactylinae) are also discussed.     

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.     

New jewel beetles (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) from the Cretaceous of Russia,Kazakhstan, and Mongolia

A new jewel beetle genus, with one species (Cretofrontolina kzyldzharica gen. et sp. nov.) from the Upper Cretaceous of Kazakhstan is described based on a body; and three new species of the formal genus Metabuprestium are described based on isolated elytra: Metabuprestium sibiricum sp. nov. and M. arkagalense sp. nov. come from the Arkagala locality (Upper Cretaceous of Russia) and M. ichbogdense sp. nov. is from the Shar Tologoi locality (Lower Cretaceous of Mongolia).     

Teuthiden aus dem Barrême der Insel Maio (Kapverdische Inseln)

The teuthids of the collection R. Stahlecker, 1929, from the Isle of Maio (Cape Verde Islands) are described.Neololigosepia stahleckeri n. gen. n. sp. andMaioteuthis morroensis n. gen. n. sp. are one of the first teuthids from the Lower Cretaceous (Barremian).     

Larvae of caddisflies (Insecta: Trichoptera) from the Mesozoic of Siberia

Body fossils of caddisfly larvae are described for the first time based on material from the Lower Cretaceous of Siberia (Baissa locality, Neocomian). The material includes a fully grown larva of Baissoplectrum separatum gen. et sp. nov. (Brachycentridae), Creterotesis coprolithica gen. et sp. nov. (Leptoceridae), and Cretolype minuta gen. et sp. nov., a tiny larva probably belonging to an uncertain family of the suborder Annulipalpia (Hydropsychina). C. coprolithica built unusually soft larval cases of pellets; these cases are described as a separate new indusigenus and indusispecies Coprindusia pallida gen. et sp. nov. Bionomics, taxonomy, and evolution of the Mesozoic larvae of Trichoptera are discussed.     

The oldest members of the families Aeolothripidae and Thripidae (Insecta: Thysanoptera) from the Lower Cretaceous of Transbaikalia

Fusithrips crassipes Shmakov, gen. et sp. nov. (Aeolothripidae) and Convexithrips robustus Shmakov, gen. sp. nov. (Thripidae), the oldest members of these families, are described from the Lower Cretaceous of the Baissa locality. This allowed the improvement of the time of emergence of the Recent Thysanoptera assemblage, which includes phloeothripids along with aeolothripids and thripids.     

Elosuchus,a new genus of crocodile from the Cretaceous of the North of Africa

‘Thoracosaurus’ cherifiensis Lavocat, 1955, a longirostrine from the late Lower Cretaceous of Morocco and Algeria, is attributed to Elosuchus, n. g., with another species, E. felixi n. sp., from In Abangarit (Niger), of the same age. Stolokrosuchus from the Lower Cretaceous of Niger is also referred to the new family Elosuchidae. Synapomorphies and grades are indicated for the families of ‘mesosuchian’ longirostrine crocodiles, but no synapomorphy has been found to unite the families, except perhaps for the Thalattosuchia.     

Nouvelles espèces de dasycladales du crétacé inférieur de provence (S.E. France)

In the Lower Cretaceous of Provence Cylindroporella faronensis n. sp. and Cylindroporella massiliana n. sp. represent small size species with a limited number of branches. The former ranges from the Middle (or Lower p.p. ?) Berriasian to the Lower Valanginian, the latter is found in the Lower Hauterivian, but could appear earlier in other regions. Clypeina isabellae n. sp. is also a small size form with a fibrous, yellowish microstructure, close to Clypeina sulcata, it is restricted to the Middle (or Lower p.p. ?) and Upper Berriasian. Besides their biostratigraphic and palaeobiogeographic potential value this material from Provence is also interesting from an evolutionary point of view. At generic levels it shows distinctive patterns relatively to the “Cope law”.     

The Basal Nodosaurid Ankylosaur Europelta carbonensis n. gen., n. sp. from the Lower Cretaceous (Lower Albian) Escucha Formation of Northeastern Spain

Nodosaurids are poorly known from the Lower Cretaceous of Europe. Two associated ankylosaur skeletons excavated from the lower Albian carbonaceous member of the Escucha Formation near Ariño in northeastern Teruel, Spain reveal nearly all the diagnostic recognized character that define nodosaurid ankylosaurs. These new specimens comprise a new genus and species of nodosaurid ankylosaur and represent the single most complete taxon of ankylosaur from the Cretaceous of Europe. These two specimens were examined and compared to all other known ankylosaurs. Comparisons of these specimens document that Europelta carbonensis n. gen., n. sp. is a nodosaur and is the sister taxon to the Late Cretaceous nodosaurids Anoplosaurus, Hungarosaurus, and Struthiosaurus, defining a monophyletic clade of European nodosaurids– the Struthiosaurinae.     

Nuurcala obesa sp. n. (Blattida,Caloblattinidae) from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation in?Liaoning?Province,China

Nuurcala obesa sp. n., in the cockroach family Caloblattinidae, is described from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation (Liaoning Province, China) based on a combination of differential characters of fore- and hind wing venation, colouration and body structures. Systematically, Nuurcala (Vršanský, 2003), known from the Cretaceous sediments of Bon Tsagaan and Khurilt, Mongolia, is closely related to other genera of Caloblattinidae known from the Jurassic and Cretaceous localities in other parts of Asia.