Spirochete-like cells in a Dominican amber Ambylomma tick (Arachnida: Ixodidae)

Amber preserves microscopic, soft-bodies organisms and is a good medium in which to trace the evolution of pathogen–vector associations. Spirochetes-like cells (Spirochaetales: Spirochaetaceae) in the hemocoel and lumen of the alimentary tract of a larva tick (Amblyomma sp. Arachnida: Ixodidae) in Dominican amber are described in the collective fossil genus and species, Palaeoborrelia dominicanan. gen., n. sp. The size and shape of the fossil spirochetes closely resemble those of present-day Borrelia species. This discovery represents the first record of spirochete-like cells associated with fossil ticks.     

New species of the subfamily Cossoninae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in Dominican amber

The following new genus and seven new species of Cossonine weevils (Curculionidae: Cossoninae) are described from Dominican amber: Acamptus exilipes Poinar and Legalov, n. sp. (similar to A. rigidus), Caulophilus camptus Poinar and Legalov, n. sp. (similar to C. bennetti), Caulophilus elongatus Poinar and Legalov, n. sp. (similar to C. swensoni), Caulophilus ruidipunctus Poinar and Legalov, n. sp., Dryotribus pedanus Poinar and Legalov, n. sp. (similar to D. amplioculus), Ogygius obrieni Poinar and Legalov, n. gen., n. sp. (similar to the genus Apotrepus), and Stenotrupis pumilis Poinar and Legalov, n. sp. (similar to S. breviscapus). A key to the Dominican amber species of the genus Caulophilus is provided. Based on the extant weevil fauna, it appears that the Hispaniolan Cossonine were more diverse in the Tertiary than at present. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:14D1CFC0-4967-4D22-888B-0DE3E157D6BD     

The first cupedine beetle from Burmese amber (Coleoptera: Cupedidae)

A rare archaic beetle, Mallecupes qingqingae gen. et sp. n., (Insecta: Coleoptera: Archostemata: Cupedidae) is described from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. It shows affinity with Paracupes found in South America today and ‘Paracupes’ found in North America during the Cretaceous. Archostemata are diverse in Burmese amber.     

Species of two paleoendemic sap beetle genera of the Tribe Nitidulini (Nitidulidae: Coleoptera) from the Baltic and Dominican amber

Omositoidea gigantea Schaufuss, 1892 is redescribed; O. pubescens sp. nov. from the Baltic amber, Palaeometopia dominicana gen. et sp. nov. and P. colorata gen. et sp. nov. from the Dominican amber are described. The taxonomic position of the two genera and their probable bionomy are discussed.     

Four new Laniatorean harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones) from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber

Four new laniatorean harvestmen specimens (Arachnida: Opiliones: Laniatores) are described from the mid-Cretaceous (upper Albian–lower Cenomanian) Burmese amber of Northern Myanmar. One is placed as Insidiatores indet., but is not formally named as it is probably immature. Burmalomanius circularis n. gen. n. sp. and Petroburma tarsomeria n. gen. n. sp. represent the first fossil records of the extant families Podoctidae and Petrobunidae respectively. Finally, Mesodibunus tourinhoae n. gen. n. sp. belongs to Epedanidae, a family previously recorded from Burmese amber. These new records bring the total number of Burmese amber laniatorean species to ten, and the total number of fossil laniatoreans to fifteen. The new finds offer additional calibration points for the Laniatores tree of life and are consistent with the hypothesis that the modern Laniatores fauna of Southeast Asia may have had Gondwanan, as opposed to a Laurasian, origins.     

Descriptions of a broad-nosed weevil (Eudiagogini: Curculionidae) and false ladybird beetle (Nilionini: Nilionidae) in Dominican amber

A broad-nosed weevil, Promecops tumidirostris n. sp. (Eudiagogini: Curculionidae), and a false ladybird beetle, Nilio dominicana n. sp. (Nilionini: Nilionidae), are described from Dominican amber. P. tumidirostris can be distinguished from extant species by the greatly swollen apical portion of its rostrum, large eyes almost meeting on top of its head and a V-shaped suture separating the first and second abdominal sternites. N. dominicana differs from extant species by its small size and 18 elytral striae with small interstrial punctures. Neither tribe is represented in Hispaniola today, supporting earlier studies showing a greater biodiversity in the region during the mid-Tertiary than at present.     

Morphological conservatism in the foreleg structure of cicada hatchlings,Burmacicada protera n. gen., n. sp. in Burmese amber,Dominicicada youngi n. gen., n. sp. in Dominican amber and the extant Magicicada septendecim (L.) (Hemiptera: Cicadidae)

Two cicada hatchlings (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) in Burmese and Dominican amber are described as Burmacicada protera n. gen., n. sp. and Dominicicada youngi n. gen., n. sp., respectively. Although very similar in appearance, the two species can be separated by body contour, the nature of the process on the terminal antennomere and the shape and size of protrusions, teeth and spines on the forelegs. A comparison of the forelegs of the fossil hatchlings with those of an extant hatchling of the periodical cicada, Magicicada septendecim (L.), reveals a remarkable degree of morphological conservatism over 100 million years. A brief review of fossil cicadas is presented.     

Phylogeny of ensign scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Ortheziidae) based on the morphology of Recent and fossil females

The Ortheziidae (ensign scale insects) is a morphologically well‐defined family. The morphology and occurrence in the fossil record suggests a probable early origin of the family in scale insect evolution. The present phylogenetic analysis – based on 69 morphological characters of female ortheziids, using 39 exemplar Recent species – provides the first analytical assessment of relationships among living genera of the family, as well as the relationships of eight fossil species, based on complete, well‐preserved specimens in amber. Monophyly of the subfamilies Newsteadiinae, Ortheziinae and Ortheziolinae is supported, but Nipponortheziinae is found to be paraphyletic by inclusion of the Ortheziolinae. Thus, the subfamily Ortheziolinae is reduced in rank to tribe Ortheziolini stat.n. , which now includes Matileortheziola Kozár & Foldi, Ortheziolacoccus Kozár, Ortheziolamameti Kozár and Ortheziola?ulc. Consequently, the tribes Matileortheziolini, Ortheziolacoccini and Ortheziolamametini are synonymized ( syn.n. ) here under Ortheziolini. Five new species and one new genus of fossil ensign scales are described from three amber deposits: Burmorthezia gen.n. with type species Burmorthezia kotejai sp.n. and also B. insolita sp.n ., both in mid‐Cretaceous Burmese amber (98 Ma) and Arctorthezia baltica sp.n. in Eocene Baltic amber (c. 43 Ma) based on second‐instar nymphs; Mixorthezia kozari sp.n . and M. dominicana sp.n . in Miocene Dominican amber (c. 17 Ma) based on adult females. Fossil placements are unambiguous, with Burmorthezia forming a stem to crown‐group (Recent and Tertiary) Ortheziidae. A summary of described fossil ortheziids is provided.     

Paleorhodococcus dominicanus n. gen., n sp. (Actinobacteria) in a faecal droplet of Triatoma dominicana (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae) in Dominican amber

Paleorhodococcus dominicanus n. gen., n sp. (Actinobacteria) is described from a faecal droplet of Triatoma dominicana (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae) in Dominican amber. The fossil can be distinguished from the species of the closely related extant genus Rhodococcus Zopf 1891 by its spherical–ellipsoidal cocci forming substrate filaments with elementary branching, the clustering of coccoidal elements, the short filaments bearing reduced side branches and its occurrence in a faecal droplet of the extinct triatomine bug, P. dominicanus. This is the first fossil record of an Actinobacter, which shows that these organisms formed symbiotic associations with insects by the mid-Tertiary.     

A walking stick,Clonistria dominicana n. sp. (Phasmatodea: Diapheromeridae) in Dominican amber

A walking stick, Clonistria dominicana n. sp. (Phasmatodea: Diapheromeridae: Diapheromerinae: Diapheromerini) is described from Dominican amber. The new species can be distinguished from extant members of the genus by the long hind leg tarsomere II (over six times the length of the foreleg tarsomere II), the short metanotum, which is only half the length of the median segment and the prominent median carina. Two phasmatid eggs in separate pieces of Dominican amber are also presented. One of these has characteristics of the genus Clonistria Stål, 1875, which supports the generic placement of C. dominicana. The second egg resembles those of the genus Malacomorpha Rehn, 1906 (Pseudophasmatidae: Pseudophasmatinae). Both of these genera occur in Hispaniola today.     

Brachyceran Diptera (Insecta) in Cretaceous ambers, Part IV, Significant New Orthorrhaphous Taxa

Thirteen species of basal Brachycera (11 described as new) are reported, belonging to nine families and three infraorders. They are preserved in amber from the Early Cretaceous (Neocomian) of Lebanon, Albian of northern Spain, upper Albian to lower Cenomanian of northern Myanmar, and Late Cretaceous of New Jersey USA (Turonian) and Alberta, Canada (Campanian). Taxa are as follows, with significance as noted: In Stratiomyomorpha: Stratiomyidae (Cretaceogaster pygmaeus Teskey [2 new specimens in Canadian amber], Lysistrata emerita Grimaldi & Arillo, gen. et sp. n. [stem-group species of the family in Spanish amber]), and Xylomyidae (Cretoxyla azari Grimaldi & Cumming, gen. et sp. n. [in Lebanese amber], and an undescribed species from Spain). In Tabanomorpha: Tabanidae (Cratotabanus newjerseyensis Grimaldi, sp. n., in New Jersey amber). In Muscomorpha: Acroceridae (Schlingeromyia minuta Grimaldi & Hauser, gen. et sp. n. and Burmacyrtus rusmithi Grimaldi & Hauser gen. etsp. n., in Burmese amber, the only definitive species of the family from the Cretaceous); Mythicomyiidae (Microburmyia analvena Grimaldi & Cumming gen. et sp. n. and Microburmyia veanalvena Grimaldi & Cumming, sp. n., stem-group species of the family, both in Burmese amber); Apsilocephalidae or near (therevoid family-group) (Kumaromyia burmitica Grimaldi & Hauser, gen. et sp. n. [in Burmese amber]); Apystomyiidae (Hilarimorphites burmanica Grimaldi & Cumming, sp. n. [in Burmese amber], whose closest relatives are from the Late Jurassic of Kazachstan, the Late Cretaceous of New Jersey, and Recent of California). Lastly, two species belonging to families incertae sedis, both in Burmese amber: Tethepomyiidae (Tethepomyia zigrasi Grimaldi & Arillo sp. n., the aculeate oviscapt of which indicates this family was probably parasitoidal and related to Eremochaetidae); and unplaced to family is Myanmyia asteiformia Grimaldi, gen. et sp. n., a minute fly with highly reduced venation. These new taxa significantly expand the Mesozoic fossil record of rare and phylogenetically significant taxa of lower Brachycera.     

New Tridactyloidea in Miocene amber from the Dominican Republic (Orthoptera: Caelifera)

Two new Tridactyloidea of the families Ripipterygidae and Tridactylidae are described from the Early Miocene (Burdigalian) amber of the Dominican Republic, namely: Archaeoellipes engeli n. gen., n. sp. (Tridactylidae: Tridactylinae) and Mirhipipteryx antillarum n. sp. (Ripipterygidae). These new taxa represent the fi rst record of Tridactyloidea in Dominican amber and the fi rst fossil record of Ripipterygidae, which are otherwise known only from the extant fauna.     

Burmaphlebia reifi gen. et sp. nov., the first anisozygopteran damsel-dragonfly (Odonata: Epiophlebioptera: Burmaphlebiidae fam. nov.) from Early Cretaceous Burmese amber

A new family, genus and species of damselfly, Burmaphlebia reifi gen. et sp. nov. (Burmaphlebiidae fam. nov.), is described as the second fossil odonate from Early Cretaceous Burmese amber. Its phylogenetic position is discussed and the fossil is attributed to a new family at the base of the anisozygopteran grade, probably closely related to the Recent relict group Epiophlebiidae. It is the first record of the ‘anisozygopteran’ grade from amber and the smallest known representative of this group.http://zoobank.org/6EFE7288-BD89-42F9-BFA5-804CE6B904A6     

Pleurambus strongylus n. gen., n. sp. (Coleoptera: Belidae) in Dominican amber

A new genus and species of belid weevils, Pleurambus strongylus Poinar and Legalov, n. gen., n. sp. (Coleoptera: Belidae) in the tribe Allocorynini is described from Dominican amber. Belid fossils are quite rare and the new species is the first fossil member of the family from the Neotropics. This discovery suggests that belid diversity in Hispaniola during the Tertiary was higher than at present since no extant belids have been reported from the West Indies.http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:DF79FF39-634D-4BD7-AD0B-F5FB3BBE1081     

New fossil Pachygastrinae from Mexican amber (Diptera: Stratiomyidae)

We describe the new genus Elektrothopomyia n. gen., with two new species E. saltensis n. sp. and E. tzotzili n. sp. as second and third fossil Pachygastrinae from the Mexican amber. These fossils from the Totolapa amber deposit confirm the presence of this group in Central America during the late Oligocene to middle Miocene period. Their exact affinities remain uncertain because of the current problems in the phylogenetic classification of these flies. These fossils are new elements of comparison between the entomofaunas of the Dominican and Mexican amber.     

Pulchellaranea pedunculatan. gen.n. sp. (Araneae: Araneidae), a new genus of spiders with a review of araneid spiders in Cenozoic Dominican amber

Pulchellaranea pedunculatan. gen., n. sp. (Araneae: Araneidae), a new genus of orb web spiders, is described from Cenozoic Dominican amber. Fossil representatives of the Araneidae are uncommon, even though the family is widely distributed today. An arboreal ant adjacent to Pulchellaranea pedunculata indicates the likely habit of the fossil spider in the Dominican amber forest. The encounter with the ant may have resulted in both specimens falling into fresh resin on the trunk of the Algarroba tree. A key to araneid spiders reported in Dominican amber is provided.http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:D7F92A3C-46BB-48C0-9BA1-0496038F04A5     

First and oldest Leptochirini rove beetles illuminate diverse cephalic structures in the Cretaceous (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Osoriinae)

Osoriinae is a highly diverse, globally distributed subfamily of rove beetles (Staphylinidae), but only a single Mesozoic species, Mesallotrochus longiantennatus Cai & Huang, in mid‐Cretaceous Burmese amber is known (age c. 99 Ma). Leptochirini, which is primarily found in decaying wood in the tropics, is one of the four tribes of osoriine rove beetles. The diversity of cephalic tooth shapes in adults has attracted special research attention with regard to the evolution and classification of this group. Here, we report two well‐preserved fossils of Leptochirini for the first time from Burmese amber. Together with M. longiantennatus, they represent the oldest osoriines, highlighting the palaeodiversity of the subfamily in Burmese amber. Based on our observations and phylogenetic analyses, a remarkable new genus and species, ?Cretochirus newtoni Yamamoto gen. et sp.n. , is described. Additionally, a new species, ?Priochirus thayerae Yamamoto sp.n. , is also described and placed in the extant genus Priochirus Sharp. ?Cretochirus gen.n. has a typical body plan of Leptochirini, but it retains several primitive features that have rarely, or never, been known from modern leptochirine taxa, including simple cephalic structures with a largely depressed dorsum, undeveloped cephalic teeth, and the absence of a longitudinal median sulcus of the head, together with the only slightly crenulate external margins of the protibiae. These findings demonstrate the antiquity of Leptochirini rove beetles and even suggest a much older origin of the subfamily. Morphologically diverse leptochirines from Burmese amber also illuminate the remarkable cephalic diversity of the tribe during the Mesozoic. They were already diversified during the mid‐Cretaceous in the tropical forests of Myanmar, and possibly living underneath the bark of rotten wood and logs. This published work has been registered in ZooBank, http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:CC5E81E8‐5621‐44A6‐A247‐A776B14A9191 .     

First fossil horsefly (Diptera: Tabanidae) in Miocene Mexican amber

The fossil record of the Tabanidae is sparse when compared with other families of Diptera. Even in amber they are rare, probably because of their size and specific flight behavior. Horseflies from amber are only known from Cretaceous age New Jersey amber as well as from the Tertiary age Baltic and Dominican amber, but are herein described for the first time, with Stenotabanus oleariorum sp. n., from Mexican amber. The new species is compared to the fossil horseflies of the same genus S. brodzinskyi Lane, Poinar and Fairchild 1988 and S. woodruffi Lane and Fairchild 1989 from Dominican amber.