A new subfamily of ichneumonids from the Lower Cretaceous of Transbaikalia and Mongolia (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae)

A new subfamily of ichneumonids, Palaeoichneumoninae, is described from the Lower Cretaceous of Transbaikalia (Baisa locality) and Mongolia (Bon Tsagan and Kholbotu Gol localities). The new subfamily is intermediate between the archaic subfamily Tanychorinae and the Recent Ichneumonidae. It includes 12 new species, described in three new genera: Palaeoichneumon freja gen. et sp. nov., P. ornatus sp. nov., P. danu sp. nov., P. micron sp. nov., P. mirabilis sp. nov., P. tenebrosus sp. nov., P. townesi sp. nov., Rudimentifera mora gen. et sp. nov., R. suspecta sp. nov., Dischysma maculata gen. et sp. nov., D. similis sp. nov., and D. ramulata sp. nov.     

New and little known orthopteroid insects (Polyneoptera) from fossil resins: Communication 3

New taxa of Orthoptera Ensifera are described in the families Mogoplistidae [Protomogoplistes asquamosus gen. et sp. nov. (Upper Cretaceous) in the subfamily Protomogoplistinae subfam. nov. and Archornebius balticus gen. et sp. nov. (Eocene), Pseudarachnocephalus gen. nov., P. dominicanus sp. nov., and P. latiusculus sp. nov. (all Miocene) in Mogoplistinae] and Gryllidae [Eopentacentrus borealis gen. et sp. nov. (Eocene), ?Grossoxipha feminea sp. nov. (Miocene), and Apentacentrus copalicus sp. nov. in the subfamily Pentacentrinae, ?Cyrtoxipha electrina sp. nov. and ?Cyrtoxipha illegibilis sp. nov. (both Miocene) in Trigonidiinae, and Baltonemobius fossilis gen. et sp. nov. (Eocene) in Nemobiinae]. The Miocene genera Proanaxipha Vickery et Poinar and Grossoxipha Vickery et Poinar are transferred from the subfamily Trigonidiinae to Pentacentrinae. P. latoca Vickery et Poinar and Abanaxipha longispina Vickery et Poinar are redescribed; the male of the latter species is described for the first time.     

New radiolarian genera and species from the Lower Permian of the Southern Urals and Northern Mugodzhary

Two new genera and five new species of Lower Permian radiolarians, Arcoclathrata alekseevi gen. et sp. nov., Entactinia pinrasensis sp. nov., Microporosa rozhnovi gen. et sp. nov., M. aktastensis sp. nov., and Somphoentactinia saecularis sp. nov., from the Southern Urals and Northern Mugodzhary are described. The new spherical radiolarian taxa belong to three orders: Entactiniata, Cancelliata, and Spongiata of two classes, Sphaerellaria and Spumellaria.     

New and little known orthopteroid insects (polyneoptera) from fossil resins: Communication 2

New taxa of the suborder Blattina (order Dictyoptera), possibly belonging to the family Corydiidae (Erucoblatta semicaeca gen. et sp. nov., Miocene; Proholocompsa gen. nov., Eocene; and Holocompsa nigra sp. nov. and H. abbreviata sp. nov., Miocene) and belonging to the family Ectobiidae (Plectoptera electrina sp. nov., Miocene; Agrabtoblatta symmetrica gen. et sp. nov. and ?Symploce rete sp. nov., Pleistocene) are described. The taxonomic position of the enigmatic genus Raphidiomimula Grimaldi et Ross from the Upper Cretaceous is 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.     

First gall midges (Diptera,Cecidomyioidea) from Late Cretaceous amber of the Taimyr Peninsula

Gall midges from Santonian amber of Yantardakh (Taimyr Peninsula) are investigated for the first time. Eight new genera and eight new species belonging to five tribes of the subfamily Micromyinae (Lestremiidae) are described. These are Caputmunda yantardakhica gen. et sp. nov. (Catochini), Cretoperomyia taimyrica gen. et sp. nov. (Peromyiini), Palaeostrobliella dmitrii gen. et sp. nov., Yantardakhiella pusilla gen. et sp. nov., and Zherikhiniella pedicellata gen. et sp. nov. (Strobliellini), Menssana norilsk gen. et sp. nov. (Micromyini), and Cretomycophila ekaterinae gen. et sp. nov., and Corporesana khatanga gen. et sp. nov. (Aprionini). A representative of Porricondylinae (Cecidomyiidae, Porricondylinae, Holoneurini) is recorded. The diagnoses based on morphometric parameters of tribes and previously established genera are emended. The species composition of gall midges from three Cretaceous amber faunas of different ages are analyzed.     

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 seeds of gymnosperms from the Lower Permian of the Ural mountains

New taxa of detached seeds are described from the Kungurian (Lower Permian) of the Middle Cis-Urals: Laevigatospermum compressum gen. et sp. nov., Hirsutospermum paniculatum gen. et sp. nov., Rugosospermum callosum gen. et sp. nov., and Craspedosperma filiferum sp. nov. The systematic position of the new taxa is discussed.     

Fossil Mesozoic and Cenozoic weevils (Coleoptera,Obrienioidea, Curculionoidea)

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.     

New weevils (Curculionidae) in Baltic amber

The new subtribes Palaeorhamphina subtrib. nov. of the tribe Rhamphini and Eocenesibiniina subtrib. nov. of the tribe Tychiini, new genera Archaeoeugnomus gen. nov. (type species A. balticus sp. nov.), Palaeorhamphus gen. nov. (type species P. primitivus sp. nov.), and Eocenesibinia gen. nov. (type species E. prussica sp. nov.), new subgenus Palaeoleiosoma subgen. nov. (type species L. klebsi sp. nov.) of the genus Leiosoma Stephens, and new species Leiosoma klebsi sp. nov., Caulophilus rarus sp. nov., C. squamosus sp. nov., Ceutorhynchus alekseevi sp. nov., C. electrinus sp. nov., Dorytomus nudus sp. nov., Pachytychius eocenicus sp. nov., Archaeoeugnomus balticus sp. nov., Palaeorhamphus primitivus sp. nov., Orchestes tatjanae sp. nov., and Eocenesibinia prussica sp. nov. are described. Electrotribus Hustache, 1942 placem. nov. is transferred from the tribe Derelomini of the subfamily Curculioninae to the tribe Acicnemidini of the subfamily Molytinae. Succinostyphlus erectosquamata (Rheinheimer, 2007) placem. nov. et comb. nov. is transferred from the genus Electrotribus Hustache, 1942 to the genus Succinostyphlus Ku?ka, 1996. These are the first records of representatives of the tribes Plinthini, Acicnemidini, Eugnomini, and Rhamphini in the Baltic amber.     

Early cretaceous mammals from the Khamryn-Us and Shalan-Ikher localities in Mongolia

New material of Early Cretaceous mammals from Mongolia, including dentary fragments of Gobiconodon borissiaki Trofimov, 1978 and G. hoburensis (Trofimov, 1978) from the well-known dinosaur locality Khamryn-Us (Dornogovi aimag) and a maxilla fragment of G. borissiaki from the new locality Shalan-Ikher (Övörkhangai aimag), is presented. The new data extend the knowledge on the morphology and intraspecific variability of Gobiconodon and the distribution of the Höovör Mammalian Assemblage in Mongolia.     

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.     

Brachiopods from the family Ambocoeliidae George (Order Spiriferida) from the Emsian (Lower Devonian) of northeastern Russia

Brachiopods from the family Ambocoeliidae George from the Emsian (Lower Devonian) of northeastern Russia are described: Bisinocoelia despecta sp. nov.; Yakutospirifer gen. nov. with the type species Y. krivensis sp. nov.; Micospirifer gen. nov. with the type species M. simplex sp. nov.; Kolymospirifer gen. nov. with the type species K. optatus sp. nov. (subfamily Ambocoeliinae); Datnospirifer gen. nov. with the type species D. alius sp. nov.; Khalimospirifer gen. nov. with the type species Kh. microscopicus sp. nov.; Gerospirifer gen. nov. with the type species G. normalis sp. nov., and G. gerensis sp. nov.; Dogdospirifer gen. nov. with the type species D. yolkini sp. nov. (subfamily Rhynchospiriferinae).     

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).     

New Weevils (Coleoptera,Curculionoidea) from the Eocene of the Green River,United States: Part 1

New genera, Pseudochirotenon gen. nov. (with the type species P. eocaenicus sp. nov.), Archaeoheilus gen. nov. (type species A. scudderi sp. nov.), Primocentron gen. nov. (type species P. wickhami sp. nov.), and Pseudophaops gen. nov. (type species Otiorhynchus perditus Scudder, 1876), and new species, Pseudochirotenon eocaenicus sp. nov., Perapion rasnitsyni sp. nov., Archaeoheilus scudderi sp. nov., A. ovalis sp. nov., Primocentron wickhami sp. nov., and Eudiagogus vossi sp. nov., from the Early–Middle Eocene of the Green River are described. New combinations of names (Apionion evestigatum (Scudder, 1893), comb. nov., Archaeoheilus packardii (Scudder, 1893), comb. nov., A. provectus (Scudder, 1876), comb. nov., A. deleticius (Scudder, 1893), comb. nov., A. lacoei (Scudder, 1893), comb. nov., Pseudophaops perditus (Scudder, 1876), comb. nov.) are established. The first fossil records of the tribe Ecelonerini from the New World and genus Perapion from the Green River Formation are provided.     

New mayflies (Insecta: Ephemerida = Ephemeroptera) from the Upper Mesozoic locality of Khasurty,Western Transbaikalia

A new genus and four new species are described from the Upper Mesozoic locality of Khasurty, Western Transbaikalia: Mesobaetis crispa sp. nov. and Proameletus branchiatus sp. nov. from the family Siphlonuridae s. l., Furvoneta khasurtensis sp. nov. from Mesonetidae, and Baikalogenites firmus gen. et sp. nov. from the family Hexagenitidae. One poorly preserved specimen is identified as Mesogenesia from the family Mickoleitiidae. The unique mayfly generic assemblage of this locality, its possible age, and ecology are discussed.     

Early Paleogene insectivore mammals of Asia and establishment of the major groups of Insectivora

Early Paleogene insectivore mammal associations of Asia include true insectivores (superorder Insectivora: order Lipotyphla: suborders Erinaceomorpha and Soricomorpha; orders Didymoconida and Leptictida) and insectivore-like placentals (superorder Ferae: order Cimolesta: suborders Didelphodonta, Palaeoryctida, and Pantolesta). The associations from Mongolia are the most taxonomically diverse. The Late Paleocene association from the Zhigden Member of the Naran-Bulak Formation of the Tsagan-Khushu and Naran-Bulak localities includes the following soricomorph insectivores: the micropternodontid Sarcodon pygmaeus Matthew et Granger and Hyracolestes ermineus Matthew et Granger (Sarcodontinae), the geolabidid Gobigeolabis verigranum Lopatin, the nyctitheriid Praolestes nanus Matthew, Granger et Simpson, P. maximus Kondrashov, Lopatin et Lucas (Praolestinae subfam. nov.), Jarveia erronea Kondrashov, Lopatin et Lucas (Asionyctiinae). Moreover, the Zhigden association includes the didymoconid Archaeoryctes euryalis Lopatin (Ardynictinae), the palaeoryctid Pinoryctes collector gen. et sp. nov., and the pantolestid Zhigdenia nemegetica gen. et sp. nov. (Pantolestinae). The Early Eocene association from the Bumban Member of the Naran-Bulak Formation of the Tsagan-Khushu locality includes the micropternodontid Prosarcodon maturus Lopatin et Kondrashov (Sarcodontinae); the nyctitheriids Bumbanius rarus Russell et Dashzeveg (Praolestinae), Oedolius perexiguus Russell et Dashzeveg, Edzenius lus gen. et sp. nov. (Asionyctiinae), and Eosoricodon terrigena Lopatin (Eosoricodontinae); the plesiosoricid Ordolestes ordinatus gen. et sp. nov. (Butseliinae); and the cimolestids Naranius infrequens Russell et Dashzeveg, Tsaganius ambiguus Russell et Dashzeveg, and Bagalestes trofimovi gen. et sp. nov. (Cimolestidae). The Middle Eocene association from the Khaychin Formation of the Khaychin-Ula 2 and Khaychin-Ula 3 localities includes the erinaceomorphs Eogalericius butleri Lopatin and Microgalericulus esuriens gen. et sp. nov. (Erinaceidae, Galericinae), the soricomorphs Metasarcodon reshetovi Lopatin et Kondrashov (Micropternodontidae, Sarcodontinae), Soricolestes soricavus Lopatin (Soricidae, Soricolestinae), and Asiapternodus mackennai Lopatin (Apternodontidae, Asiapternodontinae subfam. nov.); the didymoconids Ardynictis captor Lopatin (Ardynictinae), Khaichinula lupula gen. et sp. nov. (Didymoconinae), Kennatherium shirense Mellett et Szalay, and Erlikotherium edentatum gen. et sp. nov. (Kennatheriinae subfam. nov.); and the palaeoryctid Nuryctes gobiensis Lopatin et Averianov (Palaeoryctidae). Late Paleocene insectivores from the Dzhilga 1a locality (Kazakhstan) comprise the nyctitheriids Voltaia minuta Nessov and Jarveia minuscula Nessov (Asionyctiinae). The faunal assemblage dated terminal Early Eocene from the Andarak 2 locality (Kyrgyzstan) includes the micropternodontid Metasarcodon udovichenkoi (Averianov), the erinaceid Protogalericius averianovi gen. et sp. nov. (Galericinae), and the palaeoryctids Nuryctes alayensis Lopatin et Averianov and Palaeoryctidae gen. et sp. indet. From the end of the Paleocene to the onset of the Middle Eocene, the taxonomic composition and ecological structure of insectivore communities of Central Asia gradually changed, insectivore-like placentals and primitive soricomorph groups were replaced by the Recent families of Lipotyphla. The morphological and evolutionary study of Early Paleogene Asian insectivores has provided important data on phylogenetic relationships of the Insectivora. The family Micropternodontidae is divided into the subfamilies Sarcodontinae and Micropternodontinae. The earliest insectivore family Geolabididae is recorded in the Paleogene of Asia. A new classification of the family Nyctitheriidae, dividing it into the subfamilies Nyctitheriinae, Amphidozotheriinae, Asionyctiinae, Eosoricodontinae, and Praolestinae subfam. nov., is proposed. Based on the morphological continuity between Eosoricodontinae (Nyctitheriidae) and Soricolestinae (Soricidae), the family Soricidae is proposed to originate from eosoricodontine nyctitheriids. The family Plesiosoricidae is divided into the subfamilies Butseliinae and Plesiosoricinae. A new subfamily, Asiapternodontinae subfam. nov., is established in the family Apternodontidae. The analysis of evolutionary transformations of the dental system suggests the continuity of molar types in the suborder Soricomorpha, which supports the validity of the infraorders Tenrecomorpha and Soricota (the latter includes the superfamilies Micropternodontoidea, Nesophontoidea, Soricoidea, Talpoidea, and Solenodontoidea). The subfamily Galericinae (Erinaceidae) is recorded in Asia at the Early-Middle Eocene boundary. The family Didymoconidae is divided into the subfamilies Ardynictinae, Didymoconinae, and Kennatheriinae subfam. nov. Some members of the subfamily Kennatheriinae display a clear edentate functional pattern, which is atypical for insectivores and is interpreted as an adaptation for feeding on colonial insects. The following scenario of insectivore evolution, describing the major stages of their history, is proposed: (1) in the first half of the Late Cretaceous, the first occurrence of Insectivora (probably in North America); (2) in the second half of the Late Cretaceous, the primary radiation of Insectivora, establishment of Leptictida, Didymoconida, and Lipotyphla; detachment of Erinaceomorpha and Soricomorpha; (3) at the Cretaceous-Paleocene boundary, the primary radiation of Soricomorpha and establishment of Tenrecomorpha (Africa) and Soricota (North America); (4) in the Paleocene, expansion of Soricota in the Northern Hemisphere, the primary radiation of Erinaceomorpha, and emergence of Erinaceidae (North America); (5) at the Paleocene-Eocene boundary, radiation of Soricota and Erinaceidae; (6) at the Early-Middle Eocene boundary, appearance of Soricidae, Talpidae, and Galericinae; (7) in the Middle Eocene-Oligocene, replacement of primitive groups by Recent families and related groups and the formation of the Recent subfamilial diversity of the families Soricidae, Talpidae, Erinaceidae, and Tenrecidae; (8) in the Miocene-Pliocene, disappearance of primitive groups of the Recent families, a decrease in the diversity of Erinaceomorpha, extensive radiation of Soricidae and the formation of the Recent generic diversity of insectivores.     

A new late Cretaceous azhdarchid (Pterosauria,Azhdarchidae) from the Volga Region

A new azhdarchid genus and species, Volgadraco bogolubovi gen. et sp. nov., is described based on an anterior fragment of the mandibular symphysis (mandibular beak) and some postcranial elements from the Rybushka Formation (Upper Cretaceous, Lower Campanian) of the Shirokii Karamysh 2 locality, Saratov Region. The new taxon is intermediate in size and vascularization of the mandibular beak between medium-sized Turonian-Santonian azhdarchids (Azhdarcho, Bakonydraco) and the giant Maastrichtian azhdarchid Quetzalcoatlus.     

Jurassic Scaphopoda from the Russian platform: Pulsellidae and Gadilidae

The scaphopod families Pulsellidae and Gadilidae from sandy and clayey beds of the Jurassic (Callovian?Volgian) of European Russia are investigated. In Pulsellidae, the following taxa are described: Annulipulsellum with two subgenera, Annulipulsellum (species A. ambiguum sp. nov., A. rugosum sp. nov.) and Mesopulsellum subgen. nov. (A. alternoides sp. nov., A. calloviense sp. nov., A. hirtistriatum sp. nov., A. medium sp. nov.), Gracilipulsellum gen. nov. (G. iodaense sp. nov.), Gardneridentalium gen. nov. (G. primitivum sp. nov., G. reticulatum sp. nov.), and Mesoentalina gen. nov. (M. fabulosa sp. nov.). New taxa of the family Gadilidae include the genus Mesoantalis gen. nov. with the species M. clava sp. nov., M. expolitum sp. nov., and M. volgense sp. nov.