The first Praesiricidae (Hymenoptera) from Northeast China

A new subfamily Rudisiricinae Gao, Rasnitsyn, Ren & Shih, n. subfam. and a new genus Rudisiricius Gao, Rasnitsyn, Ren & Shih, n. gen. with three new species R. belli Gao, Rasnitsyn, Ren & Shih n. sp., R. crassinodus Gao, Rasnitsyn, Ren & Shih, n. sp., and R. celsus Gao, Rasnitsyn, Ren & Shih, n. sp. are described and illustrated from the family Praesiricidae. The type specimens were collected from the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous Yixian Formation, northeastern China. The new subfamily also includes Aulidontes Rasnitsyn from the Upper Jurassic of Karatau in Kazakhstan. This is the first record of Praesiricidae in China. These well-preserved nearly-complete new fossils reported here provide additional material and structure characters about this family, which helps filling some gap in the evolution of Lower Hymenoptera.     

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.     

JURASSIC PALAEONTINIDAE FROM CHINA AND THE HIGHER SYSTEMATICS OF PALAEONTINOIDEA (INSECTA: HEMIPTERA: CICADOMORPHA)

Abstract:  Genera of Palaeontinidae (Insecta, Hemiptera: Cicadomorpha) are reviewed based on some newly-discovered material. An updated list of palaeontinid genera is provided. The genus Palaeontinopsis Martynov is assigned to Palaeontinidae incertae sedis . A new genus and species, Ningchengia aspera gen. et sp. nov., is described based on forewings and hindwings from the Middle Jurassic of Daohugou, China. Fletcheriana colorata Wang, Zhang and Fang and F . minuta Wang, Zhang and Fang are transferred to Suljuktocossus and Ningchengia respectively, resulting in Suljuktocossus coloratus comb. nov. and Ningchengia minuta comb. nov. Papilioncossus Wang, Ren and Shih, 2007 syn. nov. is considered to be a junior synonym of Eoiocossus Wang and Zhang, 2006 and Quadraticossus Wang and Ren 2007 syn. nov. is a junior synonym of Sinopalaeocossus   Hong, 1983 . The genus Fletcheriana is believed to represent a transition between Dunstaniidae and Palaeontinidae. This result is consistent with the previous view that Dunstaniidae is ancestral to Palaeontinidae. Furthermore, Suljuktocossus is a transitional genus between Fletcheriana and Cretaceous palaeontinids. The fusion of veins RP and M₁ in the palaeontinid hindwings implies a change of the mechanism of flight and an improvement in flight ability. The presence of a reduced costal area and the rigid basal leading edge of the palaeontinid forewings suggest gain of lift.     

Snipe flies (Diptera: Rhagionidae) from the Daohugou Formation (Jurassic), Inner Mongolia,and the systematic position of related records in China

Abstract: Four new species referred to three new genera and one known genus of fossil snipe flies (Family Rhagionidae) from the Daohugou Formation of Chifeng City in Inner Mongolia, north‐eastern China, are described as Daohugorhagio elongatus gen. et sp. nov., Parachrysopilus jurassicus gen. et sp. nov., Sinorhagio sinuatus sp. nov. and Trichorhagio gregarius gen. et sp. nov. These taxa represent only a fraction of the rhagionid assemblage in the Daohugou biota. They contribute towards the high diversity and abundance of snipe flies during the latest Middle Jurassic – earliest Late Jurassic. The diagnosis of Sinorhagio K. Zhang, Yang and Ren, 2006 is revised based on the new results. Many genera and species from the Lower Cretaceous of China have been assigned to Rhagionidae. Most of these do not actually belong to this family: specifically Mesorhagiophryne incerta Hong and Wang, 1990, M. robusta Hong and Wang, 1990, Mesostratiomyia laiyangensis Hong and Wang, 1990, Stratiomyopsis robusta Hong and Wang, 1990, Longhuaia orientalis Hong, Wang and Sun, 1992, Basilorhagio venusius Ren, 1995. Pauromyia oresbia Ren, 1998 is transferred to an archisargid genus as Sharasargus oresbius (Ren, 1998) comb. nov.     

First description of axymyiid fossils (Insecta: Diptera: Axymyiidae)

Two species of fossil insects from the Daohugou Formation of Chifeng City in Nei Monggol Autonomous Region, northeastern China are described, and recognized as Psocites pectinatus (Hong, 1983) nov. emend., nov. transl. and P. fossilis nov. sp. They are the oldest representatives of the family Callovian or Axymyiidae, and first described of this family in the Mesozoic. Although early the age of the fly-bearing beds is controversial, it is probably Oxfordian or Kimmeridgian (Late Jurassic) rather than Early Cretaceous or Middle Jurassic.     

中国树甲族一新纪录属二新种及二新名(鞘翅目,拟步甲科)

记述我国树甲族1新纪录属和2新种并提出2种新名。模式标本均保存在河北大学博物馆。 Eucrossoscelis Nakane,1963中国新纪录 梭形真树甲,新种Eucrossoscelis hastatus sp．nov．（图1～8,20） 正模♀,贵州省道真县程家山,2004—05—24,于洋采。新种与分布于日本的E．araneiformis相似,但前者的头部和前胸背板的刻点不同,前胸背板光滑,刻点细小,侧缘饰边完整,端部钝尖;而后者的这几点都与之不同。种名来自它的梭形身体。 武夷山树甲,新种Strongylium wuyishanense sp．nov．（图9-19,21） 正模♂,福建省武夷山黄岗山,2004—05—21,苑彩霞、李静采。新种与云南鸡足山的细长树甲S．jizushanense Masumoto,1999相似,与后者的主要区别是：复眼较小、眼间距较宽,前胸背板的刻点小而稀疏,鞘翅刻点行上有较稀疏的刻点。这几点与后一种均有不同。种名来自模式标本产地。 Strongylium masumotoi Yuan et Ren,2005 nom．nov．Yuan et Ren,2005.Acta Zootaxonomica Sinica,30（2）：401．[nec Maeiklin,1864] Strongylium obscuratum Yuan et Ren,2005 nom．nov．Yuan et Ren,2005．Acta Zootaxonomica Sinica,30（2）：402．[nec Maeiklin,1864]     

New hymenopteran insects (Insecta: Vespida) from the lower or middle Jurassic of India

Hymenopterans Xyelula alexandri Rasnitsyn, sp. nov. (Sepulcidae) and Kotaphialtites frankmortoni Rasnitsyn, gen. et sp. nov. (Ephialtitidae) are described from the Lower or Middle Jurassic Kota Formation, Andhra Pradesh, India. These finds prove a considerable similarity between the Gondwanan and Laurasian hymenopteran faunas during the Jurassic, as well as during the Triassic and Cretaceous.     

New fossil Ochteridae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Ochteroidea) from the Upper Mesozoic of north‐eastern China,with phylogeny of the family

Specimens of the velvety shore bugs (Hemiptera: Ochtheridae) occur in the Early Cretaceous Yixian Formation in north‐eastern China. We describe two new genera and three new species –Pristinochterus ovatus Yao, Zhang & Ren sp. nov., Floricaudus multilocellus Yao, Ren & Shih gen.n. et sp.n. and Angulochterus quatrimaculatus Yao, Zhang & Ren gen.n. et sp.n. – from this deposit. A cladistic analysis based on a combination of fossil and extant taxa, and their morphological characters, clarifies the phylogenetic status of the new fossils and allows the reconstruction of relationships within the family Ochteridae. Two main clades within Ochteridae are recognized from the cladistic analysis: Pristinochterus Yao Cai & Ren and Floricaudus Yao, Ren & Shih gen.n. form a monophyletic lineage; and Angulochterus Yao, Zhang & Ren gen.n. emerges as a sister group to all extant velvety shore bugs. A key to all fossil and extant genera of Ochteridae is provided.     

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.     

An enigmatic hawker dragonfly from the Middle Jurassic of China (Odonata,Aeshnoptera)

The aeshnopteran Propecymatophlebia magnifica gen. et sp. nov. is described from the Middle Jurassic Hiafanggou Formation of Inner Mongolia in China, on the basis of a complete forewing. It confirms the remarkable palaeodiversity of the stem group of the hawker dragonflies in Central Asia in the period between the Middle Jurassic and the Early Cretaceous.     

中生代脉翅目昆虫的叶状拟态

拟态是一种生物模拟另一种生物或环境中的其它物体从而使自身获得好处的现象,是昆虫在进化过程中特化出的一种极为重要和有效的防御策略。脉翅目昆虫是一类完全变态性昆虫,在其超过2.7亿年的演化历史中,出现了形态多样的翅斑。美翼蛉属Bellinympha Wang,Ren,Liu,Shih&Engel,2010是脉翅目溪蛉科丽翼蛉亚科的一个绝灭属,发现于中国内蒙古道虎沟地区中侏罗世九龙山组地层。该属的发现代表了迄今报道的最古老的叶状拟态现象,也是唯一报道的昆虫模拟裸子植物或蕨类植物叶片。本文简要概述了脉翅目昆虫研究概况,总结了中生代脉翅目翅斑的多样性,对美翼蛉属进行了描述,并对其叶状拟态及其生物学意义进行了探讨。     

The earliest known Salamanders (Amphibia,Caudata):A record from the Middle Jurassic of England

Marmorerpeton gen. nov. represented by M. kermackisp. nov. and M. freemani sp. nov., is the earliest known genus of fossil salamander from the Upper Bathonian, Middle Jurassic of Kirtlington, Oxfordshire, England. Marmorerpeton is more primitive than any other known salamander in the absence of intravertebral spinal nerve foramina in the atlantal centrum, but in other features it resembles members of the family Scapherpetontidae, neotenous salamanders otherwise known from the Upper Cretaceous and Palaeocene. The Kirtlington herpetofauna is a unique freshwater assemblage of Middle Jurassic small amphibians and reptiles, several of which represent the earliest known occurrences of their respective groups.     

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.     

Review of Japanese Dinosaur Track Localities: Implications for Ichnotaxonomy,Paleogeography and Stratigraphic Correlation

Nine dinosaur ichnospecies from the Lower Jurassic to Upper Cretaceous of Japan, including two that are new, are described herein. The new ichnotaxa are Asianopodus pulvinicalx ichnogen. et ichnosp. nov. and Schizograllator otariensis ichnosp. nov. The Japanese ichnotaxa are allied to Lower Jurassic ichnospecies in South China, North America, Western Europe and South Africa, and Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous ichnospecies from Southeast and East Asia. This suggests they were part of a global ichnofauna before continental drift began in the Middle Jurassic, leading to the development of a more endemic dinosaur fauna in the Cretaceous. At least two assemblages, an ornithopod-gracile-toed theropod-dominated community, in northeastern Asia, and a robust theropod- and sauropod-dominated community in the southern part of the continent, existed in the Cretaceous. This parallels North American dinosaur distribution patterns in the Cretaceous and seems to be a reflection of paleolatitudinal controls.     

New taxa of snipe flies (Diptera: Brachycera: Rhagionidae) in the Daohugou Biota,China

Three impressions of snipe flies from the uppermost Middle Jurassic or lowermost Upper Jurassic Daohugou Formation in northeastern China are described as Protorhagio parvus sp. nov. and Lithorhagio megalocephalus get. et sp. nov. Protorhagio parvus is the first record of the genus Protorhagio Rohdendorf, 1938 outside the Karatau-Mikhailovka locality (Kazakhstan), which has implications for biostratigraphic correlation of the formations, in which they are found. The taxonomic position of Lithorhagio gen. nov. is discussed. Although Orsobrachyceron Ren, 1998 demonstrates some resemblance in form to the new genus, it probably belongs to Xylomyidae rather than Rhagionidae.     

On the mesozoic taxa of scarabaeoid beetles of the family Hybosoridae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea)

Three new species of scarabaeoid beetles of the family Hybosoridae are described in the new genus Protohybosorus, gen. nov. from the Middle-Upper Jurassic of Kazakhstan (Karatau-Mikhailovka locality). The Lower Cretaceous species Geotrupoides fortus Ren, Zhu et Lu, 1995 (Inner Mongolia, China) is transferred to the genus Leptosorus Nikolajev, 2006.     

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.     

Revision and description of water boatmen from the Middle-Upper Jurassic of Northern and Northeastern China (Insecta: Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Corixidae)

Four adult and immature water boatmen from the Middle Jurassic and uppermost Middle Jurassic or lowermost Upper Jurassic Jiulongshan, Haifanggou and Daohugou formations in the northern and northeastern China are described as Yanliaocorixa chinensis (Lin, 1976), Jiulongshanocorixa genuina gen. et sp. nov., and Daohugocorixa vulcanica gen. et sp. nov., referred to the extinct subfamily Velocorixinae, and Karataviella popovi sp. nov., referred to the extant subfamily Diaprepocorinae. All the forms have previously been identified as one species, Yanliaocorixa chinensis. This species, found only in the Haifanggou Formation, is absent from the Jiulongshan Formation and other sites in China. The systematic position of corixids recorded earlier from the Mesozoic of China is reviewed and reassessed. Assemblages of dominant aquatic insects from various Jurassic nonmarine sedimentary basins in northern and northeastern China are described for the first time. They are entirely different between the Jiulongshan, Haifanggou, and Daohugou formations. The first formation is probably older than the other two.     

Late Jurassic Mammals from Tendaguru, Tanzania, East Africa

Records of Mesozoic mammals are extremely rare in Africa. The only previous record from the Upper Jurassic of Africa is a fragmentary mandible without teeth of Brancatherulum tendagurense. Here I report the discovery of two new mammals from the Upper Jurassic of Tendaguru, Tanzania. The fossils were recovered from the Middle Saurian Bed of the Tendaguru Series. A lower molar of a triconodontid mammal is described as Tendagurodon janenschi gen. et sp. nov., and a fragmentary dentary of a eupantothere as Tendagurutherium dietrichi gen. et sp. nov. The eupantothere in particular contributes to documenting the evolution of mammals during the Mesozoic. The posterior portion of the mandible of Tendagurutherium dietrichi gen. et sp. nov. shows that the angular (tympanic) bone was not yet completely separated from the dentary, a previously undocumented stage of eupantotherian middle ear evolution.     

New acrodont lizards (Lacertilia) from the Middle Eocene of southern Mongolia

The problematic lizard family Changjiangosauridae, representatives of which inhabited Asia in the Early Paleogene, is discussed. Six new species of this group, including Acrodontopsis robustus gen. et sp. nov., Agamimus gracilis gen. et sp. nov., Graminisaurus interruptus gen. et sp. nov., Khaichinsaurus reshetovi gen. et sp. nov., Lavatisaurus elegans gen. et sp. nov., and Lentisaurus giganteus gen. et sp. nov., from the Middle Eocene of the Khaichin Uul 2 locality (southern Gobi, Mongolia) are described. It is shown that Changjiangosauridae are probably related to the Late Cretaceous Isodontosauridae and recent Uromastycidae; independent development of a number of dental features in different lineages of Acrodonta (Iguania) is corroborated.