Correlations between baltic amber and Pinus resins

The composition of the acid fractions of four pine resins has been studied before and after an ‘ageing’ process. Correlations are established between Baltic amber and ‘aged’ Pinus halepensis resin.     

Using fossils to determine an amber source: aphids and crane flies in Chinese or Baltic amber?

Aphids and crane flies in amber purported to have originated in China were examined. Six aphid specimens were characterised and determined to be conspecific with Germaraphis defuncta Heie, originally described from Baltic amber. Two crane flies from the same collection were identified as Cheilotrichia minuta and Rhabdomastix brevis, species also previously described from Baltic amber. This study shows that when the locality of an amber source is ambiguous, fossils can be used to determine the true province.     

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.     

First fossil record of Brachyptera (Plecoptera: Taeniopterygidae) in Eocene Baltic amber

The extant taeniopterygid genus Brachyptera Newport, 1848 is reported from the Eocene Baltic amber for the first time. A new species, Brachyptera dewalti n. sp. (Plecoptera: Taeniopterygidae), is described and illustrated based on a well-preserved female in the amber, distinguished by the presence of three well-developed ocelli, the dark color of antennae, maxillary palps, head, prothorax, and abdominal segments, the CuA vein of forewing with three branches, the nearly rhombus, dark brown postgenital plate, and the four-segmented cerci. It is the fourth taeniopterygid species known from the Baltic amber.     

Diverse fossil amoebae in German Mesozoic amber

Fossil amoebae are very rare, although their evolutionary history extends back into the Proterozoic. The Cenomanian amber of Schliersee (southern Germany) is very rich in micro-organisms and contains the highest diversity of fossil freshwater rhizopods (Gymnamoebia and Testacealobosia) yet discovered. Altogether seven testate amoebae and one gymnamoebian species are recorded from this Mesozoic amber. The four newly discovered taxa described in this paper can be assigned to the extant species Centropyxis delicatula , Centropyxis hirsuta , Phryganella acropodia and Phryganella paradoxa . Over 200 individuals of Phryganella paradoxa are preserved. Together with their syninclusions, the amoebae are species of limnetic or limnetic–terrestrial microcoenoses. The presence of 100-myr-old fossils with extant representatives suggests evolutionary stasis of these freshwater amoebae. However, not all modern testacean families have been recorded from Mesozoic limnetic habitats. Our experimental studies verify that naked and testate amoebae can be embedded in resins.     

New genus and species of broad-nosed weevils from Baltic amber and notes on fossils of the subfamily Entiminae (Coleoptera, Curculionidae)

Arostropsis groehnigen. et sp. n. is described from Baltic amber and temporarily placed in the tribe Naupactini. It differs from all recent Naupactini genera with open corbels by very short and flattened scape, distinct lateral carina of the pronotum and elytra, and the rostrum distinctly narrower than the head capsule. The shape of head in the extinct genus is somewhat similar to that of the extant Naupactini genera with enclosed corbels (Platyomus Sahlberg, 1823 and Aptolemus Schoenherr, 1842), but differs in the slender body, open corbels, very short antennal scape and epifrons without a median sulcus (only a longitudinal depression is slightly visible). It is also similar to the Tanymecine genus Pandeleteius Schoenherr, 1834 in general appearance, but distinct by the straight anterior edge of the pronotum, lack of postocular spurs, lobes, and vibrissae, a slightly sloping elytral declivity, lateral ridges on the pronotum, subflattened antennal scape, elongate rostrum, and sparsely setose epistome. A new synonymy of the generic names Protonaupactus Zherikhin, 1971 and Sucinophyllobius Wanat & Borowiec, 1986, syn. n., is established. The Madagascan genus Corecaulus Fairmaire, 1903 is transferred from the tribe Naupactini to the Brachyderini because of its connate claws and the similarity in chaetotaxy of the epistomal area with African and Madagascar Brachyderini genera. A key to the identification of known Baltic amber genera of Entiminae is proposed. A checklist of the prepleistocene fossil Entiminae, based on V.V. Zherikhin's data, with remarks and corrections, is presented.     

缅甸琥珀内含物形态结构在X射线下的可辨识性

【目的】产自缅甸北部胡康河谷的缅甸琥珀形成于白垩纪中期。其艺术价值很高,同时其内含物的生物多样性程度也很高,故其科学价值也不可估量。显微CT能够提供化石(琥珀)内部解剖结构的高分辨率断层图像,故该方法日渐成为目前琥珀研究中的常用方法之一。然而在可见光下可见的琥珀内的生物结构,在X射线下却有不同的结果,这与现生研究材料在显微CT下的表现非常不同。本研究对产自胡康河谷的9块缅甸琥珀进行显微CT检测,试图对这个特殊的现象进行较为系统的解读。【方法】利用数码相机(Nikon 5200D)拍摄琥珀照片,并用Helicon Focus 5.3软件合成。通过显微CT技术扫描琥珀和计算机断层重建技术重建出缅甸琥珀内含物的三维结构形态。【结果】显微CT检测结果主要分为3种:完全无衬度、部分结构有衬度和整体结构有较好衬度。本研究对有较好衬度的琥珀内含物进行了三维重建,展示了琥珀内含物的外部和内部三维结构。【结论】琥珀内含物的可见光成像和X射线成像不存在一一对应关系,其原因和琥珀保存的好坏以及琥珀的密度差、琥珀围岩之间的对比度差异有关。琥珀形成和埋藏过程中的物理和化学变化非常复杂,其机理的探究也更为复杂和困难,本文对这个现象的主要类型做了较为初步的阐述,后续研究需要更为全面的选样和更为严格的实验设计才能够最终解决这个埋藏学上的难题。     

Evidence of parasitism by Strepsiptera in Dominican amber

Fossil evidence of parasitism byStrepsiptera is presented by the discovery of amale pupa in a halictid bee (Halictidae:Hymenoptera) and female and male pupae inrepresentatives of two families of planthoppers(Delphacidae and Achilidae: Fulgoroidea) in 15–45 million year old Dominican amber. In thecase of the delphacid, the first stagestrepsipteran larvae were making their exitfrom the brood chamber at the time of capture.The fossils are compared with extantinsect-strepsiptera associations inMesoamerica. These rare finds, which includethe first fossil record of strepsipteran larvaeassociated with a host insect, establish aminimum age for parasitism of halictid bees andplanthoppers by strepsipterans.     

Developmental stages of the fungus,Synaptomitus orchiphilus,in the germinating seed,Mycophoris elongatus (Orchidaceae), in Dominican amber

The present study reports developmental stages of Synaptomitus orchiphilus inside the germinating orchid seed, Mycophoris elongatus, in Dominican amber. Evidence is presented of fungal hyphae, monilioform cells and basidiocarps with basidia and basidiospores developing in cells of the seed. This is the first record of the teleomorphic stages of a basidiomycete developing in an angiosperm seed.     

Diplocoelus probiphyllus n. sp., the first known fossil False Skin Beetle (Coleoptera: Biphyllidae)

The first fossil species of the family Biphyllidae LeConte 1861, Diplocoelus probiphyllus n. sp., is described from Baltic amber. This species, which shows intermediate characters of antennae, sculpturing and pubescence between Diplocoelus Guérin-Ménéville 1844 and Biphyllus Dejean 1821, also suggests the presence of temperate mixed forests and a climate cooler than it has been until today hypothesised for Baltic Amber.     

A new genus and species of Dictyopharidae (Homoptera) from Rovno and Baltic amber based on nymphs

Alicodoxa rasnitsynigen. et sp. n. (Dictyopharinae: Orthopagini) is described based on a nymph from Rovno amber; it also occurs in Baltic amber. A small additional wax plate dorsal to the large wax plate of abdominal tergites VI-VIII is first reported in this and other genera of Dictyopharidae. A lectotype is designated for Pseudophana reticulata Germar & Berendt, 1856 transferred to Protepiptera (Achilidae): Protepiptera reticulata (Germar & Berendt, 1856), comb. n.     

A new weevil genus of the tribe Metrioxenini (Coleoptera: Belidae) in Eocene Baltic amber

A new genus, Succinometrioxena n. gen., and a new species, S. poinari n. sp. (Metrioxenini: Oxycoryninae), are described from Baltic amber. This new genus resembles the recent genus Wallacexena Legalov, 2009 but differs from it by the frons with horn-like tubercles on either side, the absence of a middle pronotal carina, teeth on the side of the pronotum, the anterior margin of the pronotum lacking teeth and two long carinae on the elytra. From the fossil genus Paltorhynchus Scudder, 1893 the present fossil differs by possessing a frons with horn-like tubercles on either side, the absence of a middle pronotal carina, teeth on the sides of the pronotum, two long carinae on the elytra and short temples. From the fossil genus Archimetrioxena Voss, 1953, the new genus differs by the frons with horn-like tubercles on either side, the absence of the two truncated elytral carinae, the sides of the pronotum with teeth, short temples and a larger body size.     

Redescription of Eatonisca tertiaria Meunier 1905 from Baltic amber (Diptera: Psychodidae: Trichomyiinae)

Eatonisca tertiaria Meunier 1905, is redescribed from the Eocene Baltic amber, with details of the eyes, antennae and male genitalia structure provided. This fossil is placed within Trichomyiinae, and shares several plesiomorphies with Psychodinae, Phlebotominae, and Sycoracinae.     

The first Mesozoic Leptopodidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Leptopodomorpha), from Canadian Late Cretaceous amber

A new genus and species of leptopodid bug, Cretaceomira phalanx McKellar and Engel, is described from Canadian Late Cretaceous (Campanian) amber originating near Grassy Lake, in southern Alberta, Canada. This new record is the first described for the family within the Mesozoic, extending their fossil range by at least 26 Ma. The discovery adds further support to the idea that the subfamily was once much more widespread than its modern, relict distribution in the tropics – adding an occurrence in warm temperate conditions, on the western side of Laurentia (in the modern Palearctic). Beyond confirming the presence of the lineage in the Cretaceous, their expanded distribution suggests that the group is likely to be found in other Cretaceous amber deposits. Furthermore, the distinctive disk-shaped amber nodule that contains the C. phalanx holotype provides limited support for the interpretation of Leptosaldinae as subcortical inhabitants of resin-producing trees as early as the Cretaceous.http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E324DF2B-8D99-42B3-BBAC-8F9DC3603490     

A case of mistaken identification of an amber fossil male strepsipteran (Insecta: Strepsiptera)

A well-preserved specimen of amber Strepsiptera was erroneously described as Stylops neotropicallis Kogan and Poinar, 2010. The taxonomic position of the species was based on a count of six antennomeres (typical of the Stylopidae); however, further observations showed that there are actually seven antennomeres, which places the fossil in the family Myrmecolacidae, and it is herein redescribed in the genus Palaeomyrmecolax Kulicka, 2001. Furthermore, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy analysis of a sample of the amber piece containing the fossil revealed that it was Baltic rather than Dominican amber as originally thought. The fossil was compared with another specimen from Baltic amber in the Poinar collection, which shows close affinity to Palaeomyrmecolax succineus Kulicka, 2001, the type species of the genus. Palaeomyrmecolax neotropicallis (n.comb.) differs from that specimen and seems to differ also from the other four species in the genus Palaeomyrmecolax.     

Abundant assemblage of Ostracoda (Crustacea) in Mexican Miocene amber sheds light on the evolution of the brackish-water tribe Thalassocypridini

Amber inclusions of fully aquatic animals are rare, most of them isolated specimens of water-bound insect larvae. In contrast, we here describe an ample, speciose fauna of 262 fully aquatic individuals of Ostracoda (Crustacea) from Mexican amber of Early Miocene age. This fauna was trapped whilst under water swimming around trunks of resin-producing trees in a brackish lagoon. Ostracod crustaceans are typically around a millimeter in length, and are known for their mostly well-calcified bivalved carapaces that account for their unparalleled fossil record in arthropods. However, in the Chiapas amber we found representatives of the tribe Thalassocypridini, which are characterised by lightly calcified carapaces and therefore lack a substantial fossil record. Embedded in amber, this ‘drawback’ becomes a clear benefit because the unobstructed view onto the appendages otherwise hidden in the carapace allowed us to identify nine ostracod species, six of them new to science. The exceptional number of individuals permitted insights into population composition, reproduction, taphonomy and into micro-environmental parameters of the amber’s place of formation. Based on ecological data available for Recent Thalassocypridini species, we posit that this tribe reached a peak radiation in open lagoonal settings during the Miocene, and shifted towards anchialine environments by the Recent.

http://zoobank.org/lsid:zoobank.org:pub:3C93A06B-F86B-404F-985D-139897F97EF3     

Succinapion telnovi n. gen. et n. sp. of the tribe Kalcapiini (Coleoptera: Brentidae: Apioninae) in Baltic amber

A new genus and species, Succinapion telnovi n. gen. et n. sp. (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea: Brentidae: Apioninae: Kalcapiini) is described and illustrated from Upper Eocene Baltic amber. The new genus is similar to the genus Melanapion Wagner, 1930 but differs from it in having femora ventrally with spine at distal 1/3, simple claws, a longer rostrum, elytra weakly widened towards apex, longer antennae and slightly narrower elytral striae.http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:2A95C49D-5589-4ACA-8A87-0DDF635BA25E