A new scorpion fossil from the Cretaceous amber of Myanmar (Burma). New phylogenetic implications

A fossil scorpion belonging to a new family, genus and species, Chaerilobuthus complexus gen. n., sp. n., is described from Cretaceous amber of Myanmar (Burma). This is the third species and the fourth scorpion specimen to have been found and described from Burmese amber. The new family seems quite distinct from the family Archaeobuthidae Lourenço, 2001 described from Cretaceous amber of Lebanon.     

Dominibrentus leptus,n. gen., n. sp. (Curculionoidea,Brentidae, Cyphagoginae,Dominibrentini, n. tribe), a straight-snouted weevil in Dominican amber

A new tribe, genus and species of straight-snouted weevils (Dominibrentus leptus, n. gen., n. sp., Dominibrentini, n. tribe; Coleoptera: Brentidae; Cyphagoginae) has been described from Dominican amber. The new taxon is characterised by compressed, ventrolateral concavities on the prothorax and abdomen and lateral concavities on the metathorax for reception of the legs. This is the first representative of a straight-snouted weevil in amber.     

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.     

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.     

The first scorpion fossil from the Cretaceous amber of Myanmar (Burma). New implications for the phylogeny of Buthoidea

A specimen belonging to a new genus and species of fossil scorpion, Palaeoburmesebuthus grimaldii gen. n., sp. n., is described from the Upper Cretaceous amber of Myanmar (Burma). This is the first scorpion to have been found and described from Burmese amber (± 90 Myr). The new genus and species are unquestionable buthoid elements but they are assigned to an incertae familiae until further material may be available for study. To cite this article: W.R. Lourenço, C. R. Palevol 1 (2002) 97–101.     

Paleotrichius dominicanus n. gen., n. sp. (Coleoptera; Cetoniidae), a flower beetle in Dominican amber

A new genus and species of flower beetle, Paleotrichius dominicanus, n. gen., n. sp. (Coleoptera: Cetoniidae: Trichinae) is described from Dominican amber. The new taxon is distinguished from all other New World trichines by the combination of the shape of the clypeus, pronotum, protibia, the femoral and tibial armature, the mesosternal process separating the middle coxae, the distinct strial pattern on the elytra and the approximate claws. The beetle may have been quite colourful and a strong flyer attracted to flowers. The larvae most likely developed in decaying hardwoods in the Dominican amber forest. This is the first amber representative of the family Cetoniidae.     

New and revised maimetshid wasps from Cretaceous ambers (Hymenoptera, Maimetshidae)

New material of the wasp family Maimetshidae (Apocrita) is presented from four Cretaceous amber deposits - the Neocomian of Lebanon, the Early Albian of Spain, the latest Albian/earliest Cenomanian of France, and the Campanian of Canada. The new record from Canadian Cretaceous amber extends the temporal and paleogeographical range of the family. New material from France is assignable to Guyotemaimetsha enigmatica Perrichot et al. including the first females for the species, while a series of males and females from Spain are described and figured as Iberomaimetsha Ortega-Blanco, Perrichot & Engel, gen. n., with the two new species Iberomaimetsha rasnitsyni Ortega-Blanco, Perrichot & Engel, sp. n. and Iberomaimetsha nihtmara Ortega-Blanco, Delclòs & Engel, sp. n.; a single female from Lebanon is described and figured as Ahiromaimetsha najlae Perrichot, Azar, Nel & Engel, gen. et sp. n., and a single male from Canada is described and figured as Ahstemiam cellula McKellar & Engel, gen. et sp. n. The taxa are compared with other maimetshids, a key to genera and species is given, and brief comments made on the family.     

A remarkable new fossil species of Amplectister with peculiar hindleg modifications (Coleoptera: Histeridae): further evidence for myrmecophily in Cretaceous clown beetles

Myrmecophily is a phenomenon of the symbiosis of organisms that depend on various ant (Formicidae) societies. Such interspecies associations are found in several unrelated lineages within the clown beetle family Histeridae. Recent studies have suggested that the origin of myrmecophily can be traced back to mid-Cretaceous based on a few fossil records from Kachin amber from northern Myanmar. Here, we describe a remarkable new species, Amplectister terapoides n. sp., from Kachin amber. This is the second species of the extinct genus Amplectister Caterino and Maddison, which has been found from the same amber deposit and has also been considered to be myrmecophilous. The new species here described has the most heavily modified hindlegs in any fossil histerids or even beetles discovered until now, indicating further evidence for ant colony association. Our discovery demonstrates that significant and diverse morphological adaptations to myrmecophily had already occurred during the Cretaceous.     

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.     

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.     

New bethylid and chrysidid wasps (Hymenoptera: Chrysidoidea) from Canadian Late Cretaceous amber

A new bethylid species, Celonophamia granama, and two new chrysidid species, Procleptes eoliami, and P. hopejohnsonae, are described from Late Cretaceous (Campanian) amber collected at the Grassy Lake locality in Alberta, Canada. Within the deposit these taxa constitute the first bethylid, and the second and third chrysidid species to be described, respectively. The new taxa expand the sparse fossil record of Chrysidoidea, particularly that of Chrysididae—a group that was previously represented by only three described species in the Mesozoic. The presence of Celonophamia species in both Canadian amber and Siberian (Taimyr) amber further emphasizes faunal similarities between these two northern Late Cretaceous amber deposits. Given the prevalence of metallic coloration in Chrysididae, the specimens described here also provide evidence for the taphonomic alteration of perceived insect colors in Cretaceous amber inclusions.     

A new Planthopper (Insecta: Hemiptera: Nogodinidae) from Chiapas amber, middle Miocene of Mexico

A new species of Planthopper, Nogodina chiapaneca sp. nov. from the Mexican Chiapas amber (southeast Mexico) is described. The new species belongs to Nogodinidae: Nogodinini: Nogodinina. This is the second nogodinid species described from Mexican amber. Both species belong to Nogodinina, a taxon with a Neotropical distribution. The only recent species of Nogodina, N. reticulata, ranges from Honduras to Brazil and is unknown from Mexico yet.     

Olemehlia krali,a new genus and species of Ripidiinae from Baltic amber (Coleoptera: Ripiphoridae)

A new genus and species, Olemehlia krali n. g. & n. sp. (Coleoptera: Ripiphoridae: Ripidiinae), is described from Baltic amber. The newly described genus is compared with all known fossil and extant closely related genera of the subfamily Ripidiinae. It is characterised by the following combination of characters: antennae consisting of 10 antennomeres, with scape, pedicel, and antennomere 3 simple and antennomeres 4–10 uniflabellate, mouthparts reduced to a small single unpaired tubercle, postocular ommatidia absent, pronotum trapezoid without grooves or impressions, elytra without white apical spots, tarsal formula 5–5–4, hind tarsomere I shorter than three remaining combined. Diversity of Ripiphoridae in Baltic amber is discussed; key to Ripidiinae genera from Baltic amber is provided.     

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.     

The serphitid wasps (Hymenoptera: Proctotrupo‐morpha: Serphitoidea) of Canadian Cretaceous amber

Five new species and one new genus of Serphitidae microhymenoptera are described from Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) amber originating at the Grassy Lake locality in Alberta, Canada. New taxa include Serphites hynemani sp.n. , Serphites bruesi sp.n. , Serphites kuzminae sp.n. , Serphites pygmaeus sp.n. and Jubaserphites ethani gen. et sp.n. Topotype material for the type species of Serphites, Serphites paradoxus Brues is re‐illustrated and redescribed in greater detail, clarifying the characteristics of the species for comparison with the numerous serphitids that have been described subsequent to the work of Brues. We provide the first comprehensive report of known serphitid specimens in Canadian amber, draw comparisons with taxa in other Cretaceous deposits, and comment upon the palaeoecological connotations of the relatively diverse and morphologically disparate Canadian serphitid assemblage.     

Gall midges of the supertribe stomatosematidi (Diptera,Cecidomyiidae) in the Palaearctic region,with descriptions of new taxa from the late Eocene Rovno Amber. 2. The genera <Emphasis Type="Italic">Didactylomyia</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rovnodidactylomyia</Emphasis> gen. n.

One new genus (Rovnodidactylomyia Fedotova et Perkovsky, gen. n.) and four new species (Didactylomyia dlusskyi sp. n., Rovnodidactylomyia zosimovichi gen. n. et sp. n., R. sidorenkoi sp. n., and R. iconica sp. n.) are described from an amber sample of the late Eocene Period (Rovno District, Ukraine). Two species from a Baltic amber sample of the late Eocene Period, described earlier in the genus Bryocrypta, are attributed to the genus Rovnodidactylomyia (R. girafa (Meunier, 1904) comb. n. and R. capitosa (Meunier, 1904)). The first fossil species of the genus Didactylomyia is described for the first time; two contemporary Palaearctic species are recorded. Keys to the species of the genus Didactylomyia are given.     

Fossil amoebae (Hemiarcherellidae fam. nov.) from Albian (Cretaceous) amber of France

Abstract: Two extraordinarily well‐preserved testate amoebae are described from Late Albian age amber from south‐western France. The specimens are attributed to a new family, the Hemiarcherellidae fam. nov., and are described as Hemiarcherella christellae gen. et sp. nov. The amoebae described herein originate from highly fossiliferous amber pieces. Based on syninclusions, Hemiarcherella christellae was a soil‐dwelling organism, probably an active bacterivore. This taxon represents the third species of testate amoebae described from mid‐Cretaceous French amber. Analysis of this fossil amoeba fauna illustrates the uniqueness of mid‐Cretaceous French amber deposits. Indeed, most amoebae found in amber have been assigned to modern species, corroborating the hypothesis of morphological stasis in different microbial lineages. However, the well‐preserved amoebae fauna found in French amber can be distinguished clearly from modern species and help us to better understand the fossil record of these organisms.     

New and little known weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea) from the Paleogene and Neogene

A new tribe, Palaeorhopalotriini Legalov, n. tribe, new genera, Electranthribus Legalov, n. gen. (type species: Electranthribus zherikhini n. sp.), Palaeorhopalotria Legalov, n. gen. (type species: Palaeorhopalotria neli n. sp.), Eoceneithycerus Legalov, n. gen. (type species: Eoceneithycerus carpenteri n. sp.), Succinorhynchites Legalov, n. gen. (type species: S. alberti n. sp.), Palaeophelypera Legalov, n. gen. (type species: Palaeophelypera kuscheli n. sp.) and Archaeocallirhopalus Legalov, n. gen. (type species: A. larssoni n. sp.) and new species, Electranthribus zherikhini Legalov, n. sp. (Anthribidae: Anthribinae: Zygaenodini) from Baltic amber, Succinometrioxena bachofeni Legalov, n. sp. from Baltic amber, Palaeorhopalotria neli Legalov, n. sp. (Belidae: Oxycoryninae: Allocorynitae) from Alès-Monteils, Upper Eocene, Eoceneithycerus carpenteri Legalov, n. sp. (Ithyceridae: Ithycerinae) from USA Lower Eocene, Succinorhynchites alberti Legalov, n. sp. (Rhynchitidae: Rhynchitini: Perrhynchitina) from Baltic amber, Ceutorhynchus succinus Legalov, n. sp. (Curculionidae: Baridinae: Ceutorhynchini) from Baltic amber, Palaeophelypera kuscheli Legalov, n. sp. (Entiminae: Hyperini: Cepurina) from Baltic amber, and A. larssoni Legalov, n. sp. (Entiminae: Cneorhinini alaeophelypera) from Baltic amber are described. Isotheinae Scudder 1893, n. syn. is synonymised to the tribe Rhynchitini Gistel, 1848. Trichapiina Alonso-Zarazaga 1990, n. syn. is synonymised to the subtribe Toxorhynchina Scudder 1893. Phialodes durus (Heer 1865), n. placem. and n. comb. is transferred from the genus Attelabus Linnaeus, 1758 to the genus Phialodes Roelofs, 1874.     

A new genus and species of gall midges of the supertribe Heteropezidi (Diptera,Cecidomyiidae) found in Eocene amber from Sakhalin

A new genus and species of pedogenetic gall midge, Estoperpetua sakhalinica gen. et sp. nov., of the tribe Heteropezini (subfamily Lasiopterinae) is described. Gall midges have not been recorded in Eocene amber of Sakhalin. A female with 4-segmented tarsi, large transparent triangular sensoria on flagellomeres, short wings and legs, and long 2 + 9-segmented antennae is described. Heteropezidi shows the greatest generic and species diversity in the Late Eocene Rovno amber. Representatives of this supertribe were also found in the Late Eocene Baltic amber, Early Eocene Oise amber, Miocene amber from Mexico and Dominican Republic, and African copal. Heteropezidi from different amber faunas are reviewed.