Sciency Thoughts: Lebanese Amber

Showing posts with label Lebanese Amber. Show all posts

Monday, 8 April 2024

Nannotanyderus granieri: A new species of Primitive Crane Fly from Early Cretaceous Lebanese Amber.

Primitive Crane Flies, Tanyderidae, are a widely distributed group of mostly aquatic True Flies, Diptera, generally thought to be a relict group. There are 39 living species in ten genera found around the globe, with 34 fossil species dating as far back as the Early Jurassic, which show a greater morphological diversity than is found in the group today. Larval Primitive Crane Flies are typically found in aquatic or semi-aquatic environments, such as wet sandy soil and the outer layers of submerged rotting logs in streams. Adults vary between about 5 mm and about 35 mm in length, and typically have a mottled pattern on their wings, conspicuous mouthparts, and elongated cervical (neck) sclerites.

In a paper published in the journal Carnets Geol. on 1 April 2024, Dany Azar and Sibelle Maksoud of the State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Oil Stratigraphy at the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, and the Natural Sciences Department at the Lebanese University, Di-Ying Huang, also of the State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Oil Stratigraphy at the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Mounir Maalouf, also of the Natural Sciences Department at the Lebanese University, and Chen-Yang Cai, again of the State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Oil Stratigraphy at the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, describe a new species of Primitive Crane Fly from Early Cretaceous Lebanese Amber.

The new species is placed in the genus Nannotanyderus, which contains six previously described species from the Early Jurassic to Early Cretaceous of Germany, England, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and Lebanon, and given the specific name granieri, in honour of Bruno Granier, whose research has significantly advanced the dating of amber outcrops in Lebanon. The species is described from a single female specimen, preserved in a piece of amber from the Bqaatouta outcrop in Caza District, which also includes a Spider and a male Chironomid Dipteran.

Nannotanyderus granieri, holotype, female, specimen number BKT-11A. (A) Habitus, right lateral side. (B) Habitus, left lateral side. (C) Head photomicrograph with confocal microscope. (D) Wing photomicrograph with confocal microscope. (E) Female terminalia, photomicrograph with confocal microscope. (F) Female terminalia, photomicrograph with compound microscope. Scale bars are 500 µm (A), (B), & (D), 100 µm (C), and 50 µm (E) & (F). Azar et al. (2024).

Nannotanyderus granieri is tiny compared to modern Primitive Crane Flies, measuring only 1571 µm in length. making it the smallest known member of the Tanyderidae (the next smallest, measuring only 1890 µm, is Nannotanyderus ansorgei, also from Lebanese Amber). It lacks an elongated neck, but does have well-developed mouthparts, with sclerotized maxillae longer than the head.

Saturday, 18 November 2023

Baskintoconops maaloufi: A new species of Biting Midge from Early Cretaceous Lebanese Amber.

Biting Midges, Ceratopogonidae, are a highly diverse group of True Flies, Diptera, found in all terrestrial environments today, and with a substantial fossil record. Female Biting Midges require a protein meal before laying their eggs, and many obtain this by taking blood or haemolymph from a living Animal (giving them the group its common name) although others visit carrion or obtain nectar or pollen from Plants. Males do not bite. The fossil record of the group dates back to the Early Cretaceous, from when eight genera are known, including six genera and thirty species from Lebanese and Jordanian amber.

In a paper published in the European Journal of Taxonomy on 15 November 2023, Agata Pielowska-Ceranowska of the Laboratory of Evolutionary Entomology and Museum of Amber Inclusions at the University of Gdańsk, Dany Azar of the State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy at the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Department of Biology at the Lebanese University, and Jacek Szwedo, also of the Laboratory of Evolutionary Entomology and Museum of Amber Inclusions at the University of Gdańsk, describe a new species of Biting Midge from the Baskinta (Qanat Bakish) amber outcrop in Lebanon, the first member of the group from this location.

The new species is described from a single female specimen. The wing venation is deemed sufficiently unique for it to be placed in a new genus, which is named Baskintoconops, in reference to the village of Baskinta where it was found, and given the specific name maaloufi, in honour of Mounir and Ramy Maalouf, who collected the specimen. The specimen is 0.86 mm long, with a wing length of 0.5 mm. It has reniform (kidney shaped) eyes and elongated, needle-like mouthparts, and antennae divided into 15 antennomeres.

Baskintoconops maaloufi, holotype (QBC-13D). (A) General view. (B) Compound eye and right antenna. (C) Anterior portion of body, left lateral view. (D) Head and mouthparts, right lateral view. Pielowska-Ceranowska et al. (2023).

Baskintoconops maaloufi represents the seventh genus and thirty-first species of Biting Midge from Early Cretaceous Lebanese Amber, showing that the group was already diverse and successful by the time these deposits were formed. It has been suggested that this early radiation of the group in the Early Cretaceous was due to the adaptation to feeding on the blood of Vertebrates, though there is no direct evidence for this. The amber-producing Early Cretaceous deposits of Lebanon have yielded the tracks and teeth of a variety of Dinosaurs, although these seem like poor targets for a biting Insect without very specialised mouthparts. These deposits have also produced fossils of both Birds and Pterosaurs, which had thinner skins and seem more plausible food sources, and are known to have been close to water, which might plausibly have attracted Mammals into the area, providing another group of potential blood-doners.

Wednesday, 20 April 2016

Holopsenella primotica: A new species of Bethylid Wasp from Early Cretaceous Lebanese Amber.

Bethylid Wasps are a diverse group of Chrysid (Stinging) Wasps, found across the world today, but most abundant in the tropics. They are predominantly parasitoids, laying their eggs on Beetles, Butterflies, Moths or sometimes other Wasps, which they sting and bury alive for their larvae to consume from within, though some species are hunters, bringing a succession of prey animals to feed their young. Bethylids are thought to have been among the first Chrysids, making their origins important to our understanding of the group. However, while the Tertiary history of the group is well documented, relatively few Mesozoic species have been described, and those that have (and a number of undescribed Cretaceous Bethylids from France and New Jersey) appear to be relatively advanced members of the group.

In a paper published in the American Museum Novitates on 7 April 2017, Michael Engel of the Division of Invertebrate Zoology (Entomology) at the American Museum of Natural History, the Division of Entomology (Paleoentomology) at the Natural History Museum and the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Kansas, Jaime Ortega-Blanco, also of the Division of Entomology (Paleoentomology) at the Natural History Museum of the University of Kansas and of the Department d’Estratigrafia, Paleontologia i Geociències Marines at the Universitat de Barcelona, and Celso Avevedo of the Departamento de Ciências Biológicas at the Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, describe a new species of Bethylid Wasp from Early Cretaceous Lebanese Amber.

The new species is named Holopsenella primotica, where 'Holopsenella' means 'complete wing'; the specimen apparently having all of the wing veins predicted for the earliest Bethylid Wasps, but which each modern group of Bethylids only retain some of, and 'primotica' means 'pertaining to happening early', refering to the specimens status both as one of the earliest known Bethylids chronologically, and apparently the most primitive known member of the group.

Microphotographs Holopsenella primotica, in Lebanese Early Cretaceous amber (scale bars = 1 mm). (A) Dorsal view. (B) Ventral view. (C) Lateral view. Engel et al. (2016).

Holopsenella primotica is described from a single female specimen 3.87 mm in length, preserved in a piece of transparent yellow-orange amber. Only the right side of the specimen is visible, the left side being obscured by fracturing of the amber which prevents safe polishing of that side of the piece.

Tuesday, 3 February 2015

Sixteen new species of Scale Insects from Cretaceous and Eocene ambers.

Scale Insects are Hemipteran plant-parasites, closely related to Aphids. There are over 7900 living species, as well as an extensive fossil record, dating back to the Early Cretaceous. Most of the taxonomy of recent Scale Insects is based upon studies of the larger, wingless females, while most taxonomic studies of fossil groups has been based upon the smaller winged males, as these disperse in search of new females, and therefore are prone to becoming trapped in amber.

In a paper published in the American Museum Novitates on 16 January 2015, Isabelle Vea of the Richard Gilder Graduate School and Division of Invertebrate Zoology at the American Museum of Natural History and DavidGrimaldi, also of the Division of Invertebrate Zoology at the American Museum of Natural History, describe sixteen new species of Scale Insects from Early Cretaceous Lebanese Amber, Middle Cretaceous Burmese Amber, Early Eocene Cambay Amber and Middle Eocene Baltic Amber.

The first new species described is placed in a new genus, Pseudoweitschatus, meaning ‘similar to Weitschatus’, a previously described genus from Baltic Amber, which the new genus resembles and to which it is thought to be closely related. It is given the specific name audebertis, in honour of Vincent Audebert, Isobelle Rea’s high school biology teacher, for his inspiration to pursue a career in evolutionary biology, and in recognition of the role of science educators in inspiring future generations of scientists.

The species is described from a single male specimen from Middle Cretaceous Burmese Amber collected near Tanai Village in Kachin State, Myanmar. It is 1.76 mm in length, but significantly shrivelled, so that the original shape of the thorax is unclear. This species has two compound eyes, each with about 100 ommatidia, and ten-segmented antennae 1.30-1.33 mm in length. The wings are oval 1.55 mm in length, and 740 μm wide at their widest.

Dorsal view of Pseudoweitschatus audebertis. Abreviations: afp, anterior flexing patch; cr, cubital ridge; o, ocellus; pe, pedicel; pfp, posterior flexing patch; ps, penial sheath; pt, pterostigma; sc, scape; scr, subcostal ridge; td, tubular duct. Roman numerals indicate antennae segment numbers. Rea & Grimaldi (2015).

The second new species described is placed in a new genus, Kozarius, named in honour of the late Ferenc Kozár (1943–2013), for his contributions to the study of Scale Insects, and given the specific name perpetuus, meaning ‘continual’ or ‘continuing without interruption’.

The species is described from a single male specimen from Middle Cretaceous Burmese Amber collected near Tanai Village in Kachin State, Myanmar. It is 1.02 mm in length and has two large bulging compound eyes, each with 80-90 ommatidia, and 10 segmented antennae 480–535 μm in length. The wings are 660 μm long and 305 μm at their widest point.

Ventral view of Kozarius perpetuus. Abreviations: ae, aedeagus; bs, bristle; cr, cubital ridge; fe, femur; ha, hamulohaltere; pe, pedicel; pfp, posterior flexing patch; sc, scape; scr, subcostal ridge; tds, tubular duct secretion; ti, tibia; tr, trochanter; ts, tarsus. Rea & Grimaldi (2015).

The third new species described is also place in the genus Kozarius, and is given the specific name achronus, meaning ‘without time’, in reference to the timeless nature of specimens frozen in amber.

The species is described from a single male specimen from Middle Cretaceous Burmese Amber collected near Tanai Village in Kachin State, Myanmar. It is 1.13 mm in length and has large protruding compound eyes with about 80 ommatidia each, and 9 segmented antennae 600–640 μm in length. The wings are 845 μm long and 90 μm wide at their widest point.

Ventral view of Kozarius achronus. Abreviations: ae, aedeagus; bs, bristle; ce, compound eye; cr, cubital ridge; ha, hamulohaltere; o, ocellus; pe, pedicel; pfp, posterior flexing patch; prtx, prothorax; sc, scape; scr, subcostal ridge; tds, tubular duct secretion. Rea & Grimaldi (2015).

The fourth new species described is placed in the genus Heteromargarodes, which currently includes three extent species from North America, and given the specific name hukamsinghi, in honour of Hukam Singh of the Birbal Sahni Institute for Palaeobotany, for his work on the fossils of the Cambay Shale and Cambay Amber.

The species is described from a single male specimen in a piece of Early Eocene Cambay Amber from the Tadkeshwar Lignite Mine in Gujerat State, India. The specimen is 1.6 mm long, with elongate, non-protruding compound eyes, each made up of about 30-40 large ommatidia. The antennae have at least 9 segments, though the tips of these are missing from the specimen. The wings are oval, 1.00 mm long and 570 μm wide at their widest point.

Heteromargarodes hukamsinghiin full ventral view. Abreviations: afp, anterior flexing patch; cl, claw; cr, cubital ridge; fe, femur; pfp, posterior flexing patch; pt, pterostigma; scr, subcostal ridge; ti, tibia; ts, tarsus. Rea & Grimaldi (2015).

The fifth new species described is placed in a new genus, Hodgsonicoccus, named in honour of Christopher Hodgson for his work on male Scale Insects, and given the specific name patefactus, meaning ‘discovered’ or ‘revealed’.

The species is described from a single specimen from Early Cretaceous amber from Bchare Mountain in northern Lebanon, thought to be a second or third instar nymph (a nymph is an immature Insect, an instar a life stage between moults). The specimen is 2.04 mm in length, with 10-15 large simple eyes. The antennae have 10 segments and are 1.56 mm in length. The specimen has no wings, as these are only present in adult male Scale Insects.

Hodgsonicoccus patefactus in lateral view. Abreviations: abds, abdominal setae; osc, ocular sclerite; prsc, prescutum. Rea & Grimaldi (2015).

The sixth new species described is placed in the genus Pityococcus, which previously includes three living species from North America and plus a specimen from Baltic Amber. It is given the specific name moniliformalis, meaning ‘necklace-shaped’, in reference to the segments of the antennae, which resemble beads.

The species is described from a single male specimen in Middle Eocene Baltic Amber, from the Palmnicken mines in Yantaryni on the Russian Baltic Coast. The specimen is 1.13 mm in length and has five pairs of simple eyes. The antennae are nine-segmented and 305–375 μm in length. The wings are oval, 780 μm long and 415 μm wide at their widest point.

Pityococcus moniliformalis in dorsal view. Abreviations: cr, cubital ridge; en, endophallus; mpnt, mesopostnotum; pe, pedicel; ps, penial sheath; prsc, prescutum; sc, scape; scr, subcostal ridge; sctl, scutellum. Roman numerals indicate antennae segment numbers. Rea & Grimaldi (2015).

The seventh new species is placed in the genus Apticoccus, which currently contains a single species from Early Cretaceous Lebanese Amber, and given the specific name fortis, meaning ‘strong’ in reference to its robust shape.

The species is described from a single male specimen in Early Cretaceous Amber from central Lebanon. It is 545 μm in length, and has a row of simple eyes on each side of the head; this probably contains six eyes on each side, but is hard to view due to a thin layer of bubbles covering the head. The antennae have ten segments and are about 220 μm in length. The wings are elongate, 620 μm long and 260 μm wide at their widest section.

Apticoccus fortis in dorsal view. Abreviations: cr, cubital ridge; pe, pedicel; prsc, prescutum; sc, scape; scr, subcostal ridge; se, simple eye; tsd, tarsal digitule. Roman numerals indicate antennae segment numbers. Rea & Grimaldi (2015).

The eighth new species is also placed in the genus Apticoccus, and is given the specific name longitenuis, meaning ‘long and thin’, in reference to the shape of the penal sheath.

The species is described from a single male specimen in Early Cretaceous amber from central Lebanon. The specimen is 615 μm long, with six simple eyes and ten segmented antennae, 300–320 μm in length. The wings are oval and 715 μm long and 135 μm wide at their widest point.

Apticoccus longitenuis in dorsal view. Abreviations: ae, aedeagus; cr, cubital ridge; pe, pedicel; prsc, prescutum; sc, scape; scr, subcostal ridge; sctl, scutellum. Rea & Grimaldi (2015).

The ninth new species described is placed in a new genus, Xiphos, for a type of double-edged sword used by Ancient Greeks, in reference to the shape of the penal sheath. It is given the specific name vani, in honour of Van Vea, the father of Isabelle Vea.

The species is described from a single male specimen from Early Cretaceous amber from central Lebanon. The specimen is 1.44 mm long and has a pair of protruding compound eyes, each with about 55–60 ommatidia. The antennae have ten segments and are 960–1000 μm long. The wings are suboval and 1135–1145 μm long and 460–465 μm at wide at their widest section.

Xiphos vani in dorsal view. Abreviations: pe, pedicel; sc, scape. Roman numerals indicate antennae segment numbers. Rea & Grimaldi (2015).

The tenth new species described is placed in a new genus, Alacrena, meaning ‘wing notch’ in reference to a distinctive notch on the wing, and given the specific name peculiaris, in reference to the peculiarity of that notch, as nothing similar has ever been recorded from any other Scale Insect.

The species is described from a single male specimen from Middle Cretaceous amber from near Tanai Village in Katchin State, Myanmar. The specimen is 990 μm in length and has a pair of large protruding compound eyes, probably with about 100 ommatidia, though this is difficult to determine. The antennae have ten segments and are about 450 μm long, the wings are rounded at the end with a distinctive notch, and 680 μm long, and 330 μm wide.

Alacrena peculiaris in dorsal view. Abreviations: adb, abdomen; ae, aedeagus; aln, alar notch; ce, compound eye; cr, cubital ridge; ha, hamulohaltere; o, ocellus; pe, pedicel; sc, scape; scr, subcostal ridge. Rea & Grimaldi (2015).

The eleventh new species described is placed in a new genus named Magnilens, meaning ‘large eye’, and given the specific name glaesaria, meaning ‘of amber’.

The species is described from a single male specimen from Middle Cretaceous amber from near Tanai Village in Katchin State, Myanmar. The specimen is 1.37 mm long and has seven pairs of large, protruding simple eyes. The antennae have ten segments and are 950 μm long, the wings are rounded, 1.28 mm long and 640 μm wide at their widest point.

Lateral view of Magnilens glaesaria. Abreviations: ae, aedeagus; cr, cubital ridge; dse, dorsal simple eye; fws, filamentous wax secretion; ps, penial sheath; ti, tibia; ts, tarsus; vse, ventral simple eye. Rea & Grimaldi (2015).

The twelth new species described is placed in a new genus, Pedicellicoccus, meaning ‘small foot’, in reference to the enlarged bubous foot of the species, and given the specific name marginatus, meaning ‘marginated’ in reference to the flat apical margin of the wing.

The species is described from a single male specimen from Middle Cretaceous amber from near Tanai Village in Katchin State, Myanmar. The specimen is 520 μm long, with at least five and possibly six pairs of simple eyes (this cannot be seen clearly due to the orientation of the specimen. The antennae are nine-segmented and 195–200 μm in length, the wings are broad and rounded distally, 500 μm long and 280 μm wide at the widest section.

Dorsal and view of Pedicellicoccus marginatus. Abreviations: en, endophallus; mpnt, mesopostnotum; ps, penial sheath; sctl, scutellum. Rea & Grimaldi (2015).

The thirteenth new species described is placed in a new genus named Williamsicoccus, in honour of Douglas Williams, for his contributions to Scale Insect systematics. It is given the specific name megalops, meaning ‘large eyes’.

The species is described from a single male specimen in Early Cretaceous amber from central Lebanon. The specimen is 775 μm in length and has two pairs of eyes, the lower pair being larger than the upper pair. The antennae have at least six segments, but are incomplete. The wings are long and thin with rounded tips, 885 μm long and 290 μm wide.

Dorsal view of Williamsicoccus megalops. Abreviations: dse, dorsal simple eye; mpnt, mesopostnotum; o, ocellus; pe, pedicel; prsc, prescutum; sc, scape. Rea & Grimaldi (2015).

The fourteenth new species described is placed in a new genus, Gilderius, named in honour of Richard Gilder, a trustee of the American Museum of Natural History, for his role in the creation of the Richard Gilder Graduate School. It is given the specific name eukrinops, meaning ‘well-separated’, in reference to the positioning of the ventral eyes.

The species is described from a single male specimen from Middle Cretaceous amber from near Tanai Village in Katchin State, Myanmar. The specimen is 840 μm long, though it is preserved in a bent position and may have been closer to 900 μm long in life. It has two pairs of large simple eyes, and ten-segmented antennae, 510–530 μm in length. The wings are narrow with rounded tips, 800 μm long and 400 μm wide.

Gilderius eukrinops in dorsal view. Abreviations: ae, aedeagus; dse, dorsal simple eye; fe, femur; o, ocellus; pe, pedicel; ps, penial sheath; sc, scape; ti, tibia; tr, trochanter; ts, tarsus; vse, ventral simple eye. Rea & Grimaldi (2015).

The fifteenth new species described is placed in a new genus, Rosahendersonia, named in honour of the late Rosa Henderson (1942–2012), for her work on the Insects of New Zealand. It is given the specific name prisca, meaning ‘ancient’.

The species is described from a single male specimen from Middle Cretaceous amber from near Tanai Village in Katchin State, Myanmar. The specimen is 535 μm in length, with two pairs of simple eyes. The antennae have ten segments and are 325–350 μm in length. The wings are 605 μm long with rounded tips.

Dorsal view of Rosahendersonia prisca. Abreviations: dse, dorsal simple eye; fe, femur; masc, membranous area on scutum; o, ocellus; pe, pedicel; sctl, scutellum; ti, tibia; ts, tarsus. Roman numerals indicate antennae segment numbers. Rea & Grimaldi (2015).

The final new species described is placed in a new genus, Normarkicoccus, named in honour of Benjamin Normark for his work on Armoured Scale Insects (Diaspididae), and given the specific name cambayae, in reference to the Cambay Basin, from where Cambay Amber originates.

The species is named from a single male specimen in Early Eocene Cambay Amber from the Tadkeshwar Lignite Mines in Gujarat State, India. The specimen is 365 μm long, with two pairs of simple eyes. The antennae have ten segments and are 225–250 μm long. The wings are narrow with rounded tips, 420 μm long and 100 μm wide.

Normarkicoccus cambayae in dorsal view. Abreviations: cl, claw; dse, dorsal simple eye; ha, hamulohaltere; pe, pedicel; sc, scape; ti, tibia; ts, tarsus. Roman numerals indicate antennae segment numbers. Rea & Grimaldi (2015).