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Premise of research. This investigation was undertaken to describe a multifloral grass spikelet enclosed in Baltic amber. The fossil, described in the new genus Eograminis, represents the first def...

In this article, a new species of the genus Amberophytum Yu, Slipinski et Pang, 2019 of the family Cerophytidae from mid- Cretaceous Burmese amber is described and illustrated. The new species, A. maculatum s.n. differs from A. birmanicum Yu, Slipinski et Pang, 2019 in the smaller body size, shorter metatarsomere 1, and more convex body. A key to the species of the genus Amberophytum is presented.

A new monotypic genus of nogodinid planthoppers (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Nogodinidae) is described from Dominican amber. The adult female of Jatoba losbrachi gen. et sp. nov. can be distinguished...

The present paper describes a new species of encyrtid wasp, Hambletonia dominicana sp. nov. (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) from Dominican amber. Diagnostic characters include long antennae that are almost twice the length of the head, the absence of long, coarse, flattened setae on the dorsal apical margin of the pedicel, and an elliptical club subequal in length to that of the funicle. This first described fossil species of Hambletonia provides views of new and possible unique morphological features of encyrtid wasps that existed in the Neotropics during the mid-Tertiary.

A new species of spiroplasmid, Spiroplasma burmanica sp. nov. (Mollicutes: Entomoplasmatales: Spiroplasmataceae) is described from the body cavity of a fossil plant louse (Psylloidea: Sternorrhyncha) in Burmese amber. The new species is pleomorphic with body shapes varying from oval to helical. The majority of the helical cells occur in the head, thorax (including leg cavities) and abdomen of the fossil psyllid. The association between S. burmanica and the psyllid is considered to be a case of symbiosis, similar to extant relationships. This discovery of the first fossil spiroplasmid shows that psyllids carried these microorganisms some 100 million years ago.

A bizarre cylindrical bark beetle from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber is described as Stegastochlidus saraemcheana, a new genus and species in the subfamily Colydiinae of the family Zopheridae. The male beetle is characterized by elongate protuberances covering its entire dorsal surface, a tarsal formula of 4-4-4 and ten-segmented antennae with the terminal segment expanded into a small club. The fossil is considered to have been a possible predator that lived among moss, lichens and fungi either attached to trees trunks or on the forest floor. A close association with fungi is indicated by strands of conidia attached to the cuticle of the beetle.

Although partially damaged prior to its preservation in coniferous resin, the flower of Cyathitepala papillosa retains enough morphological features to justify its description as a new genus and species of fossil angiosperms. The perianth is incomplete, but there are at least 6 large outer tepals and numerous smaller, spirally arranged inner ones. The limbs of some of the larger tepals are cup-shaped and face abaxially, while the smaller inner tepals are flat or have adaxially folded margins. There is an inner series of erect, apically truncate tepals surrounding the stamens. The surfaces and margins of the tepals are densely papillate. There is a whorl of ca. 12 stamens with anthers that dehisce by two dorsally hinged valves. Nothing remains of the receptacle or pedicel of the flower, but the superior portion of the pistil is conic and bears two columnar, erect styles. The fossil is compared with three previously described fossil genera, Setitheca, Zygadelphus, and Strombothelya, which were suggested as having a possible relationship with certain families of order Laurales.

The flower described here as Valviloculus pleristaminis, a new genus and species of fossil angiosperms, was obtained from Myanmar amber deposits dating to the mid-Cretaceous period. The flower is staminate, with an ovoid, hollow floral cup. The perianth consists of 6 tepals, one of which was lost prior to preservation. Numerous helically arranged stamens are borne at the summit of the flower. The anthers are bilocular, with pollen sacs that dehisce by laterally hinged valves. The tip of the connective bears a cup-shaped appendage. The gynoecium is represented only by a cluster of vestigial styles centered among the stamens. The fossil is provisionally assigned to order Laurales, its closest affinities being with the families Monimiaceae and Atherospermataceae.

A new weevil genus, Tanyrhamphis gen. nov. (type species: Tanyrhamphis rhadinoalibus sp. nov.), of the subfamily Conoderinae in the family Curculionidae, is described from Dominican amber. The new ...

Three new species of ensign wasps (Hymenoptera: Evaniidae), Evaniella setifera sp. nov., Evaniella dominicana sp. nov., and Semaeomyia hispaniola sp. nov. are described from Dominican amber and Hyp...

A fossil flower in mid-Cretaceous amber from Myanmar (Burma) is described as the new genus and species Phantophlebia dicycla. The perianth of the flower is composed of two 5-merous whorls of tepals, the outer tepals being smaller and more irregular in shape than the inner. All the tepals are distinctly vascularized, with few to many major veins that are connected above by an irregular network of veinlets. The flower’s 5 stamens are opposite the inner tepals, with bilocular anthers that dehisce by latrorse, oblique slits. No gynoecium can be seen beneath the air bubble covering the center of the flower. The fossil shares some characteristics with myrsinoid members of family Primulaceae.

The fossil flower described here as Thymolepis toxandra is from amber deposits in Myanmar which have been dated as ca. 100 Ma. The peri-anth consists of 12 tepals of varying size and shape, arranged in decussate pairs at the summit of an obconic floral cup. The epidermis of some of the tepals is densely papillate-secretory. The flower is bisexual, the androecium consisting of 2 stamens whose anthers are bisporangiate, hippocrepiform, and densely hirsute. The gynoecium is visible only as a bilobed stigma or as the tips of two postgenitally fused styles, the re-mainder of the pistil(s) being hidden by the perianth and floral cup. It is suggested that the fossil may be an early representative of family Monimiaceae.

A new fossil angiosperm, Dasykothon leptomiscus, is described from mid-Cretaceous amber deposits in the Hukawng Valley of northwestern Myanmar (Burma). The flower is post-anthesis except for one stamen that retains its pollen. The perianth is slightly irregular and composed of 5 ovate or lance-linear, erect or incurved sepals. The ca. 12 stamens have slender, elongate filaments and dorsifixed, bithecal, longitudinally dehiscent anthers. The superior ovary bears 2 long, curved styles. Germinating pollen grains observed on the stigmas are monoporate and have the peculiar feature of a grooved ridge encircling the grain from pole to pole. This structure is hypothesized to be an evolutionary elaboration of the meridionally syncolpate sulcus found in some members of the Atherospermataceae. The generalized floral morphology of the fossil prevents ready taxonomic assignment to a modern family.

Summary A new species of fossil mermithid, Heydenius simulphilus sp. n. (Nematoda: Mermithidae), is described from two parasitic juvenile specimens adjacent to a male black fly (Diptera: Simuliidae) in Baltic amber. It is proposed that the nematodes emerged from their developmental sites in the haemocoel of the black fly host through a wound in the abdomen of the latter, as indicated by the release of a droplet of haemolymph and damaged cuticle. Various internal structures of the nematodes are identified and related to those found on extant developing mermithids. This is the first fossil record of mermithid parasitism of a black fly.

A new species, Anthonomus aphelomerus Legalov and Poinar, sp. nov. from Early Miocene Dominican amber is described. The new species differs from Anthonomus browni Poinar and Legalov, 2015 in the smaller body size, thinner, weakly curved rostrum and weakly clavate femora; it is differs from Anthonomus clarki Legalov, 2019 in the longer rostrum and slightly convex body; it also differs from Anthonomus cruraluma Poinar and Legalov, 2015 in the profemora with one tooth, and the longer and weaker curved rostrum. A key to species of the genus Anthonomus from Dominican amber is given.

A new genus and species of Empididae (Diptera) in mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber is described as Neoalavesia hadroceria gen. et sp. nov. in the family Atelestidae. The male is characterised by its sm...

Presently, three families of Coleoptera (Meloidae, Ripiphoridae and Cleridae) produce triungulin larvae that parasitize aculeate Hymenoptera, especially various lineages of social and solitary bees, as well as wasps and other insects. The discovery of a fossil bee with associated beetle triungulins in mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber provides the earliest known date for the co-evolution between bees and beetle triungulins, specifically those of the family Cleridae (Coleoptera). The fossil bee has been described in a new family and the beetle triungulins are described in the present work in the form genus and species Anebomorpha cercorhampha gen. et sp. nov. (Coleoptera: Cleridae). The description of Anebomorpha cercorhampha is based on 21 triungulins of the family Cleridae, five of which are in direct contact with the primitive bee in the amber. The remainder are at various distances behind the bee. This is the earliest fossil evidence of co-evolution between beetle triungulins and a member of the aculeate Hymenoptera.

A new family, genus and species of scale insect is described from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. The male specimen of Macrodrilus bostrychus gen et sp. nov. in the new family Macrodrilidae (Hemipter...

Crickets (Orthoptera: Grylloidea) are a highly diverse and successful group that due to their chirping are often heard more often than they are seen. Their omnivorous diet allows them to exist in a variety of terrestrial habitats around the world. In some environments, cricket populations can build up and become plagues, resulting in significant damage to seedling crops. A new genus and species of cricket, Pherodactylus micromorphus gen. et sp. nov. (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) is described from mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber. The new genus is characterized by the following features: head without prominent bristles, pronotum longer than wide, middle of pronotal disk with two distinct large dark “eyespots”, fore leg robust and 3 apical spurs arranged on inner side of fore leg tibia. Shed portions of a lizard skin adjacent to the specimen reveal possible evidence of attempted predation.

Ophiocordyceps dominicanus Poinar & Vega sp. nov. in Dominican amber and Polycephalomyces baltica Poinar & Vega sp. nov. (Hypocreales: Ophiocordycipitaceae) in Baltic amber are described as entomopathogenic fungi of bark lice (Psocoptera). The specimens possess several features unknown in extant synnematous entomopathogenic fungi such as a tubular dark synnema with a straight, pointed tip bearing spores over the entire surface in O. dominicanus, and a globular yellowish synnema developing on the tip of the host’s antenna in P. baltica. These are the only known fossil entomopathogenic fungi of bark lice, making them unique not only for their characters but also in respect to their selection of developmental sites on their bark lice hosts.

A tylenchid nematode parasite of a male long-legged fly, Tachytrechus sanus Osten Sacken (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) from Montana, USA is described as Parasitylenchus myiophagus n. sp. (Nematoda: Parasitylenchidae). The new species is characterized by the presence of an extremely long first generation female and numerous short and wide second generation males and females produced in “enclosed” clusters in the host’s body cavity. Both generation female nematodes are ovoviviparous, with short stylets lacking knobs and simple tails lacking spikes, palps or mucrons. The second generation males have paired, separate spicules, short stylets, and a bursa but no visible gubernaculum. The fly host shows evidence of demasculinization, which is attributed to nematode parasitism. The gonads of the second generation adults are infected with a microsporidium (Microsporidia), which is a new host record for tylenchid nematodes. A tylenchid-infected Baltic amber dolichopodid shows that associations between these two organisms extend back at least to the Eocene.

A new fern, Cladarastega burmanica gen. et sp. nov. (Dennstaedtiaceae: Polypodiales) is described from a fertile pinnule in Burmese amber. The new species has dentate margins with acute apices, furcated 1 and 2 forked free veins angled toward pinnule apex, elongate, multicellular and glandular hairs on the epidermis, epidermal peltate scales, sori roundish, apical and subapical on abaxial surface of fronds near vein endings and paraphyses. There are both inner and outer cup-shaped indusia. The inner indusium is initially solid but then disintegrates while still attached to the sorus. The sporangium is stalked with a vertical or slightly oblique annulus. The spores are tetrahedral trilete. Related topics discussed are phylogenetic studies on ages pertaining to the origin of the Dennstaedtiaceae in comparison to the age of the fossil, associations with competing angiosperms and insect herbivores of ferns.

The subterranean termite Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar, 1837) (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) occurs throughout the eastern USA and populations have been found as far west as Oregon. As with other termites, eastern subterranean termites live in colonies composed of workers, soldiers and reproductives. The blind, wingless workers, which are only between 3 and 4 mm long, feed on wood and can cause serious damage to wooden structures throughout their range (Edwards & Mill, 1986). Mermithid parasitism of termites is a rare occurrence and this report represents the first case of mermithid parasitism of termites in North and Central America.

A new genus and species of small wasp (body length, 4.3 mm, exclusive of antennae) of the extinct family Praeaulacidae (Hymenoptera: Evanioidea) is described in Burmese amber. Placement in the Praeaulacidae is based on the hind wing venation with RS, cu-a and apparent r-m present and a 10-celled forewing. Special forewing features are a large CuA cell and very narrow 3rm cell that is not aligned with 2r-m. The narrow hind wings have a unique venation with RS, M, Cu and A reaching the lower wing margin. The metasoma is attached to the propodium by a 1-segmented petiole. The ovipositor is long, exceeding the length of the metasoma. An angiosperm flower is adjacent to the wasp and the presence of herbivorous insect larvae on the flower may have attracted the female wasp.

A cellular slime mould (Eukarya: Dictyostelia?) in mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber is described as Paleoplastes burmanica gen. et sp. nov. The specimen consists of a clear, acellular plasmodium contai...

Three flowers of a fossil angiosperm preserved in amber from Myanmar (Burma) are described as the new genus and species Dispariflora robertae. Although joined in a single cymose inflorescence, the flowers are variable in size and, in addition, they possess an unusual perianth in which 1 sepal is much enlarged and leaf-like, while the remaining 4 are smaller and unequal. The flowers each have 1 superior pistil with a peculiarly plumose and bristly ovary. The number of stamens is uncertain because most were lost before floral preservation, but scars on the receptacle suggest that at least 15 were present. The bithecal anthers open by longitudinal slits and basal glands may have been present on the filaments. Taken as a whole, the floral features that characterize Dispariflora suggest an affinity with members of Laurales, especially several Southern Hemisphere families allied with the Monimiaceae.

The knobbed setae on a small caterpillar in 45-55 million years old [Eocene] Baltic amber were studied and characterized as urticating, with evidence of liquid release implying the production of poisons. It is presumed that the caterpillar had been disturbed just prior to falling into the resin, as some of its setae showed defensive responses. The swollen tips of the setae are equipped with "trip hairs" and when disturbed, the tips release liquid deposits, some of which contain rod-like bodies. These setal responses to a disturbance are the first report of poisonous setal defense mechanisms in a fossil insect.

A green alga in Burmese amber is described as Electrophycus astroplethus gen. et spec. nov. and tentatively placed in the extant family Chaetophoraceae. The new species is characterised by apical–b...

The study of 21 male Strepsiptera from the Poinar amber collection is reported. Included are 17 specimens in Dominican amber, 3 in Baltic amber, and one from copal near the village of Cotui in the ...

Priscadvena corymbosa gen. et sp. nov., is described from thalli and sporangia emerging from the oral cavity of a click beetle (Coleoptera: Elateridae) in mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. The fossil contains several features unknown in extant Trichomycetes including a click beetle (Coleoptera: Elateridae) host, spiny, aerial thalli with the entire thallus bearing numerous small uninucleate globular spores and stalks attached to the oral cavity of its host. Based on these features, P. corymbosa gen. et sp. nov. is placed in a new family, Priscadvenaceae fam. nov., and new order, Priscadvenales ord. nov. The new morphological and behavioral features of the fossil add to the diversity of the trichomycetes as currently defined.

The present study describes a primitive kissing bug (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae) in mid-Cretaceous amber from northern Myanmar. The fossil, which is described as Paleotriatoma metaxytaxa gen. et sp. nov., contains a predominance of features of the Triatominae as well as some characters of the Reduviinae and is considered an intermediate fossil representing an early progenitor of the Triatominae. Based on the present distribution of the Triatominae and recent studies indicating that Burmese amber fossils could have originated in Gondwana, it is proposed that Paleotriatoma metaxytaxa is a Gondwanan lineage that evolved in the mid-Cretaceous. The specimen contains developing trypanosome flagellates in its hindgut, suggesting that early triatomines could have been vectoring pathogenic protozoa to vertebrates some 100 Ma.

A single staminate flower preserved in mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber is described as Setitheca lativalva gen. et sp. nov. The fossil’s affinities appear to be with Monimiaceae and allied families of order Laurales. The perianth is composed of ca. 12 spirally arranged tepals of varying size and shape. A single whorl of 10 stamens is attached to the margin of a flat central disc. There is no gynoecium. In some of the stamens, the bilocular anthers are held upright, but in the others, the filaments are arched abaxially and the anthers are reflexed. Dehiscence is extrorse via 2 lateral, dorsally-hinged valves, as also occurs in some members of Hernandiaceae. The spherical pollen appears to be inaperturate. Such features as the unisexual flowers, valvate anthers, and a perianth of numerous, spirally arranged tepals are consistent with assignment of the fossil to this order of angiosperms.

A new genus and species of apsilocephalid flies, Cascomixticus tubuliferous gen. et sp. nov. (Diptera: Asiloidea: Apsilocephalidae) is described from Burmese amber. Assignment to the Apsilocephalidae is based on the wing venation that is very similar to extant members of the family. The present fossil differs from known genera of this family by a long labellum bearing tactochemical papillae, a long tubular hypopharynx and a pointed labrum as well as the structure of the scape and pedicel. The long, tubular hypopharynx may have been used to obtain nectar from angiosperm flowers, however the function of the sharp-tipped labrum is unknown.

An ancient fungal parasite of a Camponotus ant (Formicidae: Hymenoptera) in Baltic amber is described as Allocordyceps baltica gen. et sp. nov. (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae). The new genus is characterized by an orange, stalked, cup-shaped ascoma with partially immersed perithecia that emerges from the rectum of the ant, two separate stromata with septate mycelium that emerge from the base of the neck and the abdomen of the ant, respectively, and free-standing putative perithecia bearing putative asci with putative multicellular ascospores fragmented into one-celled partspores. This oldest known fossil fungus of an ant could represent a precursor of the genus Ophiocordyceps, which at present is the only fungal lineage parasitizing ants of the genus Camponotus. The fossil shows unique morphological features that existed in the Hypocreales some 35–55 MYA.

The present paper describes Chelonarium dominicanum sp. nov., the first fossil representative of the family Chelonariidae (Coleoptera: Byrrhoidea) in Dominican amber. The specimen is characterized by the shape of its body and head, absence of body pubescence, wide profemora and presence of small tubercles covering the abdominal sternites. The size, rounded clypeus with a small, blunt projection at the tip, flat pronotal disc with lateral margins extending over the head and the protibia much wider than the adjacent profemur and mesotibia, separate the present species from previously known members of the family. Since the larvae of Chelonariidae are assumed to be semi-aquatic, there would have been many fresh water habitats for it in the Dominican amber forest.

Fossil evidence of ancient pathogens is rare and limited mostly to specimens associated with arthropod vectors in amber. In various fossil vectors is evidence of cytoplasmic and nuclear polyhedrosis viruses, pathogenic spirochetes, rickettsia, actinomycetes and protozoa. Also present in amber are examples of fossil virus-like tumors and indirect evidence of iridoviruses, polydnaviruses, pathogenic bacteria and protozoans. Many of these pathogens resemble those being transmitted today to a range of vertebrate hosts by arthropod vectors. Based on these findings, it is clear that invertebrate and vertebrate viruses, as well as a range of pathogenic bacteria and protozoa, were well established by the mid-Cretaceous.

A new genus and species of scale insect (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) is described from a female specimen in mid-Cretaceous Burmese (Myanmar) amber. Fossil female scales are rare and the present species, described as Paleolepidotus macrocolus gen. et sp. n., has such an unusual assortment of morphological features that it could not be assigned to any particular extant or extinct family. The small, ferruginous specimen exhibits a series of long wax pencils that extend around the body, including the head. The antennae and legs are quite long compared to other extant and extinct scale fossils. Of special interest are the protruding eyes, and a conical-triangular rostrum arising from between the forelegs; the claws with bifid apices are also unique. The ovisac contains immature stages.

An ambrosia beetle described as Palaeotylus femoralis n. gen et sp. belonging to a new subfamily (Palaeotylinae n. subfam.: Coleoptera: Platypodidae) is described from Cretaceous Burmese am...

A female terrestrial isopod in amber from Myanmar is described as Palaeoarmadillo microsoma gen. et sp. n. (Isopoda: Oniscidea: armadillidae). Placement in the family Armadillidae is based ...

Endobeuthos paleosum gen. et sp. nov. is based on 6 flowers preserved together in a single block of mid-Cretaceous amber from Myanmar (Burma). The calyx is composed of ca. 50+ small, helically arranged sepals. The corolla consists of 5 imbricate petals forming a sheath-like structure that is usually concealed within the calyx. The petal tips are often spreading and exserted from the calyx. There are numerous stamens, each of which consists of a filament and an enlarged anther connective with a single lateral, bisporangiate theca. Dehiscence is extrorse. The tips of 3 or 4 styles are visible, indicating that the flowers are bisexual. The fossils possess unique features that prevent assignment to any modern family. However, the numerous sepals and stamens and a thickened anther connective may suggest an association of E. paleosum with the family Dilleniaceae.

Pygmy mole crickets (Orthoptera: tridactylidae) are small cricket-like insects that have several interesting morphological features. Their front legs are modified for digging and their back legs ar...

A new genus and species of Short-winged Flower Beetle, Furcalabratum burmanicum gen. et sp. nov. (Coleoptera: Kateretidae), is described from mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber. The new genus is characterized by its small size (2.6 mm in length), prognathous head with extended forked mandibles, porrect forked labrum, 11- segmented antenna terminated with a loose 3-segmented glabrous club, beaded chain around the rim of the compound eye, punctures on the head and pronotum, elytra with striae and irregular transverse grooves, ridged femora, tarsal formula 5-5-5 with membranous appendages on the first three tarsomeres, claws with a prominent basal tooth and abbreviated elytra exposing the terminal 3 tergites.

A new genus and species of aphids, Tanyaulus caudisetula gen. et sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Aphidoidea: Burmitaphidae), is described from mid- Cretaceous Myanmar amber. Autapomorphies for the new genus are stub-like hind wings, 7-segmented antenna, long rostrum equal to body length, 4 veins departing from the main vein, cubital veins distinctly separated, with a very short, curved basal proximal cubitus, one-branched M vein with distal fork arched at the base, distinct claval folds at wing bases and caudal protuberance with extended setae. The new fossil adds to our knowledge of the morphological diversity of Mesozoic Aphidoidea.

A new tribe, genus and species of weevil, Rhamphophorus legalovii gen. et sp. nov., Rhamphophorini tribe nov. (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea; Nemonychidae: Cimberidinae) is described from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber of northern Myanmar. The new taxon is characterized by an elongate head, extremely long, curved rostrum, endodont mandibles, 11-segmented, laterally attached antennae, five separate truncate tarsomeres on all legs, an antennal cleaner on the apex of the profemur, a 1-2-2 tibial spur formula and paired carina extending the length of the elytra. The fossil provides us with previously unknown morphological features that existed on mid-Cretaceous weevils.

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, moni...

The fossil flower Tropidogyne pikei Chambers, Poinar & R. T. Buckley, previously described from Burmese amber has five spreading, epigynous sepals with five major veins and branched, anastomosing veinlets. On top of the inferior ovary is a broad, flat nectar gland from which project three short, arched styles (Chambers et al. 2010). The present paper describes the flowers of another species of this genus, T. pentaptera sp. nov., based on seven separate specimens from the same amber bed. The new species has spreading, veiny sepals, a nectar disc, and a ribbed inferior ovary like T. pikei, but differs in being bicarpellate, with two elongate, slender styles, and in the ribs of its inferior ovary lacking darkly pigmented terminal glands. A relationship of these fossils to the family Cunoniaceae is proposed, in particular to Ceratopetalum D. Don, an extant Southern Hemisphere genus known from fossils of the Tertiary Period.

X-ray microcomputed tomography was used to reveal putative trematode metacercariae (Platyhelminthes: Digenea) located in cysts positioned at the base of the femora in a 100 myr agamid lizard preserved in Myanmar amber. The cysts are characterized and compared with encysted metacercariae recovered from a similar location in an extant Anolis lizard. This discovery provides evidence that lizards were serving as intermediate hosts of trematodes some 100 Ma.