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A state of the art of the insects collected and described from different Permian and Triassic units in South America is given, accompanied by their brief historical record (e.g., collectors, taxonomic revision) and new high-quality photos in color. Likewise, we succinctly provide data on the paleodiversity and paleoecology of the entomological assemblages from the different units. Finally, we discuss the South American paleoentomological records in relation to equivalent deposits worldwide. The thorough, updated review of fossil insect faunas in this paper will help settling the bases for future taxonomic, diversity, and ecological studies during a time that comprised the evolutionary history of insects through two key episodes of the geological record: the end-Permian mass extinction (EPME, ~252 Ma) and the Carnian Pluvial Event (CPE, ~234-232 Ma). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The understudied locality of Tasgorosay tract, Karzhantau ridge in Kazakhstan offers an interesting, yet very homologous array of fossil insects. The material used for this research was comprised nearly solely of the cockroaches Caloblattina hrachova Majtaník and Praeblattela solus Majtaník, spp. n. (n = 15, 2, respectively), with the former being seemingly much more common. Tasgorosailus orlovskajae Gorokhov, 1990 was also present (n = 2). Phylogenetical relation of these two species suggests a Lower Cretaceous age of the sedimentary rocks containers. The near absence of insects other than Blattaria might result from the taphonomic situation of predepositional transport and duration of pre-burial in the waterbody. Organic matter in the sediment suggests that cockroaches lived at the edge of a wetland located near a freshwater lake. The stagnant regime of the lake, high algal primary productivity, and the supply of terrestrial vegetation resulted in the formation of an anoxic regime at the bottom, where the deposited organic matter was decomposed by anaerobic bacteria. Wildfires of coastal wetland vegetation and especially the gases escaping from the smouldering swamp could have negatively affected the cockroaches' behavior, which ultimately could have contributed to their standard mortality. Burying into fine sediments resulted in detailed wing impressions. Slow anaerobic microbial decomposition led to the removal of bodies and then also chitin from the exoskeleton of fossilising cockroaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Burmese amber provides a unique window to the Cretaceous entomofauna, being the most prolific source of fossil insects for the period. Presently, about 61% of the Hymenoptera described from amber deposits in Myanmar are stinging wasps (Aculeata), including eight families known solely from Burmese amber. In the present work we describe the aculeate family †Trifionychidae fam. nov., as well as three new genera: †Prionaspidion gen. nov., including †Prionaspidion brevidens sp. nov. and †P. nanus sp. nov.; †Trifionyx gen. nov., including †Trifionyx pilosus sp. nov.; and †Trifionyximus gen. nov., including †Trifionyximus cracens sp. nov. We also reinterpret the fossil genus †Mirabythus, described based on rock impressions from the Yixian formation in China and originally attributed to Scolebythidae. †Mirabythus is moved to the new family, based mainly on the characteristic mandible; the large clypeus with a series of small denticles on the apical margin; the frons protruding over lateral portions of clypeus, directing the antennal sockets downwards below ocular level; and the presence of nine flagellomeres. Based on resemblances with fossil impressions attributed to †Bethylonymidae, we tentatively include the new family within the superfamily †Bethylonymoidea. Discovery of †Trifionychidae fam. nov. adds a novel lineage to the pool of aculeate families from the Cretaceous which did not survive to the present day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the past 20 years, more than 1,600 species of well-preserved fossil insects, including members of over 270 families within 24 orders, have been described from the Middle Jurassic Yanliao Entomofauna and Early Cretaceous Jehol Entomofauna in Northeastern China. Diversified fossil insects not only document the origin, systematics, and early evolution of many lineages, but also reveal these lineages' behaviors and interactions with coexisting plants, vertebrates, and other insects in their ecosystems. Fossil evidence has been documented, for example, regarding insects' feeding and pollination mutualism with gymnosperms; ectoparasitic feeding on blood of vertebrates; camouflage, mimicry of gymnosperm plants, and eyespot warning; sound stridulation for attracting potential mates; and sexual display, mating, egg-laying, and parental care. In this article, we review the diverse taxonomy of mid-Mesozoic insects of Northeastern China and elucidate their behaviors and interactions within their ecosystems, which have impacted their early evolution and development into extant insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limodromus emetikos sp. n. (Coleoptera: Carabidae) is described and illustrated from Baltic amber (Eocene). Based on its morphological features, the new species is considered a sister taxon of the extant Holarctic assimilis species group. Furthermore, the specimen described here could represent a case of stress-triggered regurgitation, which would represent the first fossil record of such a process in beetles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new palaeodictyopterid nymph Bizarrea obscura gen.n. et sp.n. (Spilapteridae) and a new adult specimen of Homaloneura cf. dabasinskasi Carpenter are described from the Pennsylvanian (Moscovian) ironstone nodules of Mazon Creek (IL, U.S.A.). Both taxa share enlarged prothoracic lobes (interpreted by some as winglets), heteronomous meso- and metathoracic wing pads or wings, a slender abdomen with pointed laterotergites, and a unique division of the abdominal segments by two transverse sulci. An alternative hypothesis for the placement of Bizarrea within Homoiopteridae is considered on the basis of its large body size and relatively short wing pads. Based on the morphology of the new material, postembryonic development of wing pads in Palaeodictyoptera (Palaeodictyopterida) is reconsidered. Detailed investigation of the abdominal segments, including examination by scanning electron microscopy, reveals the presence of subcircular, sclerotized structures partially covered at the bases of the nymphal laterotergites I-VII, ?VIII. Based on their position and shape, these structures are interpreted as abdominal spiracles, and thus a terrestrial or semiaquatic habitat for these immatures is hypothesized. Moreover, our discovery of the same, supposedly homologous structures in the enigmatic Vogesonymphidae (Permoplectoptera), from the Middle Triassic of Grès à Voltzia in France, is evidence for the parallel coexistence of ancestrally terrestrial and derived aquatic lineages of Ephemerida (Ephemeropterida) in early Mesozoic ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new subfamily of Praesiricidae (Pamphilioidea), Decorisiricinae subfam. n., is erected based on three new genera: Decorisiricius gen.n., Limbisiricius gen.n. and Brevisiricius gen.n. Two new species - Decorisiricius patulus gen. et sp.n. and D. longus sp.n. - from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation and three species -Limbisiricius aequalis gen. et sp.n., Limbisiricius complanatus sp.n. and Brevisiricius partialis gen. et sp.n. - from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation, are described. Based on these well-preserved new fossil specimens and previously published data, the nonmonophyly of Praesiricidae is confirmed and the phylogenetic relationships of species of Praesiricidae are analysed for the first time. Two main clades within Praesiricidae are recognized from the cladistic analysis: Decorisiricinae subfam.n. forms a monophyletic lineage, with the remaining members of Praesiricidae plus Megalodontes (Megalodontesidae) forming its sister group. The two subfamilies Archoxyelydinae and Praesiricinae are discarded with no strong supported synapomorphic characters based on phylogenetic research. A key to all genera of Praesiricidae is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the second part of the revision of fossil Metretopodidae, a new species of the genusMetretopusEaton, 1901 is described and illustrated based on a male imago.Metretopus dividussp. nov.is the second fossil species of the genus. Distinguishing characters for its separation from other fossil and recent representatives ofMetretopusare discussed.http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:BCC5CB69-8014-4DA1-A0DA-DCF714969081 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new family, Cretostylopidae Kathirithamby and Engel, is erected to accommodate the mid-Cretaceous species Cretostylops engeli Grimaldi and Kathirithamby. Based on this as well as various other recent works pertaining to the higher classification of Strepsiptera, a revised key is provide to the living and fossil families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new genus is established for two engimatic Old World ripidiine beetle species. Neopauroripidius Falin and Engel, new genus (Ripidiinae: Ripidiini), exhibits many unique features indicative of a relationship to the fossil genus Pauroripidius Kaupp and Nagel as well as a distinct extra notal sclerite not otherwise known among the Ripiphoridae. The arrangement of sclerites in the thoracic notum permits a reinterpretation of homologies. Brief comments on character transformations within Ripidiini and the affinities of the new genus are provided. The type species, Neopauroripidius darlingi Falin and Engel, new species, is described from the Philippines, while a second species, N. howdeni Falin and Engel, new species, is described from South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new well preserved odonate (damsel-dragonflies) insect wings from the latest Norian (Upper Triassic) of two different localities are described. Although the rather long distance of more than 250 km separates the localities, the holotypes occur in comparable lithologies and are thus described together. We describe an odonate forewing, Italophlebia baueri sp. n., from an abandoned quarry at Langenberg near Seinstedt north of the Harz Mountains (Lower Saxony), which is the first occurrence of this genus outside Italy. The second wing, Triassothemis gartzii sp. n., was found in the cored well Gartz 1 (NE Germany). In both occurrences the insect wings were associated with abundant autochthonous as well as allochthonous faunal and floral remnants of shallow subaquatic environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We test Janzen''s (1967) hypothesis that the low temperature seasonality in the modern tropics accounts for increased local species turnover (beta diversity) across montane landscapes relative to those of the more seasonal Temperate Zone. In the Eocene, low seasonality extended beyond the hot tropics to Polar Regions, therefore, its effects on montane dispersal ability should have been decoupled from low latitude. We sampled fossil insect communities across the Okanagan Highlands: a thousand kilometer transect of temperate, low temperature seasonality, higher mid-latitude Eocene uplands of far-western North America. We find high species turnover, supporting a prime role of temperature fluctuation in controlling montane beta diversity. This high upper mid-latitude montane endemism is consistent with greater Eocene global biodiversity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article features Robin John Tillyard, considered as the first entomologist to systematically and critically study the insect fossils collected in Elmo, Kansas. Most of Tillyard's work on the Elmo fossils was done with specimens collected by the Yale Peabody Museum and shipped to him in New Zealand. He also took several trips in Europe and the U.S., stopping in Kansas many times. He alleged visited the Elmo fossil locality at least three times. Recently rediscovered photographs document Tillyard's visits to the fossil beds, accompanied by many entomologists from Kansas.

Twelve species of Costa Rican Lytopylus are treated; these include all species reared from Lepidoptera caterpillars in Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica, over 32 years of caterpillar inventory, as well as two species recorded in the literature as occurring in Costa Rica. Ten new species are described, i.e., Lytopylus bradzlotnicki, Lytopylus colleenhitchcockae, Lytopylus gregburtoni, Lytopylus jessicadimauroae, Lytopylus jessiehillae, Lytopylus mingfangi, Lytopylus rebeccashapleyae, Lytopylus robpringlei, Lytopylus sandraberriosae, Lytopylus vaughntani. The following species are transferred to Lytopylus: Metriosoma flavicalcar Enderlein 1920 to Lytopylus flavicalcar comb. n.; Bassus macadamiae Briceño and Sharkey 2000 to Lytopylus macadamiae comb. n.; Metriosoma bicarinatum Enderlein 1920 to Lytopylus bicarinatum comb. n.; Metriosoma brasiliense Enderlein 1920 to Lytopylus brasiliense comb. n.; Bassus tayrona Campos 2007 to Lytopylus tayrona comb. n.; Microdus femoratus Cameron 1887 to Lytopylus femoratus comb. n.; Microdus melanocephalus Cameron 1887 to Lytopylus melanocephalus comb. n.; Bassus pastranai Blanchard 1952 to Lytopylus pastranai comb. n.; Agathis nigrobalteata Cameron 1911 to Lytopylus nigrobalteatus comb. n. Two keys to species of Lytopylus are presented, one interactive and the other static. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compression fossils of three genera and six species of Mymaridae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) are described from 46 million year old Kishenehn oil shales in Montana, USA. Two new genera are described: Eoeustochus Huber, gen. n., with two included species, E. kishenehn Huber (type species) and E. borchersi Huber, sp. n., and Eoanaphes., gen. n., with E. stethynioides Huber, sp. n. Three new species of Gonatocerus are also described, G. greenwalti Huber, sp. n. , G. kootenai Huber, sp. n., and G. rasnitsyni Huber, sp. n. Previously described amber fossil genera are discussed and five genera in Baltic amber are tentatively recorded as fossils: Anagroidea, Camptoptera, Dorya, Eustochus, and Mimalaptus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myanmymar aresconoides gen n., sp. n. is described from one female in Burmese amber, dated as about 100 my. It is similar to Arescon on wing features but is unique among Mymaridae in having distinctly segmented palpi. It is the fifth mymarid genus definitely referable to the Cretaceous period. A key to Cretaceous mymarid genera is presented and the features of Myanmymar are compared with the other Cretaceous and extant mymarid genera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disogmus rasnitsyni Kolyada & Perkovsky, sp. n. is described from a fossil inclusion of Late Eocene amber (Ukraine). The new species is most similar to D. basalis (Thomson, 1857), in particular, in the shape of the tyloids and the general shortening of the segments of antennae, but distinctly differs from it and the other species of the genus by having tyloids on flagellar segments 2-4 compared to 3-6 and 4-7 in other species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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 I. 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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deinodryinus velteni sp. n. is described from middle Eocene Baltic amber. The species differs from other fossil Palaearctic species of Deinodryinus Perkins owing to the shape of the antenna (clavate, with distal part very thickened), the large compound eyes, and the distal part of the stigmal vein much longer than the proximal part. A revision and a key to the fossil Palaearctic species of Deinodryinus Perkins, 1907 is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cephinae is traditionally divided into three tribes and about 24 genera based on morphology and host utilization. There has been no study testing the monophyly of taxa under a strict phylogenetic criterion. A molecular phylogeny of Cephinae based on a total of 68 sequences of mtDNA COI gene, representing seven genera of Cephinae, is reconstructed to test the traditional limits and relationships of taxa. Monophyly of the traditional tribes is not supported. Monophyly of the genera are largely supported except for Pachycephus. A few host shift events are suggested based on phylogenetic relationships among taxa. These results indicate that a more robust phylogeny is required for a more plausible conclusion. We also report two species of Cephus for the first time from Turkey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The head capsule of a taxon sample of three outgroup and 86 ingroup taxa is examined for characters of possible phylogenetic significance within Hymenoptera. 21 morphological characters are illustrated and scored, and their character evolution explored by mapping them onto a phylogeny recently produced from a large morphological data set. Many of the characters are informative and display unambiguous changes. Most of the character support demonstrated is supportive at the superfamily or family level. In contrast, only few characters corroborate deeper nodes in the phylogeny of Hymenoptera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a rare case of a male moth in Baltic amber in an excellent position for establishing a species. The moth represents the second species of the genus Baltimartyria Skalski, 1995, described herein as B. rasnitsyni sp. n. The detection of this new species prompts research on the systematic position of the genus within the family Micropterigidae. The genus was found to provide none of the apomorphic characters that would allow placement in one of the monophyletic lineages within the family. The genus is provisionally assigned to the "southern sabatincoid group", a weakly supported assemblage of Southern Hemisphere genera. The sister genus has still to be determined. Baltimartyria is the first North Hemisphere representative in this group. Some general aspects of historical biogeography relevant for the group are briefly discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palerasnitsynus ohlhoffi gen. et sp. n. is described from Burmese amber of late Albian (Lower Cretaceous) age. This is the first record of the family Psychomyiidae from Burmese amber, and the earliest fossil record of the family. The genus Palerasnitsynus gen. n. differs from all other known psychomyiid genera by the absence of fork III in the forewings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four new species of Chironomidae with well-developed elongate proboscises are described from a Late Jurassic site Shar Teg in SW Mongolia. These are named Cretaenne rasnicyni sp. n., Podonomius blepharis sp. n., P. macromastix sp. n., ? P. robustus sp. n. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first fossil that was described in Ptychopteridae, Ptychoptera deleta Novák, 1877 from the classical Early Miocene locality Mokřina (Krottensee) in western Bohemia is re-examined. The re-description of the holotype including a new line drawing and remarks summarizing the scarce fossil record of this group is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe a new genus and species of Mecoptera with siphonate mouthparts, Sinopolycentropus rasnitsyni gen. et sp. n., assigned to the family Pseudopolycentropodidae Handlirsch, 1925. The specimen was collected from late Middle Jurassic nonmarine strata of the Jiulongshan Formation in Inner Mongolia, northeastern China. The new material provides additional evidence for an early diversification of pseudopolycentropodids that was ongoing during the Middle Jurassic. This diversity also adds to the variety of known pseudopolycentropodids with tubular proboscides that apparently fed on ovulate fluids produced by Mesozoic gymnosperms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The family Mesopanorpodidae is revised. Most taxa referred to this family are not related to the type genus Mesopanorpodes Tillyard, 1918. The type species of the latter, Mesopanorpodes wianamattensis, is closely related to Mesopsyche Tillyard, 1917. Therefore Mesopanorpodes is transferred to Mesopsychidae Tillyard, 1917 (=Mesopanorpodidae Tillyard, 1918, syn. n.). The earliest Mesopsychidae are described from the Upper Permian of European Russia (Severodvinian; Isady locality, Vologda Province): Permopsyche issadensis gen. et sp. n. (type species) and P. rasnitsyni sp. n. Two species described under Mesopanorpodes from the Upper Permian of Australia are also included into Permopsyche: P. belmontensis (Riek, 1953), comb. n., P. robustus (Riek, 1953) comb. n. The first pre-Triassic Mesopsyche, M. incompleta sp. n. is described from the uppermost Permian (the town of Vyazniki, Vladimir Province). Bittacopanorpa javorskii Zalessky, 1935 from the uppermost Permian or basal Triassic of Kuznetsk Basin is identified as a hindwing of Mesopsyche: M. javorskii (Zalessky, 1935) comb. n. The origin, evolutionary history, and stratigraphic occurrence of Mesopsychidae are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryptophagus alexagrestis Lyubarsky & Perkovsky, sp. n. is described based on a fossil inclusion in Late Eocene Rovno amber (Ukraine). The new species is similar to the extant Cryptophagus skalitzkyi Reitter and C. dilutus Reitter, differing from the latter by having a very transverse, short and dilated 10th antennal segment, and from the former by the very elongate segments of the flagellum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent hydrophiloid species Helophorus (Gephelophorus) sibiricus (Motschulsky, 1860) is recorded from the early Miocene deposits of Kartashevo assigned to the Ombinsk Formation. A detailed comparison with recent specimens allowed a confident identification of the fossil specimen, which is therefore the oldest record of a recent species for the Hydrophiloidea. The paleodistribution as well as recent distribution of the species is summarized, and the relevance of the fossil is discussed. In addition, the complex geological settings of the Kartashevo area are briefly summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alicodoxa rasnitsyni gen. 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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The family Rasnitsynaphididae fam. n. has a unique combination of characters: 9-segmented antennae; rhinaria arranged in many transverse rows, surrounding the antennal segments; segment IX narrower than other segments of flagellum, always without rhinaria; cubitus branches separated; ovipositor present; siphuncular pores absent. The new family comprises the genus Rasnitsynaphis gen. n. with three species, R. ennearticulata sp. n., R. coniuncta sp. n., and R. quadrata sp. n., all from the Lower Cretaceous of Transbaikalia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With Baryshnyala occulta gen. et sp. n. (Baryshnyalidae fam. n.) we report a new small species from early Late Carboniferous (Pennsylvanian) deposits in Hagen-Vorhalle. It differs in its unique venation pattern and small size from all other Neoptera known from this Lagerstätte and other contemporaneous locations worldwide. With an estimated wing length of <10 mm it is by far the smallest species of Neoptera from Hagen-Vorhalle and is less than half as long as Heterologopsis ruhrensis Brauckmann & Koch, 1982 (~25 mm). The specimen shows some relations to the earliest Holometabola and may date back the first appearance of holometaboly to the Namurian B (early Bashkirian: Marsdenian). The new species increases the paleo-biodiversity and span of inter-specific variability within the early Neoptera. It shows that very small and tiny specimens and species can easily be overlooked. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new earwigs (Dermaptera) recently discovered in mid-Cretaceous (latest Albian) amber from Myanmar are described and figured. Astreptolabis ethirosomatia gen. et sp. n. is represented by a peculiar pygidicranoid female, assigned to a new subfamily, Astreptolabidinae subfam. n., and differs from other protodermapterans in the structure of the head, pronotum, tegmina, and cercal forceps. Tytthodiplatys mecynocercus gen. et sp. n. is a distinctive form of first-instar nymph of the Diplatyidae, the earliest record for this basal earwig family. The taxon can be distinguished from other Early Cretaceous nymphs by the structure of the head, antennae, legs, and most notably its filamentous and annulate cerci. The character affinities of these taxa among Neodermaptera are generally discussed as is the identity of an enigmatic 'earwig-like' species from the Jurassic of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alexarasniidae fam. n. and Alexarasnia rossica gen. et sp. n. are described from the Upper Permian of European Russia. Systematic position of this enigmatic family within the infraclass Polyneoptera is unclear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Libanopsyllipsocus alexanderasnitsyni gen. et sp. n., of Psyllipsocidae is described and figured from the Lower Cretaceous amber of Lebanon. The position of the new taxon is discussed and the fossil is compared to other psyllipsocids. The species represents the earliest record of the family Psyllipsocidae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nobloedischia rasnitsyni gen. et sp. n. (Oedischiidae) is described from the Lower Permian Wellington Formation of Noble County, Oklahoma. The genus is similar to both Petrelcana (Oedischiidae: Mezenoedischiinae) and Oedischia (Oedischiidae: Oedischiinae) and is left unplaced at the subfamily level. The new species is the twelfth Orthoptera species and the fourth species of Oedischiidae from these deposits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Besides Erasipteroides valentini (Brauckmann in Brauckmann, Koch & Kemper, 1985), Zessinella siope Brauckmann, 1988, and Namurotypus sippeli Brauckmann & Zessin, 1989, Rasnitsynala sigambrorum gen. et sp. n. is the fourth species of the Odonatoptera from the early Late Carboniferous (Early Pennsylvanian: Namurian B, Marsdenian) deposits of the important Hagen-Vorhalle Konservat-Lagerstätte in Germany. With its wing-span of about 55 mm it is unusually small even for the "Eomeganisoptera". Its venation resembles other small "Eomeganisoptera", in particular Z. siope. This is why it is here assigned to the probably paraphyletic "Erasipteridae" Carpenter, 1939. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three new palaeopteran insects are described from the Middle Permian (Guadalupian) of Salagou Formation in the Lodève Basin (South of France), viz. the diaphanopterodean Alexrasnitsyniidae fam. n., based on Alexrasnitsynia permiana gen. et sp. n., the Parelmoidae Permelmoa magnifica gen. et sp. n., and Lodevohymen lapeyriei gen. et sp. n. (in Megasecoptera or Diaphanopterodea, family undetermined). In addition the first record of mayflies attributed to family Syntonopteridae (Ephemeroptera) is reported. These new fossils clearly demonstrate that the present knowledge of the Permian insects remains very incomplete. They also confirm that the Lodève entomofauna was highly diverse providing links to other Permian localities and also rather unique, with several families still not recorded in other contemporaneous outcrops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sediments, stratigraphy and archaeology of several sections through Lateglacial and Holocene deposits associated with the past course of the Thurlston Brook at Croft, Leicestershire, UK are outlined. The results of pollen, plant macrofossil and insect analyses from these deposits are presented and this information is used to provide a detailed reconstruction of changing river conditions and human land use at this location during the Holocene. Despite the presence of hiatuses in the record seen at Croft, and other sites of this scale, with accurate work and clear dating controls it is possible to 'stitch' together continuous detailed sequences. The general pattern of Holocene landscape and fluvial change appears to echo that seen in the Trent valley region and nationally. It is suggested that small headwater catchments such as at Croft have the potential to provide detailed and sensitive records of Holocene events comparable with those from 'standard' sediment sequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The putative fossil whipscorpion Thelyphonus hadleyi Pierce 1945 (Arachnida: Uropygi) from the middle to late Miocene Monterey Formation of Cabrillo Beach, San Pedro, California is reassessed. It is shown here to be nothing more than a fortuitously shaped stain on the rock, apparently partly algal in nature. The fossil record of whipscorpions can thus be restrained to six Pennsylvanian and one Cretaceous species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: New flea-like fossils from China provide a rare, tantalizing glimpse of bizarre insects in the Cretaceous and Jurassic. Possibly the oldest flea-like animals known, they provide a challenge to the functional morphologist to infer which animals they may have targeted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]