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Eocene and not Cretaceous origin of spider wasps: Fossil evidence from amber

Authors :
Juanita Rodriguez
Cecilia Waichert
Carol D. Von Dohlen
George Poinar Jr
James P. Pitts
Source :
Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, Vol 61, Iss 1, Pp 89-96 (2016)
Publication Year :
2016
Publisher :
Institute of Paleobiology PAS, 2016.

Abstract

Spider wasps had long been proposed to originate in the mid-Cretaceous based on the Burmese amber fossil Bryopompilus interfector Engel and Grimaldi, 2006. We performed a morphological examination of this fossil and determined it does not belong to Pompilidae or any other described hymenopteran family. Instead, we place it in the new family Bryopompilidae. The oldest verifiable member of the Pompilidae is from Baltic amber, which suggests the family probably originated in the Eocene, not in the mid-Cretaceous as previously proposed. The origin of spider wasps appears to be correlated with an increase in spider familial diversity in the Cenozoic. We also we add two genera to the extinct pompilid fauna: Tainopompilus gen. nov., and Paleogenia gen. nov., and describe three new species of fossil spider wasps: Anoplius planeta sp. nov., from Dominican amber (Burdigalian to Langhian); Paleogenia wahisi sp. nov., from Baltic amber (Lutetian to Priabonian); and Tainopompilus argentum sp. nov, from Dominican amber (Chattian to Langhian).

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
05677920 and 17322421
Volume :
61
Issue :
1
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Acta Palaeontologica Polonica
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.2ff90619f3f64bc0b2bfb6911c2d09ea
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.4202/app.00073.2014