scholarly journals Eco-morphological diversity of larvae of soldier flies and their closest relatives in deep time

PeerJ ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. e10356
Author(s):  
Viktor A. Baranov ◽  
Yinan Wang ◽  
Rok Gašparič ◽  
Sonja Wedmann ◽  
Joachim T. Haug
Keyword(s):  
Early Cretaceous ◽  
Fossil Record ◽  
New Records ◽  
Morphological Diversity ◽  
Baltic Amber ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Deep Time ◽  
Dominican Amber ◽  
Species Being

Stratiomyomorpha (soldier flies and allies) is an ingroup of Diptera, with a fossil record stretching back to the Early Cretaceous (the Barremian, about 125 MYA). Stratiomyomorpha includes at least 3,000 species in the modern fauna, with many species being crucial for ecosystem functions, especially as saprophages. Larvae of many stratiomyomorphans are especially important as scavengers and saproxyls in modern ecosystems. Yet, fossil larvae of the group are extremely scarce. Here we present 23 new records of fossil stratiomyomorphan larvae, representing six discrete morphotypes. Specimens originate from Cretaceous amber from Myanmar, Eocene Baltic amber, Miocene Dominican amber, and compression fossils from the Eocene of Messel (Germany) and the Miocene of Slovenia. We discuss the implications of these new records for our understanding of stratiomyomorphan ecomorphology in deep time as well as their palaeoecology.

scholarly journals Exploring macroevolution using modern and fossil data

2015 ◽  
Vol 282 (1810) ◽  
pp. 20150569 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Benton
Keyword(s):  
Species Diversity ◽  
Fossil Record ◽  
Morphological Diversity ◽  
Phylogenetic Comparative Methods ◽  
Deep Time ◽  
Time Patterns ◽  
And Function ◽  
Step Over ◽  
Fossil Data ◽  
Numerical Approaches

Macroevolution, encompassing the deep-time patterns of the origins of modern biodiversity, has been discussed in many contexts. Non-Darwinian models such as macromutations have been proposed as a means of bridging seemingly large gaps in knowledge, or as a means to explain the origin of exquisitely adapted body plans. However, such gaps can be spanned by new fossil finds, and complex, integrated organisms can be shown to have evolved piecemeal. For example, the fossil record between dinosaurs and Archaeopteryx has now filled up with astonishing fossil intermediates that show how the unique plexus of avian adaptations emerged step by step over 60 Myr. New numerical approaches to morphometrics and phylogenetic comparative methods allow palaeontologists and biologists to work together on deep-time questions of evolution, to explore how diversity, morphology and function have changed through time. Patterns are more complex than sometimes expected, with frequent decoupling of species diversity and morphological diversity, pointing to the need for some new generalizations about the processes that lie behind such patterns.

scholarly journals Ecogeochemistry potential in deep time biodiversity illustrated using a modern deep-water case study

2016 ◽  
Vol 371 (1691) ◽  
pp. 20150223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clive N. Trueman ◽  
Ming-Tsung Chung ◽  
Diana Shores
Keyword(s):  
Fossil Record ◽  
Temporal Trends ◽  
Morphological Diversity ◽  
Population Connectivity ◽  
The Body ◽  
Deep Time ◽  
The Common ◽  
Body Fossil ◽  
Methodological Ground

The fossil record provides the only direct evidence of temporal trends in biodiversity over evolutionary timescales. Studies of biodiversity using the fossil record are, however, largely limited to discussions of taxonomic and/or morphological diversity. Behavioural and physiological traits that are likely to be under strong selection are largely obscured from the body fossil record. Similar problems exist in modern ecosystems where animals are difficult to access. In this review, we illustrate some of the common conceptual and methodological ground shared between those studying behavioural ecology in deep time and in inaccessible modern ecosystems. We discuss emerging ecogeochemical methods used to explore population connectivity and genetic drift, life-history traits and field metabolic rate and discuss some of the additional problems associated with applying these methods in deep time.

scholarly journals Evolution, diversity, and disparity of the tiger shark lineage Galeocerdo in deep time

Paleobiology ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Julia Türtscher ◽  
Faviel A. López-Romero ◽  
Patrick L. Jambura ◽  
René Kindlimann ◽  
David J. Ward ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fossil Record ◽  
Morphological Diversity ◽  
Species Discrimination ◽  
Tiger Shark ◽  
Combined Approach ◽  
Apex Predators ◽  
Deep Time ◽  
Fossil Species ◽  
Shark Teeth ◽  
Extant Species

Abstract Sharks have a long and rich fossil record that consists predominantly of isolated teeth due to the poorly mineralized cartilaginous skeleton. Tiger sharks (Galeocerdo), which represent apex predators in modern oceans, have a known fossil record extending back into the early Eocene (ca. 56 Ma) and comprise 22 recognized extinct and one extant species to date. However, many of the fossil species remain dubious, resulting in a still unresolved evolutionary history of the tiger shark genus. Here, we present a revision of the fossil record of Galeocerdo by examining the morphological diversity and disparity of teeth in deep time. We use landmark-based geometric morphometrics to quantify tooth shapes and qualitative morphological characters for species discrimination. Employing this combined approach on fossil and extant tiger shark teeth, our results only support six species to represent valid taxa. Furthermore, the disparity analysis revealed that diversity and disparity are not implicitly correlated and that Galeocerdo retained a relatively high dental disparity since the Miocene despite its decrease from four to one species. With this study, we demonstrate that the combined approach of quantitative geometric morphometric techniques and qualitative morphological comparisons on isolated shark teeth provides a useful tool to distinguish between species with highly similar tooth morphologies.

The fossil record of Phasmida (Insecta: Neoptera)

2000 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 473-480 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erich Tilgner
Keyword(s):  
Dominican Republic ◽  
Molecular Clock ◽  
Fossil Record ◽  
Sister Group ◽  
Baltic Amber ◽  
Molecular Clock Dating

AbstractA review of the Phasmida fossil record is provided. No fossils of Timema Scudder are known. Euphasmida fossils include: Agathemera reclusa Scudder, Electrobaculum gracilis Sharov, Eophasma oregonense Sellick, Eophasma minor Sellick, Eophasmina manchesteri Sellick, Pseudoperla gracilipes Pictet, Pseudoperla lineata Pictet and various unclassified species from Grube Messel, Baltic amber, and Dominican Republic amber. The oldest documented Euphasmida fossils are 44-49 million years old; molecular clock dating underestimates the origin of the sister group Timema by at least 24 million years.

scholarly journals Convergent evolution of ramified antennae in insect lineages from the Early Cretaceous of Northeastern China

2016 ◽  
Vol 283 (1839) ◽  
pp. 20161448 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taiping Gao ◽  
Chungkun Shih ◽  
Conrad C. Labandeira ◽  
Jorge A. Santiago-Blay ◽  
Yunzhi Yao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Cretaceous ◽  
Motion Detection ◽  
Lower Cretaceous ◽  
Fossil Record ◽  
Convergent Evolution ◽  
Chemical Cues ◽  
Northeastern China ◽  
Environmental Cues ◽  
Key Innovation ◽  
Temperature Levels

Antennae are important, insect sensory organs that are used principally for communication with other insects and the detection of environmental cues. Some insects independently evolved ramified (branched) antennae, which house several types of sensilla for motion detection, sensing olfactory and chemical cues, and determining humidity and temperature levels. Though ramified antennae are common in living insects, occasionally they are present in the Mesozoic fossil record. Here, we present the first caddisflies with ramified antennae, the earliest known fossil sawfly, and a scorpionfly also with ramified antennae from the mid-Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Northeastern China, dated at 125 million years ago (Ma). These three insect taxa with ramified antennae consist of three unrelated lineages and provide evidence for broad structural convergence that historically has been best demonstrated by features such as convergent mouthparts. In addition, ramified antennae in these Mid-Mesozoic lineages likely do not constitute a key innovation, as they are not associated with significantly increased diversification compared with closely related lineages lacking this trait, and nor are they ecologically isolated from numerous, co-occurring insect species with unmodified antennae.

A review of gall midges (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) described from Mesozoic deposits

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 001-014
Author(s):  
MATHIAS JASCHHOF
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
North America ◽  
Fossil Record ◽  
Morphological Diversity ◽  
Sensu Stricto ◽  
Junior Synonym ◽  
Gall Midges ◽  
Incertae Sedis ◽  
New Tribe

Twenty-four fossil gall midges (Cecidomyiidae) described from 1917–2020 from Mesozoic deposits, mostly ambers, are reviewed. Information from the original publications is used as the basis for reinterpretation, when such is regarded as appropriate here. As a result, the fossil record of cecidomyiids from the Mesozoic comprises representatives of the following subfamilies and tribes, all mycophagous (numbers in parentheses refer to species described): Catotrichinae (1); Micromyinae: Catochini (2), Amediini (1), Campylomyzini (1), Micromyini (2) and Aprionini (1); Winnertziinae: Heteropezini (2), Diallactiini (4) and Winnertziini (1); Porricondylinae: Dicerurini (1). Other Winnertziinae (3) and Micromyinae (5) cannot be classified to tribe because information on critical morphological structures is unavailable; they are thus considered incertae sedis. Members of the Lestremiinae sensu stricto are unrecorded from the Mesozoic, as are any Cecidomyiinae (the only subfamily containing phytophages and predators). Commonly occurring reasons for misinterpretation of amber fossils are the non-recognition of artefacts and the unfamiliarity with group-specific literature regarding prevailing taxonomic concepts and the morphological diversity found in Cecidomyiidae. These causes as well as obvious differences between neontological and paleontological taxonomic practices are discussed. Amediini trib. nov. Jaschhof, 2021 is introduced as a new tribe of the Micromyinae, to absorb the genera Amedia Jaschhof, 1997 (extant, North America, type genus), Amediella Jaschhof, 2003 (extant, New Zealand) and Eltxo Arillo & Nel, 2000 (extinct, Alava amber). A diagnosis of the new tribe is given. Krassiloviolini Fedotova & Perkovsky, 2017 is a new junior synonym of Heteropezini Schiner, 1868. Amediini Plakidas, 2017 and Zarqacecidomyius singularis Kaddumi, 2007 are nomina nuda.

Foot scales in the Early Cretaceous bird Gansus from China provide evidences on the evolution of avian scales

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tao Zhao ◽  
Zhiheng Li ◽  
He Zhang ◽  
Yanhong Pan
Keyword(s):  
Signaling Pathway ◽  
Early Cretaceous ◽  
Fossil Record ◽  
The Other ◽  
Signaling Modules

Abstract Most modern birds have scales covering the foot, while our knowledge of early avian scales is limited, mainly due to the scarcity of fossil record. Here we characterize the morphological details of two types of scales preserved in IVPP V15077, a referred specimen of the Early Cretaceous bird Gansus. The scutellate and interstitial scales, which, in combination with previous discovery of scutate and reticulate scales in other Early Cretaceous birds, indicates that all four types present in modern birds have appeared in the Early Cretaceous. A phylogenetic context of fossilized scales suggests that the evolution of reticulate scales is conservative while that of the other types is more variable. It is consistent with the molecular hypothesis of the scales in modern birds and reptiles that most integumentary structures in amniotes are homologous with modified signaling modules to form various integumentary phenotypes, among which the reticulate scales may use the conserved signaling pathway.

Remarkable stasis in some Lower Tertiary parasitoids: descriptions, new records, and review of Strepsiptera in the Oligo-Miocene amber of the Dominican Republic

1993 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Grimaldi ◽  
Jeyaraney Kathirithamby
Keyword(s):  
Dominican Republic ◽  
Lower Cretaceous ◽  
New Record ◽  
New Records ◽  
Dominican Amber ◽  
Lower Tertiary ◽  
New Findings ◽  
History Of

AbstractKathirithamby, J. & Grimaldi, D.: Remarkable stasis in some Lower Tertiary parasitoids: descriptions, new records, and review of Strepsiptera in the Oligo-Miocene amber of the Dominican Republic. Ent. scand. 24: 31-41. Copenhagen, Denmark. April 1993. ISSN 0013-8711. 25-30 million years of parasite stasis is recorded in amber from the Dominican Republic, by the finding of a species of strepsipteran morphologically indistinguishable from Bohartilla melagognatha Kinzelbach, 1969 (Bohartillidae), and two species very close to Caenocholax fenyesi (Pierce 1909) (Myrmecolacidae). A new record is made of a species previously described from Dominican amber, Myrmecolax glaesi Kinzelbach, 1983. The history of the Tertiary strepsipteran fauna is discussed. Minimal ages of taxa are extrapolated based on these amber and other fossils, higher-level cladistic relationships, and fossil dating of major host groups. These new findings are consistent with Kinzelbach's hypotheses of an ancient, Lower Cretaceous/Jurassic origin of the Strepsiptera.

A new fossil species of the genus Limodromus Motschulsky, 1850 (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Platynini) from Baltic amber with remarks on its death process

2018 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 399-408
Author(s):  
Sara Gamboa ◽  
Vicente M. Ortuño
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Fossil Record ◽  
Species Group ◽  
Morphological Features ◽  
Baltic Amber ◽  
Sister Taxon ◽  
Death Process ◽  
Fossil Species

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.

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