Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Responsive image
Issue: Vol. 1 No. 2: May–June 2024
Type: Article
Published: 2024-06-27
DOI: 10.11646/mesozoic.1.2.7
Page range: 144-158
Abstract views: 209
PDF downloaded: 125

A new genus of Mesopsychidae from the late Middle Triassic Tongchuan entomofauna and its taxonomic and palaeogeographic implications

Institute of Palaeontology, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Earth System Science, Yunnan Key Laboratory for Palaeobiology, MEC International Joint Laboratory for Palaeobiology and Palaeoenvironment, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China; Southwest United Graduate School, Kunming 650092, China
State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
Institute of Palaeontology, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Earth System Science, Yunnan Key Laboratory for Palaeobiology, MEC International Joint Laboratory for Palaeobiology and Palaeoenvironment, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China; Southwest United Graduate School, Kunming 650092, China
State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
Mesopsychidae Tongchuan Formation Ordos Basin Palaeolatitude

Abstract

Mesopsychids, a long-proboscid mecopteran group, are presumably associated with the pollination of Mesozoic gymnosperms. Despite over 100 years of study on the genus Mesopsyche, only isolated wings have been discovered. Mesopsyche is now redefined as a monotypic genus with only one species, Mesopsyche triareolata. The other species previously classified within Mesopsyche are have been assigned to the newly established genus Turbidapsyche Lian & Huang, gen. nov., distinguished by its three-branched Sc, in contrast to the numerous Sc branches of Mesopsyche. Herein, we present descriptions and illustrations of new material from the middle part (late Ladinian) of the Middle–Upper Triassic Yanchang Formation. We assigned these specimens to the newly erected genus, Turbidapsyche Lian & Huang, gen. nov. Turbidapsyche tongchuanensis (Hong, 2007) comb. nov., the first reported Turbidapsyche (Mesopsyche) from the Tongchuan entomofauna, is revised based on a new specimen. Additionally, we erecte three new species of Turbidapsyche Lian & Huang, gen. nov. based on their wing size, shape, and especially the coloured patterns. Turbidapsyche orientalis Lian & Huang, gen. et sp. nov. is characterised by the distinctly shrunken wing base and dense coloured markings along anterior wing. Turbidapsyche sparsanota Lian & Huang, gen. et sp. nov. is distinguished by its relatively larger wing size and sparse coloured spots situated at the forks, crossveins, and apical longitudinal veins. Turbidapsyche hongi Lian & Huang, gen. et sp. nov. is characterised by a relatively small wing size and sparser striped coloured markings. Although hindwings of Turbidapsyche Lian & Huang, gen. nov. are described and illustrated, they are not assigned to any species. Species of both Mesopsyche and Turbidapsyche are discussed in detail. The wing coloured patterns of Turbidapsyche exhibit regional differentiation, with numerous coloured spots or spots fused into striped coloured markings observed in China, transparency in Kyrgyzstan, and full pigmentation in Ukraine. Based on previous palaeomagnetic research conducted in Tongchuan area, we derive a palaeolatitude of 21° in the Middle Triassic. Turbidapsyche was distributed along the northern Palaeotethys, near a similar palaeolatitude, suggesting it inhabited comparable climates and perhaps had specific ecological requirements or limited dispersal capabilities.

References

  1. Bashkuev, A.S. (2011) The earliest Mesopsychidae and revision of the family Mesopanorpodidae (Mecoptera). Zookeys, 130, 263–279. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.130.1611
  2. Bashkuev, A.S. & Sukatsheva, I.D. (2021) New species of Kamopanorpa Martynov from the Permian of South Siberia with comments on the systematic position of Microptysmatidae (Protomeropina = Permotrichoptera). Palaeoentomology, 4 (5), 453–461. https://doi.org/10.11646/palaeoentomology.4.5.11
  3. Benton, M.J., Wilf, P. & Sauquet, H. (2022) The Angiosperm Terrestrial Revolution and the origins of modern biodiversity. New Phytologist, 233, 2017–2035. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.17822
  4. Butler, R.F. (1992) Paleomagnetism: magnetic domains to geologic terranes (Vol. 319). Blackwell Scientific Publications, Boston. 319 pp.
  5. Dilcher, D. (2000) Toward a new synthesis: major evolutionary trends in the angiosperm fossil record. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 97 (13), 7030–7036. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.97.13.7030
  6. Fu, Y.Z., Azar, D. & Huang, D.Y. (2021) The first Dysmorphoptilidae from the Middle Triassic of China (Hemiptera: Cicadomorpha). Historical Biology, 33 (12), 3506–3512. https://doi.org/10.1080/08912963.2021.1874374
  7. He, Z.X., Yang, H. & Yuan, X.Q. (2004) Atlas of geology profile in Ordos Basin. Petroleum Industry Press, Beijing, 422 pp.
  8. Hong, Y.C. (1980) Granulidae, a new family of Homoptera from the Middle Triassic of Tongchuan, Shaanxi Province. Acta Zootaxonomica Sinica, 5 (1), 63–70.
  9. Hong, Y.C. (2007) Midtriassic new genera and species of Mesopanorpodidae (Insecta, Mecoptera) from Shaanxi, China. Acta Zootaxonomica Sinica, 32 (2), 261–267.
  10. Hong, Y.C. (2009) First discovery of Midtriassic order Miomoptera (Insecta) in China. Geological Bulletin of China, 28 (1), 11–15.
  11. Hong, Y.C. & Li, Z.Y. (2012) The discovery of a new family Sunopteridae fam. nov. (Insecta: Protorthoptera) from Shaanxi Province, China. Geological Bulletin of China, 31 (5), 647–652.
  12. Huang, D.Y., Engel, M.S., Cai, C.Y., Wu, H. & Nel, A. (2012) Diverse transitional giant fleas from the Mesozoic era of China. Nature, 438, 201–204. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature10839
  13. Ji, L.M., Yan, K., Meng, F.W. & Zhao, M. (2010) The oleaginous Botryococcus from the Triassic Yanchang Formation in Ordos Basin, Northwestern China: morphology and its paleoenvironmental significance. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 38 (5), 175–185. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jseaes.2009.12.010
  14. Labandeira, C.C. (2010) The pollination of Mid Mesozoic seed plants and the early history of Long-proboscid insects1, 2, 3. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden, 97, 469–513. https://doi.org/10.3417/2010037
  15. Labandeira, C.C., Kvaček, J. & Mostovski, M.B. (2007) Pollination drops, pollen, and insect pollination of Mesozoic gymnosperms. Taxon, 56, 663–695. https://doi.org/10.2307/25065853
  16. Lambkin, K.J. (2014) The Mesopsychidae (Mecoptera) of the Queensland Triassic. Australian Entomologist, 41 (3), 135–146.
  17. Li, Z., Hong, Y.C. & Yang, D. (2007) A new Middle Triassic genus and species of Mylacridae (Blattodea) from China. Zootaxa, 1660 (1), 53–59. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.1660.1.4
  18. Lian, X.N., Cai, C.Y. & Huang, D.Y. (2021) New species of Mesopsyche Tillyard, 1917 (Mecoptera: Mesopsychidae) from the Triassic of northwestern China. Zootaxa, 4995 (3), 565–572. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4995.3.10
  19. Lian, X.N., Cai, C.Y. & Huang, D.Y. (2023) New genera and species of parachoristids (Insecta: Mecoptera) from the Tongchuan entomofauna of Shaanxi Province, northwestern China. Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology, 47 (1), 109–116. https://doi.org/10.1080/03115518.2023.2168059
  20. Lloyd, G.T., Davis, K.E., Pisani, D., Tarver, J.E., Ruta, M., Sakamoto, M., Hone, D.W., Jennings, R. & Benton, M.J. (2008) Dinosaurs and the Cretaceous terrestrial revolution. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 275 (1650), 2483–2490. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2008.0715
  21. Ma, X.H., Xing, L.S., Yang, Z.Y., Xu, S.J. & Zhang, J.X. (1993) Paleomagnetic study since late Paleozoic in the Ordos basin. Acta Geophysica. Sinica, 36 (1), 68–79.
  22. Minet, J., Huang, D.Y., Wu, H. & Nel, A. (2010) Early Mecopterida and the systematic position of the Microptysmatidae (Insecta: Endopterygota). Annales de la Société entomologique de France, 46 (1-2), 262–270. https://doi.org/10.1080/00379271.2010.10697667
  23. Nam, K.S. & Kim, J.H. (2014) Occurrence of the fossil Mesopsyche dobrokhotovae in the Late Triassic Amisan Formation, Nampo Group, Korea and its geological implication. Journal of the Korean earth science society, 35 (3), 161–167. https://doi.org/10.5467/JKESS.2014.35.3.161
  24. Novokshonov, V.G. (1997) The some Mesozoic scorpionflies (Insecta: Panorpida = Mecoptera) of the families Mesopsychidae, Pseudopolycentropodidae, Bittacidae, and Permochoristidae. Paleontological Journal, 31 (1), 65–71.
  25. Novokshonov, V.G. & Sukacheva, I.D. (2001) Fossil Scorpionflies of the “Suborder” Paratrichoptera (Insecta: Mecoptera). Paleontological Journal, 35, 173–182.
  26. Ren, D., Labandeira, C.C., Santiago-Blay, J.A., Rasnitsyn, A., Shih, C.K., Bashkuev, A., Logan, M.A.V., Hotton, C.L. & Dilcher, D. (2009) A probable pollination mode before angiosperms: Eurasian, long-proboscid scorpionflies. Science, 326, 840–847. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1178338
  27. Riek, E.F. (1956) Fossil mecopteroid insects from the Upper Permian of New South Wales. Records of the Australian Museum, 23 (2), 55–87. https://doi.org/10.3853/j.0067-1975.23.1953.621
  28. Scotese, C.R. (2016) Tutorial: PALEOMAP paleoAtlas for GPlates and the paleoData plotter program. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/301893396_PALEOMAP_PaleoAtlas_for_GPlates_and_the_PaleoData_Plotter_Program
  29. Tihelka, E., Giacomelli, M., Huang, D.Y., Pisani, D., Donoghue, P.C.J. & Cai, C.Y. (2020) Fleas are parasitic scorpionflies. Palaeoentomology, 3 (6), 641–653. https://doi.org/10.11646/palaeoentomology.3.6.16
  30. Tillyard, R.J. (1917) Mesozoic insects of Queensland. No. 1. Planipennia, Trichoptera, and the new order Protomecoptera. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, 42, 175–200. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.part.4852
  31. Tillyard, R.J. (1919) The panorpoid complex. 3. The wing venation. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, 44, 533–718.
  32. Xu, C.P., Fang, Y., Heads, S., Zhang, Q.Q., Jarzembowski, E.A. & Wang, B. (2020) The first Orthoptera (Insecta) from the Triassic of China. Alcheringa, 44 (1), 93–98. https://doi.org/10.1080/03115518.2019.1662485
  33. Yang, Z.Y., Ma, X.H., Besse, J., Courtillot, V., Xing, L.S., Xu, S.J. & Zhang, J.X. (1991) Paleomagnetic results from Triassic sections in the Ordos Basin, north China. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 104 (2-4), 258–277. https://doi.org/10.1016/0012-821X(91)90208-Y
  34. Zhang, Q.Q., Zheng, D.R., Wang, B. & Zhang, H.C. (2022) A review of Triassic insects in China. Geological Society, london, Special Publications, 521, 45–60. https://doi.org/10.1144/SP521-2021-121
  35. Zheng, D.R., Chang, S.C., Wang, H., Fang, Y., Wang, J., Feng, C.P., Wang, J., Feng, C.Q., Xie, G.W., Jarzembowski, E.A., Zhang, H.C. & Wang, B. (2018) Middle-Late Triassic insect radiation revealed by diverse fossils and isotopic ages from China. Science Advances, 4 (9), eaat1380. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aat1380
  36. Zheng, D.R., Nel, A., Wang, B., Jarzembowski, E., Chang, S.C. & Zhang, H.C. (2017) The first Triassic ‘Protodonatan’ (Zygophlebiidae) from China: stratigraphical implications. Geological Magazine, 154 (1), 169–174. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0016756816000625
  37. Zhu, R.K., Cui, J.W., Deng, S.H., Luo, Z., Lu, Y.Z. & Qiu, Z. (2019) High‐precision dating and geological significance of Chang 7 Tuff Zircon of the Triassic Yanchang Formation, Ordos Basin in Central China. Acta Geologica Sinica (English Edition), 93 (6), 1823–1834. https://doi.org/10.1111/1755-6724.14329