Most cited article - PubMed ID 37749134
Fluctuation in the diversity of mayflies (Insecta, Ephemerida) as documented in the fossil record
Hemiptera, the fifth most diverse insect order, are characterized by their high diversity in deep time, with 145 known extinct families. However, the precise timing of the origin of Hemiptera lineages has remained uncertain. Traditional approaches, molecular clock analyses and fossil calibrations, have overlooked much of this extinct diversity by failing to incorporate key fossil data. Furthermore, no estimates have been proposed for the timing of the extinction of Hemiptera's fossil lineages. In this study, we use the recently developed Bayesian Brownian Bridge model, which estimates the timing of lineage origin and extinction through fossil-based Bayesian modelling, to provide a temporal framework for the rise and fall of 310 major hemipteran lineages. Our results support an early Pennsylvanian origin of Hemiptera, and indicate that the major hemipteran lineages originated between the late Carboniferous and Late Permian (Pennsylvanian-Lopingian). Additionally, our analyses reveal a radiation of Hemiptera during the Permian (Guadalupian), followed by multiple extinctions of ancient hemipteran lineages from the Permo-Triassic boundary to the mid-Triassic. A second major radiation occurred during the Cretaceous, coinciding with numerous extinctions of relic and newly emerging Cretaceous lineages, highlighting a faunal turnover. Our study provides a holistic fossil-based picture of the evolutionary history of Hemiptera.
- Keywords
- Insecta, evolution, extinction, macroevolution, palaeoenvironment, true bugs,
- MeSH
- Bayes Theorem MeSH
- Biological Evolution * MeSH
- Extinction, Biological MeSH
- Phylogeny MeSH
- Hemiptera * genetics MeSH
- Fossils * MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
Extant representatives of the mayfly family Ameletopsidae Edmunds, 1957 as well as other three small families (Nesameletidae Riek, 1973, Oniscigastridae Lameere, 1917 and Rallidentidae Penniket, 1966) traditionally have been classified within the paraphyletic superfamily Siphlonuroidea. Except for Rallidentidae, which are endemic to New Zealand, they have an amphinotic distribution. Ameletopsidae are present with two genera in South America, one genus in Australia, and one genus in New Zealand. The fossil record of Ameletopsidae is scarce. The Mesozoic monospecific genus Promirara Jell & Duncan, 1986 was described from a larva of the Early Cretaceous Koonwarra Fossil Bed in Australia. Also associated with Ameletopsidae is the Cenozoic genus Balticophlebia Demoulin, 1968, which was recorded from Eocene Baltic amber based on a female adult. While the systematic position of the Eocene Balticophlebia seems to be still unclear and in need of clarification, we are able to confirm the presence of Ameletopsidae in the Eocene of Europe by describing Nebesna sotnia gen. & sp. nov. based on a relatively well-preserved male imago from Baltic amber. The fossil record thus indeed supports an ancient Pangean history of this family.
- Keywords
- Cenozoic, Laurasia, Mayflies, Mesozoic, Pangea, Siphlonuroidea, amphinotic distribution,
- MeSH
- Ephemeroptera * classification anatomy & histology MeSH
- Phylogeny MeSH
- Amber * chemistry MeSH
- Fossils * MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Male MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Geographicals
- Australia MeSH
- New Zealand MeSH
- Names of Substances
- Amber * MeSH
The family Baetiscidae Edmunds & Traver, 1954 is recognisable among mayflies due to its bizarre larvae, equipped with a robust and spiked thoracic notal shield covering part of the abdomen up to sixth segment. Originally being described as extant species from the USA and Canada, Baetiscidae were later found in the fossil record as well, specifically in Cretaceous of Brazil and Eocene Baltic amber. An enigmatic piece of fossil evidence are two larvae from the Early Cretaceous Koonwarra Fossil Bed in Australia, which have been presumed as attributable to Baetiscidae and briefly discussed in previous studies. In the present contribution, we reinvestigate these fossils and confirm their attribution to the family Baetiscidae. These larvae are depicted and described as Koonwarrabaetisca jelli gen. et sp. nov. and Koonwarrabaetisca duncani sp. nov. For both Cretaceous genera Protobaetisca Staniczek, 2007 and Koonwarrabaetisca gen. nov. we establish a new subfamily Protobaetiscinae subfam. nov. within the family Baetiscidae, based on the presence of markedly shortened thoracic sterna. The phylogenetic position of newly described subfamily is clarified using a cladistic analysis; Protobaetiscinae subfam. nov. forms a monophyletic clade, sister to Baetiscinae. The confirmation of the distribution of Baetiscidae in the Cretaceous of Australia suggests almost worldwide distribution of this family in the deep time. Given their limited dispersal abilities, this distributional pattern can be best explained by the Pangean origin for this family, moving the time of their origin at least to the Early Jurassic. The larvae of Koonwarrabaetisca gen. nov. exhibit the same ecomorphological specialization as the rest of Baetiscidae, that supporting with a high probability their lifestyle similar to extant Baetisca Walsh, 1862. The larvae probably lived in the flowing water with stony substrate densely covered by filamentous algae, and in the places of accumulation of dead plant and algae matter during the last instars. Thus, Koonwarrabaetisca gen. nov. could be the allochthonous component in mayfly fauna of the Koonwarra paleolake.
