Priabona florissantius

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Priabona florissantius
Temporal range: Priabonian
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Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Pipunculidae
Subfamily: Nephrocerinae
Genus:† Priabona
Archibald, Kehlmaier, & Mathewes, 2014
Species:
†P. florissantius
Binomial name
†Priabona florissantius
(Carpenter & Hull) Archibald, Kehlmaier, & Mathewes, 2014
Synonyms
  • Protonephrocerus florissantius

Priabona is an extinct genus of big-headed flies in the dipteran subfamily Nephrocerinae, within which it is one of only two genera. The genus contains a single described species, Priabona florissantius. Priabona is known from a single Late Eocene fossil from western North America. [1]

Contents

History and classification

Priabona is known from a compression-impression fossil preserved in fine shale of the Florissant Formation in Colorado. [1] The formation is composed of successive lake deposits which have preserved a diverse assemblage of insects. The insects and plants suggest a climate similar to modern Southeastern North America, with a number of taxa represented that are now found in the subtropics to tropics and confined to the Old World. When Priabona was described, the Florissant formation was considered to be Miocene in age, based on the flora and fauna preserved. Subsequent research and fossil descriptions permitted a re-examined dating, and by 1985 the formation had been reassigned to an Oligocene age. [2] Further refinement of the formation's age using radiometric dating of sanidine crystals has resulted in an age of 34 million years, which places the formation in the Late Eocene Priabonian stage. [3] [4] [5]

At the time of description the holotype specimen, number 3976 was deposited in the Museum of Comparative Zoology paleontology collections at Harvard University. Placement of the group has changed several times, with Nepherocerus Metanephrocerus Priabona and Protonephrocerus being placed in the pipunculid subfamily Nephrocerinae from 1948 until 2014. The placement of the tribe Protonephrocerini, containing Metanephrocerus and Protonephrocerus, was challenged in 2014 by Kehlmaier, Dierick and Skevington who suggested inclusion of the genera made Nephrocerinae paraphyletic. As such they elevated the tribe Protonephrocerini to the subfamily rank as Protonephrocerinae, leaving only Nephrocerus and Priabona in Nephrocerinae. [6] The species was originally placed into the genus Protonephrocerus by Frank M. Carpenter and F.M. Hull with their type description in 1939. The species was moved in 2014, based on a redescription of the type specimen, to the new genus Priabona. The generic epithet "Priabona" is taken from Priabonian, the age of the Florissant Formation. [1]

Description

P. florissantius has a body length of 4.5 millimetres (0.18 in), with the details of the head mostly indistinct. There appears to be a notch between the eyes which runs halfway up the rear-side of the head capsule. The wings of the holotype are 4.6 millimetres (0.18 in) and hyaline overall, with a darkening of the pterostigma. The femurs of P. florissantius are unique in that they have several darkened spines on the undersides and which have setae on the front and upper sides, a feature absent in Nephrocerus. [1]

Related Research Articles

The Priabonian is, in the ICS's geologic timescale, the latest age or the upper stage of the Eocene Epoch or Series. It spans the time between 37.71 and33.9 Ma. The Priabonian is preceded by the Bartonian and is followed by the Rupelian, the lowest stage of the Oligocene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pipunculidae</span> Family of flies

Pipunculidae is a family of flies (Diptera) commonly termed big-headed flies, a reference to the large (holoptic) eyes, which cover nearly the entire head. The family is found worldwide and more than 1300 species have been described.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baltic amber</span> Type of amber from the Baltic area

The Baltic region is home to the largest known deposit of amber, called Baltic amber or succinite. It was produced sometime during the Eocene epoch, but exactly when is controversial. It has been estimated that these forests created more than 100,000 tons of amber. Today, more than 90% of the world's amber comes from Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia. It is a major source of income for the region; the local Kaliningrad Amber Combine extracted 250 tonnes of it in 2014 and 400 tonnes in 2015.

Paleontology or palaeontology is the study of prehistoric life forms on Earth through the examination of plant and animal fossils. This includes the study of body fossils, tracks (ichnites), burrows, cast-off parts, fossilised feces (coprolites), palynomorphs and chemical residues. Because humans have encountered fossils for millennia, paleontology has a long history both before and after becoming formalized as a science. This article records significant discoveries and events related to paleontology that occurred or were published in the year 1939.

Paleontology or palaeontology is the study of prehistoric life forms on Earth through the examination of plant and animal fossils. This includes the study of body fossils, tracks (ichnites), burrows, cast-off parts, fossilised feces (coprolites), palynomorphs and chemical residues. Because humans have encountered fossils for millennia, paleontology has a long history both before and after becoming formalized as a science. This article records significant discoveries and events related to paleontology that occurred or were published in the year 1948.

<i>Florissantia</i> (plant) Genus of plant in the mallow family (fossil)

Florissantia is an extinct genus of flowering plants in the Malvaceae subfamily Sterculioideae known from western North America and far eastern Asia. Flower, fruit, and pollen compression fossils have been found in formations ranging between the Early Eocene through to the Early Oligocene periods. The type species is Florissantia speirii and three additional species are known, Florissantia ashwillii, Florissantia quilchenensis, and Florissantia sikhote-alinensis.

<i>Paleolepidopterites</i> Extinct fossil genus of tortrix moths

Paleolepidopterites is a collective genus of fossil moths which can not be placed in any defined family. The included species were formerly placed in the leaf-roller family Tortricidae and are known from fossils found in Russia and the United States. The collective genus contains three species: Paleolepidopterites destructus, Paleolepidopterites florissantanus, and Paleolepidopterites sadilenkoi, formerly placed within the genera Tortrix and Tortricites respectively. The three species were formally redescribed and moved to the new collective genus by Heikkilä et al. (2018).

Dominickus is an extinct genus of moth in the butterfly-moth family Castniidae containing a single species Dominickus castnioides. The species is known from late Eocene, Priabonian stage, lake deposits near the small community of Guffey in Teller County, Colorado, United States.

Protostephanus is an extinct genus of crown wasp in the Hymenoptera family Stephanidae known from an Eocene fossil found in the United States of America. The genus contains a single described species, Protostephanus ashmeadi placed in the stephanid subfamily Stephaninae.

<i>Eulithomyrmex</i> Extinct genus of ants

Eulithomyrmex is an extinct genus of ant in the formicid subfamily Agroecomyrmecinae. The genus contains two described species, Eulithomyrmex rugosus and Eulithomyrmex striatus. Eulithomyrmex is known from a group of Late Eocene fossils which were found in North America.

Aphaenogaster donisthorpei is an extinct species of ant in formicid subfamily Myrmicinae known from a Late Eocene fossil from North America. A. donisthorpei was one of two Aphaenogaster species described in the 1930 paper.

<i>Aphaenogaster mayri</i> Extinct species of ant

Aphaenogaster mayri is an extinct species of ant in formicid subfamily Myrmicinae known from a series of Late Eocene fossils found in North America. A. mayri was one of two Aphaenogaster species described in a 1930 paper by Frank M. Carpenter.

<i>Aphaenogaster longaeva</i> Extinct species of ant

Aphaenogaster longaeva is an extinct species of ant in formicid subfamily Myrmicinae known from a solitary Eocene or Oligocene fossil found in North America. A. longaeva was one of five insect species described by the paleoentomologist Samuel Hubbard Scudder in an 1877 paper.

<i>Archiponera</i> Extinct genus of ants

Archiponera is an extinct genus of ant in the formicid subfamily Ponerinae. The genus contains a single described species, Archiponera wheeleri known from several Late Eocene fossils which were found in North America.

<i>Metanephrocerus</i> Extinct genus of flies

Metanephrocerus is an extinct genus of big-headed flies in the dipteran subfamily Protonephrocerinae, for which it is one of only two genera. The genus contains four described species, Metanephrocerus belgardeae, M. collini, M. groehni, and M. hoffeinsorum. Metanephrocerus is known from a group of Middle Eocene fossils which were found in Europe and a single early Eocene fossil from North America.

<i>Holcorpa</i> Extinct genus of insects

Holcorpa is a genus of extinct insects in the scorpionfly order Mecoptera. Two Eocene age species found in Western North America were placed into the genus, H. dillhoffi and H. maculosa.

Pachycondyla oligocenica is an extinct species of formicid in the ant subfamily Ponerinae known from a fossil found in eastern Asia.

<i>Florissantia elegans</i> Extinct species of true bug

Florissantia is an extinct monotypic genus of planthopper in the dictyopharid subfamily Dictyopharinae. The single species, Florissantia elegans, was described by Samuel Hubbard Scudder (1890) from fossils found in the Florissant Formation of Colorado.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nephrocerinae</span> Subfamily of flies

Nephrocerinae is a subfamily of big-headed flies.

<i>Polystoechotites</i> Extinct genus of lacewings

Polystoechotites is an extinct parataxon of lacewings in the moth lacewing family Ithonidae. The taxon is a collective group for fossil polystechotid giant lacewing species whose genus affiliation is uncertain, but which are distinct enough to identify as segregate species. Polystoechotites species are known from Eocene fossils found in North America and is composed of four named species Polystoechotites barksdalae, Polystoechotites falcatus, Polystoechotites lewisi, and Polystoechotites piperatus, plus two unnamed species. Three of the described species are known from fossils recovered from the Eocene Okanagan Highlands of Washington State, while the fourth is from Colorado.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Archibald, SB; Kehlmaier, C; Mathewes, RW (2014). "Early Eocene big headed flies (Diptera: Pipunculidae) from the Okanagan Highlands, western North America". The Canadian Entomologist. 146 (4): 429–443. doi:10.4039/tce.2013.79.
  2. ↑ Tindale, N. B. (1985). "A butterfly-moth (Lepidoptera:Castniidae) form the Oligocene shales of Florissant, Colorado" (PDF). Journal of Research on the Lepidoptera. 24 (1): 31–40.
  3. ↑ Ksepka, D.T.; Clarke, J.A. (2009). "Affinities of Palaeospiza bella and the Phylogeny and Biogeography of Mousebirds (Coliiformes)". The Auk. The American Ornithologists' Union. 126 (2): 245–259. doi:10.1525/auk.2009.07178. S2CID   85597698.
  4. ↑ Lloyd, K.J.; Eberle, J.J. (2008). "A New Talpid from the Late Eocene of North America" (PDF). Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. Institute of Paleobiology, Polish Academy of Sciences. 53 (3): 539–543. doi: 10.4202/app.2008.0311 .
  5. ↑ Worley-Georg, M.P.; Eberle, J.J. (2006). "Additions to the Chadronian mammalian fauna, Florissant Formation, Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Colorado". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology. 26 (3): 685–696. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2006)26[685:ATTCMF]2.0.CO;2.
  6. ↑ Kehlmaier, C; Dierick, M; Skevington, JH (2014). "Micro-CT studies of amber inclusions reveal internal genitalic features of big-headed flies, enabling a systematic placement of Metanephrocerus Aczel, 1948 (Insecta: Diptera: Pipunculidae)". Arthropod Systematics & Phylogeny. 72 (1): 23–36.
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