Pseudarmadillo tuberculatus | |
---|---|
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Subphylum: | Crustacea |
Class: | Malacostraca |
Superorder: | Peracarida |
Order: | Isopoda |
Suborder: | Oniscidea |
Family: | Delatorreiidae |
Genus: | Pseudarmadillo |
Species: | †P. tuberculatus |
Binomial name | |
†Pseudarmadillo tuberculatus Schmalfuss, 1984 | |
Pseudarmadillo tuberculatus is an extinct species of isopod in the family Delatorreiidae known from a series of possibly Miocene [1] fossils found on Hispaniola. At the time of description P. tuberculatus was one of two Pseudarmadillo species known from the fossil record and one of only two from Hispaniola. [2]
P. tuberculatus is known from four isopods, both female and male, all of which are inclusions in three different transparent chunks of Dominican amber. Two of the paratypes are fossils in the same amber specimen while the other two individuals are both in separate amber specimens. [2] The amber specimens which entomb the holotype and paratypes, are currently preserved in the Division of Invertebrate Zoology collections at the Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Stuttgart in Stuttgart, Germany. The type specimens were collected from an undetermined amber mine, in fossil bearing rocks of the Cordillera Septentrional mountains, northern Dominican Republic. The amber was produced by resin from the extinct tree Hymenaea protera , which formerly grew on Hispaniola, across northern South America and up to southern Mexico. [1] [3] The amber dates from at least the Burdigalian stage of the Miocene, based on studying the associated fossil foraminifera and may be as old as the Middle Eocene, based on the associated fossil coccoliths. This age range is due to the host rock being secondary deposits for the amber, and the Miocene the age range is only the youngest that it might be. [1]
The fossil isopods were first studied by paleontologist Helmut Schmalfuss of the Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Stuttgart. Schmalfuss's 1984 type description of the new species was published in the journal Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde. Serie B (Geologie und Paläontologie) and no explanation of the specific epithet tuberculatus was given. P. tuberculatus is one of the first two species of Pseudarmadillo described from the fossil record, the other species being Pseudarmadillo cristatus . Both are known only from Dominican amber and were described in the same 1984 paper. [2] [4]
The Pseudarmadillo tuberculatus specimens are moderately well preserved, though since isopods lack the wax coatings found in insects, they show deterioration and distortion from the resin after entombment. The species has an estimated adult body length of up to approximately 3.5 millimetres (0.14 in) and a width of 1.5 millimetres (0.059 in). In contrast to P. cristatus which has two ribs running the length of the body on each side, only one rib is on each side of P. tuberculatus. While both species have two rows of bumps running the width of the body between the ribs on each body segment, the front row of bumps is eleven across and the posterior row is ten across in P. tuberculatus rather the row and five and four in P. cristatus. The cephalon has notably enlarged antennal lobes that served to shelter the antenna when an individual curled into a defensive ball. The compound eyes of the species are composed five ommatidia. [2]
Pseudarmadillo is a genus of woodlice from the Greater Antilles. All extant species live in Cuba, with one species also extending to the Bahamas:
Cephalotes alveolatus is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Myrmicinae known from a single Middle Miocene fossil found in amber on Hispaniola. At the time of description C. alveolatus was one of seven fossil ant species placed in the Cephalotescoffeae clade.
Cephalotes caribicus is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Myrmicinae known from two Middle Miocene fossils found in amber on Hispaniola. At the time of description C. caribicus was one of nine ant species placed in the Cephalotespinelii clade.
Cephalotes dieteri is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Myrmicinae known from two Middle Miocene fossils found in amber on Hispaniola. At the time of description, C. dieteri was one of seven fossil ant species placed in the Cephalotescoffeae clade.
Cephalotes hispaniolicus is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Myrmicinae known from a single Middle Miocene fossil found in amber on Hispaniola. At the time of description C. hispaniolicus was one of six ant species placed in the Cephalotesmultispinosus clade.
Paraponera is a genus of ants and the only genus in the subfamily Paraponerinae. The name means "near-Ponera".
Acanthognathus poinari is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Myrmicinae known from a single possibly Miocene fossil found on Hispaniola. A. poinari is the first species of the ant genus Acanthognathus to have been described from fossils found in Dominican amber and is one of several species of Acanthognathus found in the Greater Antillies.
Anochetus ambiguus is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Ponerinae known from two possibly Miocene fossils found on Hispaniola. A. ambiguus is one of eight species in the ant genus Anochetus to have been described from fossils found in Dominican amber and is one of a number of Anochetus species found in the Greater Antillies.
Anochetus brevidentatus is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Ponerinae known from two possibly Miocene fossils found on Hispaniola. A. ambiguus is one of eight species in the ant genus Anochetus to have been described from fossils found in Dominican amber and is one of a number of Anochetus species found in the Greater Antillies.
Anochetus conisquamis is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Ponerinae known from one possibly Miocene fossil found on Hispaniola. A. conisquamis is one of eight species in the ant genus Anochetus to have been described from fossils found in Dominican amber and is one of a number of Anochetus species found in the Greater Antilles.
Anochetus corayi is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Ponerinae known from one possibly Miocene fossil found on Hispaniola. A. corayi is one of eight species in the ant genus Anochetus to have been described from fossils found in Dominican amber and is one of a number of Anochetus species found in the Greater Antillies.
Anochetus dubius is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Ponerinae known from two possibly Miocene fossils found on Hispaniola. A. dubius is one of eight species in the ant genus Anochetus to have been described from fossils found in Dominican amber and is one of a number of Anochetus species found in the Greater Antillies.
Anochetus exstinctus is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Ponerinae known from two possibly Miocene fossils found on Hispaniola. A. exstinctus is one of eight species in the ant genus Anochetus to have been described from fossils found in Dominican amber and is one of a number of Anochetus species found in the Greater Antillies.
Anochetus intermedius is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Ponerinae known from two possibly Miocene fossils found on Hispaniola. A. intermedius is one of eight species in the ant genus Anochetus to have been described from fossils found in Dominican amber and is one of a number of Anochetus species found in the Greater Antilles.
Anochetus lucidus is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Ponerinae known from two possibly Miocene fossils found on Hispaniola. A. lucidus is one of eight species in the ant genus Anochetus to have been described from fossils found in Dominican amber and is one of a number of Anochetus species found in the Greater Antillies.
Pseudarmadillo cristatus is an extinct species of isopod (woodlouse) in the family Delatorreiidae known from a series of possibly Miocene fossils found on Hispaniola. At the time of description P. cristatus was one of two Pseudarmadillo species known from the fossil record and one of only two from Hispaniola.
Aphaenogaster amphioceanica is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Myrmicinae known from a single possibly Miocene fossil found in amber on Hispaniola. At the time of description A. amphioceanica was one of two Aphaenogaster species known from the Caribbean islands.
Aphaenogaster praerelicta is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Myrmicinae known from a solitary Late Oligocene to Early Miocene fossil found in Mexico. At the time of description A. praerelicta was one of three Aphaenogaster species known from Mexico.
Odontomachus spinifer is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Ponerinae known from one possibly Miocene fossil found on Hispaniola. O. spinifer is one of two species in the ant genus Odontomachus to have been described from fossils found in Dominican amber and is one of a number of Odontomachus species found in the Greater Antilles.
Odontomachus pseudobauri is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Ponerinae known from one possibly Miocene fossil found on Hispaniola. O. pseudobauri is one of two species in the ant genus Odontomachus to have been described from fossils found in Dominican amber and is one of a number of Odontomachus species found in the Greater Antilles.