New non-holometabolous insects from the Pennsylvanian of the Avion locality in Pas-de-Calais, France ( Insecta: 'Exopterygota')
Abstract
Prokop, J., Roques, P. & Nel, A., 2014. New non-holometabolous insects from the Pennsylvanian of the Avion locality in Pas-de-Calais, France (Insecta: Exopterygota').
Alcheringa 38, 155-169. ISSN 0311-5518.New palaeopteran and neopteran insects are described from Moscovian impression fossils of the Pas-de-Calais Basin in northern France.
Spilaptera splendens sp. nov. (Palaeodictyoptera) is based on new forewing venation characters including a well-developed anal bar in the form of a cuticular reinforcement extending from the anal area to the radial stem, a feature previously unknown in this genus. This character was also confirmed after re-examination of S. libelluloides.
The discovery of a wing part with a large anal fan supports the presence of a gigantic palaeodictyopteran that can be assigned to Homoiopteridae. Based on a petiolate wing, Jacquesoudardia magnifica gen. et sp. nov. represents a small damselfly-like odonatopteran that was probably predatory on small arthropods and coexisted with larger meganeurid species such as Gallotupus oudardi from the same locality.
The discovery of Paolia sp. (Paoliidae), known previously from the Bashkirian of Indiana (USA) and South Limbourg (the Netherlands), extends the distribution and stratigraphic range of the genus. Characterized by a short ScP, Aviogramma gracilis gen. et sp. nov. is the second member of Caloneurodea from the Pas-de-Calais Basin after Pruvostiella lecomtei (Pruvost).
Aviocladus pectinatus gen. et sp. nov. and Aviohapaloptera bethouxi gen. et sp. nov. are both assigned to Archaeorthoptera. Aviocladus pectinatus, a member of Cnemidolestodea, preserves a venation pattern that allows restoration of Tococladus to Archaeorthoptera.
Aviohapaloptera has strongly similar venation to Hapaloptera, known from Mazon Creek (USA), in bearing a pectinate CuPb, CuA+CuPa with few posterior branches, a narrow costal area and radial posterior (RP) with few branches.