| Burmaleon Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Neuroptera |
| Family: | Osmylidae |
| Genus: | † Burmaleon |
| Species: | †B. magnificus |
| Binomial name | |
| †Burmaleon magnificus Myskowiak et al, 2016 | |
Burmaleon is an extinct genus of lacewing in the family Osmylidae known from fossils found in Asia. The genus contains a single species, Burmaleon magnificus.
When first described, R. cratoensis was known from a pair of fossil adults, the holotype number "HUANG-BP-B-4220" and paratype number "HUANG-NIGP163028". At the time of the insects' description, the two specimens were residing in the Chinese Academy of Sciences's Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology, in Nanjing. Both the winged adults are preserved as inclusions in transparent chunks of yellow Burmese amber shaped and polished before study. [1] The amber specimen was recovered from the amber deposits of Hukawng Valley, Kachin State in Myanmar. The specific origin location for the fossils is unidentified since the amber pieces were obtained from traders after mining. [1] Burmese amber has been radiometrically dated using U-Pb isotopes, yielding an age of approximately 98.79 ± 0.62 million years old, close to the Aptian – Cenomanian boundary, in the earliest Cenomanian. [2] [3]
The fossils were described in a 2016 paper by an international team of paleontologists led by Justine Myskowiak. The genus name is a combination of Burma, referring to the type location in Burmese amber, and leon, a common suffix name for myrmeleontoid insects. They coined the specific epithet magnificus in reference to the great detail of preservation seen in the fossils. [1]
The species have a full body length ranging between approximately 10–12 mm (0.39–0.47 in), and both are mostly complete. On the holotype, the whole individual is preserved except three of the legs, while the paratype has only body, antennae and wings present. The heads are wider than long, with medium compound eyes positioned on the sides and no ocelli present. The antennae are thread- like in appearance and at least half as long as the fore-wings. The legs are slender and attached to the 1.0 mm (0.039 in) long prothorax, with all the legs showing distinct apical spurs on the tibia. The 15.0–15.5 mm (0.59–0.61 in) long forewings are a hyaline with a brown pterostigma and brown venation, but no color patterning. There are small trichosors present along the apical rear edges of the forewings, but unlike the modern genus Gumilla , nygmata are not present on any of the wings. The Rs vein of all four wings have six distinct branches and the positioning of the first branch is near the center point of the wing. In the fore-wings the area between the costa vein and the ScP is narrow as is the area between the costal margin and the combined subcostal plus radial veins. [1]
The insect order Neuroptera, or net-winged insects, includes the lacewings, mantisflies, antlions, and their relatives. The order consists of some 6,000 species. Neuroptera is grouped together with the Megaloptera and Raphidioptera (snakeflies) in the unranked taxon Neuropterida.
The Berothidae are a family of winged insects of the order Neuroptera. They are known commonly as the beaded lacewings. The family was first named by Anton Handlirsch in 1906. The family consists of 24 genera and 110 living species distributed discontinuously worldwide, mostly in tropical and subtropical regions. Numerous extinct species have also been described. Their ecology is poorly known, but in the species where larval stages have been documented, the larvae are predators of termites.
Sisyridae, commonly known as spongeflies or spongillaflies, are a family of winged insects in the order Neuroptera. There are approximately 60 living species described, and several extinct species identified from the fossil record.
Ektatotricha is an extinct, monotypic, genus of ant-like stone beetle in the family Staphylinidae containing the single species Ektatotricha paradoxa.
Plumalexius is a genus of wasps in the extinct monotypic family Plumalexiidae, containing two species: the type species Plumalexius rasnitsyni, known from the Late Cretaceous White Oaks Pit in Sayreville, New Jersey, and Plumalexius ohmkuhnlei, known from the Cretaceous Burmese amber.
The Stenophlebiidae is an extinct family of medium-sized to large fossil odonates from the Upper Jurassic and Cretaceous period that belongs to the damsel-dragonfly grade ("anisozygopteres") within the stem group of Anisoptera. They are characterized by their long and slender wings, and the transverse shape of the discoidal triangles in their wing venation.
Principiala is an extinct genus of lacewing in the moth lacewings family Ithonidae. The genus is known from Cretaceous fossils found in South America, Europe, and possibly Asia. The genus is composed of two species, the type species Principiala incerta, and Principiala rudgwickensis.
Zigrasolabis is an extinct genus of earwig in the family Labiduridae known from Cretaceous fossils found in Myanmar. The genus contains a single described species, Zigrasolabis speciosa.
Toxolabis is an extinct genus of earwig in the dermapteran family Anisolabididae known from a Cretaceous fossil found in Burma. The genus contains a single described species, Toxolabis zigrasi.
Myanmyrma is an extinct genus of ants not placed into any Formicidae subfamily. Fossils of the single known species, Myanmyrma gracilis, are known from the Middle Cretaceous of Asia. The genus is one of several ants described from Middle Cretaceous ambers of Myanmar.
Araripenymphes is an extinct genus of lacewing in the family Nymphidae known from fossils found in the Crato Formation of the Araripe Basin in South America. The genus contains a single species, Araripenymphes seldeni. The genus was named after the basin.
Rafaelnymphes is an extinct genus of lacewing in the family Nymphidae known from a fossil found in South America. The genus contains a single species, Rafaelnymphes cratoensis.
Gerontoformica is an extinct genus of stem-group ants. The genus contains thirteen described species known from Late Cretaceous fossils found in Asia and Europe. The species were described between 2004 and 2016, with a number of the species formerly being placed into the junior synonym genus Sphecomyrmodes.
Camelomecia is an extinct genus of stem-group ants not placed into any Formicidae subfamily. Fossils of the single known species, Camelomecia janovitzi, are known from the Middle Cretaceous of Asia. The genus is one of several ants described from Middle Cretaceous ambers of Myanmar.
Prosisyrina is an extinct genus of lacewing in the neuropteran family Sisyridae. The genus contains two described species, Prosisyrina sphinga and Prosisyrina sukachevae. Prosisyrina is known from a group of Late Cretaceous fossils which were found in Asia.
Paradoxosisyra is an extinct genus of lacewing in the spongefly family, Sisyridae. The genus contains a single species, Paradoxosisyra groehni and is placed into the extinct subfamily Paradoxosisyrinae. Paradoxosisyra is known from a solitary Middle Cretaceous fossil which was found in Asia.
Ceratomyrmex is an extinct genus of ant in the Formicidae subfamily Haidomyrmecinae. The genus contains a single described species Ceratomyrmex ellenbergeri and is known from several Late Cretaceous fossils which have been found in Asia.
Linguamyrmex is an extinct genus of ant in the formicid subfamily Haidomyrmecinae, and is one of only nine genera placed in the subfamily Haidomyrmecinae. The genus contains three described species, Linguamyrmex brevicornis, Linguamyrmex rhinocerus, and the type species Linguamyrmex vladi all known from Late Cretaceous fossils found in Asia.
Babinskaiidae is an extinct family of neuropterans known from the Cretaceous period. They are part of the superfamily Myrmeleontoidea. Their distinguishing characters include: "long filiform antennae, narrowly elongated wings, with features such as trichosors, and presectorial cross veins present in both wings, and absence of forewing oblique vein". They are considered transitional between Nymphidae and more derived myrmeleontodoids, such as antlions.
Dipteromantispidae is an extinct family of neuropterans known from the Cretaceous period. Unlike other neuropterans, the family possesses only a single set of fully developed forewings, with the hindwings reduced to haltere-like structures. They are generally small in size and possess raptorial forelegs. They are considered to belong to Mantispoidea, with an uncertain position within the clade. Some authors have suggested that they represent a subgroup of Mantispidae, and should instead be referred to as the subfamily Dipteromantispinae within that family.
Data related to Burmaleon at Wikispecies