Many extant species spin cocoons before their pupal stage,which can protect them from predators,pathogens,and fluctuant environmental factors in nests.However,owing to the scarcity of ant cocoon fossils,little is know...Many extant species spin cocoons before their pupal stage,which can protect them from predators,pathogens,and fluctuant environmental factors in nests.However,owing to the scarcity of ant cocoon fossils,little is known about the origin and evolution of this behavior in Formicidae.Here,we describe two ant pupae specimens from Myanmar amber.The presence of cocoons in these Mesozoic fossils suggests the ancestral origin of spinning cocoon behavior;based on our phylogenetic analysis and ancestral state reconstruction,this behavior was secondarily lost at least six times in Formicidae,which could be ascribed to the transition of nesting and feeding habits,as well as the development of eusociality.Moreover,the first specimen preserved worker ants with empty cocoons simultaneously,indicating garbage removal or brood care behavior,which improves our understanding of their eusociality in the Cretaceous.展开更多
The evolutionary history of Eupolypods still remains unclear, especially on its diversification scenarios. In recent years, it has been found that approximately 100 million-year-old Myanmar amber provides a unique sou...The evolutionary history of Eupolypods still remains unclear, especially on its diversification scenarios. In recent years, it has been found that approximately 100 million-year-old Myanmar amber provides a unique source of polypod fossils. Different families and numerous sporangia, spores, and scales have been found in Myanmar amber. These discoveries are nevertheless important because they provided the first unequivocal fossil evidence that the diversity of eupolypod ferns was present already in the mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber forest. This clearly shows that Eupolypods originated before mid-Cretaceous, probably as early as the Early Jurassic, which is consistent with the recent divergence time estimate based on molecular dating.展开更多
The amber deposits from the Albian-Cenomanian in Myanmar have emerged as a pivotal source for exceptionally abundant fossil insect fauna since their initial discovery. Recent studies have increasingly focused on eluci...The amber deposits from the Albian-Cenomanian in Myanmar have emerged as a pivotal source for exceptionally abundant fossil insect fauna since their initial discovery. Recent studies have increasingly focused on elucidating the fern inventory and examining newly available fossils from Myanmar amber, suggesting a diverse fern flora that once thrived in Cretaceous forests. Through investigations of amber collections, with particular emphasis on sporangium structures—especially the annulus types preserved in amber inclusions—this study revealed additional novelties within the Cyatheales and Schizaeales in mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber forests. The described specimens and newly discovered fossils provide compelling evidence that Polypodiales were not only diverse and abundant but also that other fern lineages, such as Cyatheales and Schizaeales, coexisted in these ancient forest ecosystems. This study reveals the high diversity of ferns in the mid-Cretaceous Myanmar area, while also implying the paleoecological and paleogeographical significance of the Mesozoic Burmese amber forests.展开更多
The extinct new species, Chresmoda chikuni Zhang ＆ Ge, sp. nov. is described from the Mid-Cretaceous amber from northern Myanmar. This amber insect exhibits a very peculiar combination of derived characters like stro...The extinct new species, Chresmoda chikuni Zhang ＆ Ge, sp. nov. is described from the Mid-Cretaceous amber from northern Myanmar. This amber insect exhibits a very peculiar combination of derived characters like strongly elongated, free coxa, non-clawed pretarsus. The type specimens are deposited in the Three Gorges Entomological Museum, Chongqing, China.展开更多
Absract The first stag beetle found in Cretaceous Myanmar amber, Electraesalopsis beuteli Bai, Zhang ＆ Qiu gen. ＆ sp. nov., is described and illustrated on the basis of one well-preserved specimen. This specimen pro...Absract The first stag beetle found in Cretaceous Myanmar amber, Electraesalopsis beuteli Bai, Zhang ＆ Qiu gen. ＆ sp. nov., is described and illustrated on the basis of one well-preserved specimen. This specimen provides more detailed morphological characters compared with compression fossils, e.g. the highly setose antennae and the punctured elytra. However, the systematic position of the new genus is still questionable and we provisionally place it as Lucanidae incertae sedis. In addition, the discovery of Electraesalopsis Bai, Zhang ＆ Qiu gen. nov. also indicates that there is very high biodiversity in Burmese amber. The new discoveries in future studies on Burmese amber will provide more information and improve our knowledge of biogeography and early evolution of the Lucanidae.展开更多
基金This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.of 31830084,31970440&32070466)also supported by“the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities”,Nankai University(No.96172158,96173250&91822294).
文摘Many extant species spin cocoons before their pupal stage,which can protect them from predators,pathogens,and fluctuant environmental factors in nests.However,owing to the scarcity of ant cocoon fossils,little is known about the origin and evolution of this behavior in Formicidae.Here,we describe two ant pupae specimens from Myanmar amber.The presence of cocoons in these Mesozoic fossils suggests the ancestral origin of spinning cocoon behavior;based on our phylogenetic analysis and ancestral state reconstruction,this behavior was secondarily lost at least six times in Formicidae,which could be ascribed to the transition of nesting and feeding habits,as well as the development of eusociality.Moreover,the first specimen preserved worker ants with empty cocoons simultaneously,indicating garbage removal or brood care behavior,which improves our understanding of their eusociality in the Cretaceous.
文摘The evolutionary history of Eupolypods still remains unclear, especially on its diversification scenarios. In recent years, it has been found that approximately 100 million-year-old Myanmar amber provides a unique source of polypod fossils. Different families and numerous sporangia, spores, and scales have been found in Myanmar amber. These discoveries are nevertheless important because they provided the first unequivocal fossil evidence that the diversity of eupolypod ferns was present already in the mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber forest. This clearly shows that Eupolypods originated before mid-Cretaceous, probably as early as the Early Jurassic, which is consistent with the recent divergence time estimate based on molecular dating.
文摘The amber deposits from the Albian-Cenomanian in Myanmar have emerged as a pivotal source for exceptionally abundant fossil insect fauna since their initial discovery. Recent studies have increasingly focused on elucidating the fern inventory and examining newly available fossils from Myanmar amber, suggesting a diverse fern flora that once thrived in Cretaceous forests. Through investigations of amber collections, with particular emphasis on sporangium structures—especially the annulus types preserved in amber inclusions—this study revealed additional novelties within the Cyatheales and Schizaeales in mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber forests. The described specimens and newly discovered fossils provide compelling evidence that Polypodiales were not only diverse and abundant but also that other fern lineages, such as Cyatheales and Schizaeales, coexisted in these ancient forest ecosystems. This study reveals the high diversity of ferns in the mid-Cretaceous Myanmar area, while also implying the paleoecological and paleogeographical significance of the Mesozoic Burmese amber forests.
基金supported by a grant(Y229YX5105)from the Key Laboratory of the Zoological Systematics and Evolution of the Chinese Academy of Sciences
文摘The extinct new species, Chresmoda chikuni Zhang ＆ Ge, sp. nov. is described from the Mid-Cretaceous amber from northern Myanmar. This amber insect exhibits a very peculiar combination of derived characters like strongly elongated, free coxa, non-clawed pretarsus. The type specimens are deposited in the Three Gorges Entomological Museum, Chongqing, China.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31672345)Research Equipment Development Project of Chinese Academy of Sciences(YZ201509)
文摘Absract The first stag beetle found in Cretaceous Myanmar amber, Electraesalopsis beuteli Bai, Zhang ＆ Qiu gen. ＆ sp. nov., is described and illustrated on the basis of one well-preserved specimen. This specimen provides more detailed morphological characters compared with compression fossils, e.g. the highly setose antennae and the punctured elytra. However, the systematic position of the new genus is still questionable and we provisionally place it as Lucanidae incertae sedis. In addition, the discovery of Electraesalopsis Bai, Zhang ＆ Qiu gen. nov. also indicates that there is very high biodiversity in Burmese amber. The new discoveries in future studies on Burmese amber will provide more information and improve our knowledge of biogeography and early evolution of the Lucanidae.
