First report of the ticks Haemaphysalis punctata Canestrini et Fanzago, 1878, Haemaphysalis parva (Neumann, 1897) and Dermacentor marginatus (Sulzer, 1776) (Acari, Amblyommidae) from humans in Lebanon

Purpose: Knowledge on ticks infesting humans is scarce for the middle East. In this work, tick specimens (Acari: Amblyommidae) infesting humans in Lebanon were identified. Methods: Ticks that were found on humans were received in the Lebanese University, Faculty of Sciences. The specimens were preserved in alcohol for their further morphological identification morphological identification. Results: Three tick species were identified: a red sheep tick Haemaphysalis punctata Canestrini et Fanzago, 1878, a Mediterranean ear tick H. parva (Neumann, 1897), and an ornate sheep tick Dermacentor marginatus (Sulzer, 1776); all isolated from human hosts. Conclusion: This is the 1st report of Haemaphysalis punctata, H. parva and Dermacentor marginatus from central and North Lebanon infesting humans

A new chironomid (Insecta : Diptera) from Wealden amber (Lower Cretaceous) of the Isle of Wight (UK)

The first insect from the Wealden amber of the Isle of Wight (early Barremian) is formally described. Dungeyella gavini n. gen., n. sp. (Diptera: Chironomidae) is a tiny buchonomyiine/podonomian with specialised wing venation and probably lived in an araucarian riparian woodland with seasonal resin production. It is in one of the oldest-known ambers with insect inclusions

A new Coniopterygidae from Lebanese amber

We describe the oldest fossil Coniopterygidae, possibly attributable to the Coniopteryginae, in the new genus and species Libanosemidalis hammanaensis, from the outcrop Hammana / Mdeyrij in the Lower Cretaceous amber of Lebanon. This fossil shares with the extant and Cenozoic lineages of Coniopterygidae the presence of only two M branches, unlike other Cretaceous representatives of the family.We describe the oldest fossil Coniopterygidae, possibly attributable to the Coniopteryginae, in the new genus and species Libanosemidalis hammanaensis, from the outcrop Hammana / Mdeyrij in the Lower Cretaceous amber of Lebanon. This fossil shares with the extant and Cenozoic lineages of Coniopterygidae the presence of only two M branches, unlike other Cretaceous representatives of the family

Diverse barklice (Psocodea) from Late Cretaceous Vendean amber

International audienceThe fossil psocodeans from Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian to Santonian) amber of Vendée, in northwestern France, are studied. Two new genera and three new species are described and illustrated, as Proprionoglaris axioperierga n. sp. (Archaeatropidae), Scocompus atelisus n. gen. and sp. (uncertain family within the Amphientometae), and Mesopsocoides dupei n. gen. and sp. (earliest fossil record of the Mesopsocidae). The new fossils are distinguished from their congeners, and their respective systematic placement is discussed. Other fragmentary fossil psocodeans from the same outcrop are illustrated and discussed.Les psoques fossilisés dans l’ambre crétacé supérieur (Cénomanien à Santonien) de Vendée, dans le nord-ouest de la France, sont étudiés. Deux nouveaux genres et trois nouvelles espèces sont décrits et illustrés: Proprionoglaris axioperierga n. sp. (Archaeatropidae), Scocompus atelisus n. gen. et sp. (famille incertaine au sein des Amphioentometae), et Mesopsocoides dupei n. gen. et sp. (plus ancien Mesopscocidae fossile). Ces nouveaux taxons sont comparés à leurs congénères, et leur position systématique respective est discutée. D’autres psoques fossiles fragmentaires issus du même gisement sont discutés

New Jurassic amber outcrops from Lebanon

International audienceAmber predating the Lower Cretaceous is extremely rare. During the past two decades, records of discoveries of amber sites have increased considerably worldwide. We report herein the discovery of ten new outcrops of amber from the Late Jurassic in Lebanon, in addition to other nine outcrops described by Azar et al. (2010). Some of these outcrops gave large centimetric sized amber pieces. Each of these new amber outcrops is described, and its infrared spectrum is given. Though the Jurassic amber yielded to date no more than some fungal inclusions, this discovery is significant and promising especially in the reconstruction of the paleoenvironment

The earliest earwigs in amber (Dermaptera): A new genus and species from the Early Cretaceous of Lebanon

This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from http://booksandjournals.brillonline.com/.Rhadinolabis phoenicica Engel, Ortega-Blanco & Azar gen. et sp.n. is described and figured from two female earwigs preserved in Early Cretaceous amber from Lebanon, representing the oldest Dermaptera in amber. In addition a partial nymph is recorded from the same deposits. The placement of the genus among Neodermaptera is briefly discussed

First Miocene rodent from Lebanon provides the 'missing link' between Asian and African gundis (Rodentia: Ctenodactylidae)

International audience5 Ctenodactylinae (gundis) is a clade of rodents that experienced, in Miocene time, their greatest diversification and widest distribution. They expanded from the Far East, their area of origin, to Africa, which they entered from what would become the Arabian Peninsula. Questions concerning the origin of African Ctenodactylinae persist essentially because of a poor fossil record from the Miocene of Afro-Arabia. However, recent excavations in the Late Miocene of Lebanon have yielded a key taxon for our understanding of these issues. Proafricanomys libanensis nov. gen. nov. sp. shares a variety of dental characters with both the most primitive and derived members of the subfamily. A cladistic analysis demonstrates that this species is the sister taxon to a clade encompassing all but one of the African ctenodactylines, plus a southern European species of obvious African extraction. As such, Proafricanomys provides the 'missing link' between the Asian and African gundis. The Ctenodactylinae is a subgroup of the Ctenodactylidae (Ctenohystrica) that likely appeared around the Oligocene-Miocene boundary. These unique animals have since experienced a remarkable evolution involving both a shift in habitats (from moist to arid) and distribution (from Asia to Africa). Our understanding of the phylogenetic relationships within the clade has been recently much improve

Full description of Cordulagomphus primaerensis from Santana Formation (Lower Cretaceous of Brazil) (Odonata: Aeshnoptera: Proterogomphidae)

Thanks to the discovery of a new specimen, we discuss and confirm the differences proposed by Petrulevičius and Martins-Neto, 2007 (in Bechly, 2007) between Cordulagomphus (Procordulagomphus) primaerensis Petrulevičius and Martins-Neto, 2007 and its close relative Cordulagomphus (Procordulagomphus) michaeli Bechly, 2007.Fil: Petrulevicius, Julian Fernando. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Paleozoología Invertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Martins Neto, Rafael G.. Universidade Estadual do Ceará; BrasilFil: Azar, Dany. Lebanese University; LíbanoFil: Makhoul, Edouard. No especifíca;Fil: Nel, André. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Franci

The oldest representative of the Trichomyiinae (Diptera:Psychodidae) from the Lower Cenomanian French amber studied with phase-contrast synchrotron X-ray imaging

International audienceTrichomyia lengleti, sp. nov., is described from the Lower Cenomanian amber of La Buzinie, Charente (southwest France) from a piece of fully opaque amber. The Upper Albian Trichomyia swinhoei Cockerell, 1917 is transferred from the Trichomyiinae to the Sycoracinae incertae sedis, stat. nov. Trichomyia lengleti, sp. nov. is the oldest representative of the subfamily Trichomyiinae, supporting at least a Cretaceous diversification for the Psychodidae. The discovery of this fossil fly and its study (thanks to propagation-phase-contrast synchrotron X-ray imaging) improves our knowledge of the biodiversity and the historical evolution of psychodoid flies. A checklist of fossil trichomyiine species is given