Phytophagy on fossil ferns from Argentina (Palo Pintado Formation, Late Miocene): a review of their fossil record and ichnotaxonomy

Evidence of insect-fern interactions are described for the fi rst time from late Miocene strata of Salta Province, Argentina. Two ichnospecies are defi ned to include fossil traces of surface feeding and hole feeding, located between the secondary veins and adjacent with the primary vein of two species of fossil ferns, Blechnum serrulatiformis Anzótegui & Horn and Thelypteris interrupta (Willd.) Iwatsuki. The fi rst ichnospecies corresponding with surface feeding presents oblong traces and both ends are rounded; occupying the entire intercostal space. This type of phytophagy is found for the fi rst time in the fossil record of ferns. The second ichnospecies is similar in shape and location to the previous ichnotaxon, except that all herbivorized tissues are absent. At last, a review of the fossil record of insect-fern associations is performed.Descreve-se pela primeira vez evidência de interações inseto-samambaia no Mioceno superior da Província de Salta, Argentina. Duas icnoespecies são propostas para incluir rastros fósseis de alimentação superfi cial e alimentação em orifícios, localizadas entre as veias secundárias e adjacentes à veia primária em duas espécies de samambaias fósseis, Blechnum serrulatiformis Anzótegui & Horn e Thelypteris interrupta (Willd.) Iwatsuki. A primeira espécie corresponde à alimentação superfi cial, apresenta rastros oblongos com ambos os extremos arredondados e ocupa todo o espaço intercostal. Este é o primeiro registro de alimentação superfi cial em samambaias fósseis. A segunda espécie similar na sua forma e localização ao icnotáxon previamente descrito, exceto que todas as camadas de tecido herbivorizado estão ausentes. Finalmente, uma revisão do registro fóssil das associações inseto-samambaia também é realizada.Fil: Robledo, Juan Manuel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Sarzetti, Laura Cristina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales ; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Anzótegui, Luisa Matilde. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral; Argentin

NEW RECORDS AND ICHNOSPECIES OF LINEAR LEAF MINES FROM THE LATE MIOCENE-PLIOCENE FROM ARGENTINA AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF LEAF-MINING ICHNOTAXOBASES

The ichnospecies Cuniculonomus parallelus Givulescu 1984 and Stigmellites serpentina Kozlov 1988 are recorded for the first time in Argentina and the new ichnospecies Cuniculonomus saltensis isp. nov., Stigmellites vitatus isp. nov. and Stigmellites pervenae isp. nov are defined from two Miocene localities: Peñas Blancas and Quebrada del Horno, from northwestern Argentina. A set of characters to identify fossil linear mines is provided as well as five ichnotaxobases to differentiate the ichnogenera Cuniculonomus, Stigmellites and Phytomyzites. Two ichnospecies are now revised and included in Phytomyzites: P. arcuata (Krassilov 2008a) comb. nov. (Ophionoma) and P. crucitracta (Krassilov 2008a) comb. nov. (Troponoma). Finally, a review of fossil record of linear mines is provided

Nesting behavior and ecological preferences of five Diphaglossinae species (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Colletidae) from Argentina and Chile

The nests of Cadeguala albopilosa (Spinola, 1851), Diphaglossa gayi Spinola, 1851, Ptiloglossa tarsata (Friese, 1900), Ptiloglossa matutina (Schrottky, 1904) and Zikanapis tucumana (Moure, 1945) (Colletidae, Diphaglossinae) from Argentina and Chile are described herein. They show similar features to those of other Diphaglossinae: they consist of a main tunnel, cells disposed radially, isolated or in pairs, and connected to the main tunnel by laterals ones. Main tunnels are mostly vertical in species nesting in soil surface but horizontal to inclined in D. gayi, which nests in banks. Cells are vertical with curved necks. The cells of C. albopilosa show less curved necks (less than 90°), whereas in the remaining four species the cell neck is highly curved (90° or more). Cells of P. tarsata have a spiral earthen closure and a wad cottonlike material, whereas in P. matutina only had the last one. In the remaining studied species any type of closure were found. Cocoons of C. albopilosa and P. tarsata are coriaceous showing a closure composed of three disks. Zikanapis tucumana and possibly P. matutina showed dim-light foraging. The remaining species are diurnal. The climate in their nesting sites is highly diverse, ranging from 8°C to 20°C in mean annual temperature, and from 250 mm to 3000 mm in mean annual precipitation. Only C. albopilosa and, to a lesser extent, Z. tucumana nested gregariously. Zikanapis tucumana and P. tarsata were observed visiting flowers of Solanum.Fil: Sarzetti, Laura Cristina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales; Argentina;Fil: Genise, Jorge Fernando. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales; Argentina;Fil: Sánchez, María Victoria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales; Argentina;Fil: Farina, Juan Luis. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Municipalidad de General Pueyrredon; Argentina; Provincia de Buenos Aires. Municipalidad de General Pueyrredon. Secretaría de Cultura. Museo Municipal de Ciencias Naturales Lorenzo Scaglia; Argentina;Fil: Molina, María Alejandra. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo; Argentina; Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto Superior de Entomología; Argentina

An assemblage of large-sized insect traces in paleosols from the middle miocene of northern Patagonia related to the climatic optimum

A new assemblage of large insect trace fossils is recognized in paleosols of the middle Miocene pyroclastic deposits from extra-Andean north Patagonia. This assemblage includes Racemusichnus jacobacciensis igen. isp. nov., the largest trace fossil in paleosols attributed to solitary insects. R. jacobacciensis is represented by clusters of two to seven thickly walled cylinders horizontally orientated in the paleosol. The cluster arrangement, its orientation, the large size and wall of the cylinders suggest a dung beetle, probably a representative of the Geotrupidae as the possible trace maker. The new ichnoassemblage, also comprising large-sized specimens of Coprinisphaera ispp., Teisseirei barattinia and Feoichnus challa, belongs to the Rosellichnus assemblage-SAPIA of the Coprinisphaera Ichnofacies. Mollic paleosols along with the trace fossils, mammal remains and previous data for this unit suggest an open grassy habitat compatible with high productive grass savannas, under a temperate-warm and seasonal subhumid climate. This assemblage of large-sized trace fossils is attributed to highly productive ecosystems related to the rise of temperature occurred during the Middle Miocene Climatic Optimum.Fil: Sánchez, María Victoria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Bellosi, Eduardo Sergio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Genise, Jorge Fernando. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Kramarz, Alejandro Gustavo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Sarzetti, Laura Cristina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; Argentin

100 Ma sweat bee nests: Early and rapid codiversification of crown bees and flowering plants

100 Ma sweat bee nests reported herein are the oldest evidence of crown bees. A new phylogeny for short-tongued bees, calibrated with these nests dated with 40Ar/39Ar, attests for the first time for a late Albian rapid diversification of bees along with angiosperms. Such hypothesis lacked paleontological support until this study. The new ichnospecies Cellicalichnus krausei, which was found along with wasp trace fossils and new beetle trace fossils in the Castillo Formation of Patagonia, represents typical Halictini nests composed of sessile cells that are attached to main tunnels. According to geological, paleosol, paleobotanical, and ichnological data, bees, and angiosperms cohabited in an inland and dry environment comparable to an open dry woodland or savanna, under warm-temperate and semiarid-subhumid climate, in the Southern Hemisphere by the Albian.Fil: Genise, Jorge Fernando. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Bellosi, Eduardo Sergio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Sarzetti, Laura Cristina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Krause, Javier Marcelo. Museo Paleontológico Egidio Feruglio; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Dinghi, Pablo Adrián. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución. Grupo de Investigación en Filogeografía y Filogenias Moleculares; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Sánchez, María Victoria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Umazano, Aldo Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; ArgentinaFil: Puerta, Pablo. Museo Paleontológico Egidio Feruglio; ArgentinaFil: Cantil, Liliana Fernanda. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Jicha, Brian R.. University of Wisconsin; Estados Unido

Fossil cocoons associated with a dinosaur egg from Patagonia, Argentina

Eight fossil (Cretaceous) insect cocoons were discovered within the infillings of a broken dinosaur egg of a clutch from a Patagonian locality. Cocoons are considered to be in situ based on detailed preservation of thin, delicate walls with surface texture, infillings that are similar to the surrounding rock matrix and the clustered distribution of cocoons in only one egg out of the clutch of five eggs. According to the shape, size, and thin wall with surface texture, the cocoons are interpreted as having been produced by wasps. The wasps may have been attracted to the egg because of the presence of scavenging insects feeding on the decaying organic matter, or they may have been attracted to spiders feeding on the scavenging insects. In either scenario, after attacking the insects or spiders inside the sand infillings of the egg, the wasp larvae produced the cocoons described herein. The presence of wasps, which are at the top of the scavenging food webs, suggests that a complex community of invertebrates would have developed around rotten dinosaur eggs.Fil: Genise, Jorge Fernando. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”; ArgentinaFil: Sarzetti, Laura Cristina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”; Argentina. Museo Paleontológico Egidio Feruglio; Argentin

The nest architecture of Diadasia hirta (Jörgensen) (Apidae: Emphorini) from la Rioja Province, Northwestern Argentina

Nests of Diadasia hirta are documented here for the first time. Nests have a cylindrical turret, one vertical principal burrow, cells disposed in linear series, and an oval pollen mass. Almost all observed behavioral traits and nest architecture features resemble those of other species of Diadasia. One exceptional behavior observed was pollen removal from the nest.Fil: Sarzetti, Laura Cristina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”; ArgentinaFil: Genise, Jorge Fernando. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”; Argentin

Predation of Soil-Nesting Centris muralis (Insecta: Apidae) by Armadillos (Zaedyus pichiy) (Mammalia: Cingulata) in La Rioja Province, Northwestern Argentina

This paper documents the predation of Centris muralis by Zaedyus pichiy. It presents the first detailed observations of the predation of solitary bee nests by a mammal in soils and reports the alternative use of soil mounds as a nesting site by Centris muralis.Fil: Sarzetti, Laura Cristina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”; ArgentinaFil: Genise, Jorge Fernando. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”; Argentin

Trichothurgus bolithophilus sp. n. (Hymenoptera, Megachilidae) a bee nesting in horse manure pads in Patagonia, Argentina

A new species of Trichothurgus, described herein, T. bolitophilus sp. n., nests in dry horse manure pads in Chubut, Patagonia, Argentina. The simplest nests consisted of one main tunnel ending in a series of 2 cells without partitions between them. In the more complex ones up to 6 cells were connected laterally to the main tunnel. Nests showed signs of reutilization. The behavior of nesting in horse manure is described for the first time in bees

A leafcutter bee trace fossil from the middle eocene of patagonia, Argentina, and a review of Megachilid (Hymenoptera) ichnology

The ichnospecies Phagophytichnus pseudocircus isp. nov. is described to include trace fossils characterized by leaf-margin excisions showing eccentricity values of 0.35-0.65 and more than 270 degrees of an arc, a non cuspate margin and vein stringers or necrotic flaps of tissue along the margin. A method for determining ellipse eccentricity was performed on leaf discs obtained from the nests of the modern leafcutter bee Megachile rotundata (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), which provided objectively obtained values comparable to the trace fossil from the middle Eocene of Argentina and other world-wide ichnological records, historically and subjectively considered to be 'circular' trace fossils and attributed to leafcutter bees. The material described herein represents the first evidence for fossil Megachilidae from the Southern Hemisphere.Fil: Sarzetti, Laura Cristina. Museo Paleontológico Egidio Feruglio; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagónico; ArgentinaFil: Labandeira, Conrad C.. National Museum of Natural History; Estados Unidos. University of Maryland; Estados UnidosFil: Genise, Jorge Fernando. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagónico; Argentina. Museo Paleontológico Egidio Feruglio; Argentin