Cockroaches Probably Cleaned Up after Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs undoubtedly produced huge quantities of excrements. But who cleaned up after them? Dung beetles and flies with rapid development were rare during most of the Mesozoic. Candidates for these duties are extinct cockroaches (Blattulidae), whose temporal range is associated with herbivorous dinosaurs. An opportunity to test this hypothesis arises from coprolites to some extent extruded from an immature cockroach preserved in the amber of Lebanon, studied using synchrotron X-ray microtomography. 1.06% of their volume is filled by particles of wood with smooth edges, in which size distribution directly supports their external pre-digestion. Because fungal pre-processing can be excluded based on the presence of large particles (combined with small total amount of wood) and absence of damages on wood, the likely source of wood are herbivore feces. Smaller particles were broken down biochemically in the cockroach hind gut, which indicates that the recent lignin-decomposing termite and cockroach endosymbionts might have been transferred to the cockroach gut upon feeding on dinosaur feces

Sobytie Vršanský, 2010, gen.n.

Sobytie gen.n. Type species. Sobytie tungusicum sp. n., by monotypy. Differential diagnosis. The present taxon differs from all other representatives of the family in having comparatively short Sc; expanded R with differentiated RS reaching apex, main M stem directed anteriorly, well organized V-shaped cross-veins of both wings; hindwing with a polyphagoid scheme of venation (remigium-supporting A 1 with basal short branches). Description. Both wings with distinct, mostly straight but locally zig-zag intercalaries on the lower surface of convex membrane folds (fig. 1 B, 2 D). Distinct cross veins present in both wings, changing into close network locally in clavus and hindwing CuA area. Forewing costal field wide, Sc branched. R 1 and RS weakly separated, but RS present. M expanded, branches straight or very slightly arched. CuA with anteriormost branch further branched. Anal veins branched. Hindwing with simplified venation, according to the presence of curved, branched A 1 with short blind branches in the remigium, the pleating was likely not fan-like. Sc very strong but short. R 1 very short, branched terminally, RS branches also short. Media reduced to few veins. CuA secondarily branched, with stochastical occurrence of fenestrate areas between intercalaries and cross-veins. A 1 with short basal branches and long, nearly straight anteriormost branch. Remarks. There are small (forewing length 9–13mm), similar representatives of the genus Phyloblatta, known from the Permian of Elmo in U.S.A. and Obora in Czech Republic; P. compacta (Sellards, 1908); Schneider 1984, pl VIII, figs. 9–10. Nevertheless, the shorter Sc, expanded R, different organization of M and CuA branches (see diagnosis) and much better organized V-shaped cross-veins are good arguments to distinguish the new genus. The hindwing with remigium-attached A 1 differs from the Phyloblatta, which does not have basal blind branches. Otherwise the hindwing can be compared with some Permocarboniferous Phyloblattidae (Schneider 1984) (for phylogenetic relations see discussion). RS is apparently (fig. 2 b) part of R and not M merged to the distal part of R (as in Schneider 1977, 1983), because of a regular venation in that area – this pattern is characteristic for phyloblattid descendants (unless RS is actually a merged cockroach M in general). Zig-zag intercalaries forming a secondary corrugation (see Schneider 1984 a, pp. 9–14, pls. 2, 5) appear increasingly from the Early Permian and are typical for most Late Permian phyloblattids. Intercalaries are distributed on the bottom side of the membrane, which rises over the wing profile near them (see fig. 1 B). Etymology. The genus name is the transliteration of обытие (Russian for event); gender neuter.Published as part of Vršanský, Peter, 2010, A new genus and species of cockroach (Blattida: Phyloblattidae) from the Permian / Triassic boundary beds of Tunguska Basin in eastern Siberia, Russia, pp. 55-61 in Zootaxa 2353 on pages 56-57, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.27564

Sobytie tungusicum

Sobytie tungusicum gen. et sp.n. (Figs. 1–2) Holotype. PIN 2010 / 16 (14). Part and counterpart of all four wings (two complete). Russia, Krasnoyarsk Territory, Bugarikta River, Bugarikta Formation (lower part). Description. Forewing length 12 mm. Sc with 6 veins meeting margin, one Sc branch dichotomised. R 1 with 11, RS with 7 veins ending at margin. The basalmost R branched terminally. M and CuA each ending with 7 veins at margin. Diagonal kink (pseudovein in clavus) separating the posteriormost third of clavus distinctly. Characteristic V-shaped reticulation apparent in cubital, medial and the two most apical radial areas. Main veins dark, appearing black when compared with paler brown intercalaries and rest of wing. Coloration monochromatic, probably pale brown. Hindwing Sc simple. R 1 is only indicated by the basalmost branch with 4 veins at margin; RS expanded, with 9 veins meeting margin. M reduced to 4 veins. CuA with seven veins at margin and an additional blind branch. A 1 with 3 basal branches. Hindwing without coloration. Derivation of name. The specific name tungusicum is derived from the major river of the region, the Nižnaja Tunguska River.Published as part of Vršanský, Peter, 2010, A new genus and species of cockroach (Blattida: Phyloblattidae) from the Permian / Triassic boundary beds of Tunguska Basin in eastern Siberia, Russia, pp. 55-61 in Zootaxa 2353 on pages 57-59, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.27564

Blattes de l’ambre albien français d’Archingeay (Insecta, Blattida)

Le but de cet article est d’évaluer la composition taxonomique et la diversité du plus riche assemblage de blattes fossiles dans l’ambre du Mésozoïque, et de les comparer avec celles des sédiments mésozoïques. L’assemblage étudié provient du gisement Albien terminal (Crétacé inférieur) d’Archingeay-Les Nouillers, dans le Sud-Ouest de la France. Deux blattes fossilisées dans un morceau d’ambre opaque sont reconstruites pour la première fois de façon très détaillée au moyen de l’imagerie en contraste de phase par rayonnement X synchrotron, une technique développée récemment pour analyser les inclusions de l’ambre. Les Blattulidae Vishniakova, 1982, représentés ici par Batola nikolai n. gen., n. sp., et Globula lake n. gen., n. sp., sont numériquement dominants comme dans le registre sédimentaire ; les Liberiblattinidae Vršanský, 2002, représentés par Leptolythica vincenti n. gen., n. sp., et les Mesoblattinidae Handlirsch, 1906, représentés par Sivis odpo n. gen., n. sp., sont sub-dominants ; une nouvelle famille, Eadiidae n. fam., avec Eadia aidae n. gen., n. sp., est présente uniquement dans l’ambre d’Archingeay et l’ambre contemporain du Myanmar ; et une nouvelle famille, non décrite ici, est endémique de ce gisement français. Les Caloblattinidae Vršanský &amp; Ansorge, 2000, généralement communs dans les assemblages sédimentaires du Mésozoïque supérieur, sont rares ici du fait de leur grande taille et donc d’un faible potentiel de piégeage dans la résine. L’assemblage étudié ici diffère considérablement des assemblages standards d’empreintes fossiles du Crétacé inférieur. Cependant, malgré une composition taxonomique différente au niveau des genres, et du fait de conditions de préservation particulières, cette association dans l’ambre montre une diversité spécifique comparable, assez faible.The aim of the present paper is to evaluate the taxonomic composition and diversity of the richest fossil cockroach assemblage from Mesozoic amber and to compare them with those of the Mesozoic sedimentary record. The studied assemblage originated from the Late Albian (Early Cretaceous) deposit of Archingeay-Les Nouillers in southwestern France. Phase-contrast X-ray synchrotron imaging, a technique recently developed for analysing amber inclusions, is used here for the first time to reconstruct very detailed views of two cockroach specimens fossilised in a piece of opaque amber. The Blattulidae Vishniakova, 1982, here represented by Batola nikolai n. gen., n. sp. and Globula lake n. gen., n. sp. were, analogically as in sedimentary record, dominant; Liberiblattinidae Vršanský, 2002, represented by Leptolythica vincenti n. gen., n. sp.; and Mesoblattinidae Handlirsch, 1906, represented by Sivis odpo n. gen., n. sp. were subdominant; the new family Eadiidae n. fam., with Eadia aidae n. gen., n. sp. occurs only in the present and Myanmar ambers; and a new, here not described family is yet only indigenous to this locality. Caloblattinidae Vršanský &amp; Ansorge, 2000 are rare apparently due to their large size and thus low resin-burial potential, in spite of their fairly common occurrence in the Late Mesozoic assemblages of rock fossil. The present assemblage considerably differs from the standard conservative worldwide Early Cretaceous assemblages of imprint fossils. In spite of alternative taxonomic composition at generic level, however, and due to the particular burial conditions in amber, this association is of a comparable, rather low, specific diversity.</p

Cyber security and the international law

The Cyber security topic becomes a complex, interdisciplinary and multidimensional problem in the contemporary theory and practice of the International Law

New genus and species of cavernicolous cockroach (Blattaria, Nocticolidae) from Vietnam

The new, small cavernicolous species Helmablatta louisrothi gen. et sp. n. (Nocticolidae) from the Tan-Phu cave (Vietnam) is one of the most morphologically interesting cockroaches. The extremely modified upstanding tergal gland composite from three tergites and may serve for gripping the female head during copulation. This presumption is supported by the presence of a central big hook on tergite 8. Furthermore, both wing pairs are uncommonly adapted to help releasing sex pheromones without raising the wings. Histone 3 DNA-based maximum likelihood analyses indicate a recent origin and close phylogenetic relationship between Nocticola spp. and Helmablatta sp.—consistent with the Quaternary age of the source lava tubes

Paleocene origin of the cockroach families Blaberidae and Corydiidae: Evidence from Amur River region of Russia

Vršanský, Peter, Vidlička, Ľubomír, Barna, Peter, Bugdaeva, Eugenia, Markevich, Valentina (2013): Paleocene origin of the cockroach families Blaberidae and Corydiidae: Evidence from Amur River region of Russia. Zootaxa 3635 (2): 117-126, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3635.2.

Dinosaur-age wood decomposing cockroach with coprolite and its ecological context.

<p><b>A)</b> wood fragment no. 123 (coprolite no. 3), volume 23077 µm³ (TRC- parenchymatous tangential ray cells); <b>B)</b> Lebanese amber (Blattulidae 1094A-I), length (head to leg end): 3.8 mm; <b>C)</b> a virtual synchrotron section (∼1.2 mm) through coprolite no. 3, wood particles are pale; <b>D)</b> percentual representation of volume of the respective wood particles; <b>E)</b> distribution analysis of simple particle count of 280 wood fragments present in all five coprolites plotted over the fragment size; <b>F)</b> Ratios of the Blattulidae and “<i>Voltziablatta</i>”- group – families that replaced each other during the Triassic (interrupted arrow) – to all cockroaches, plotted over the timescale (in Ma). The origin and extinction of dinosaurs are pointed with arrows. “N in %” means percentual representation of number of specimens, “spp in %” is a percentual representation of species. Original data.</p

Distribuition of living dung-feeding cockroaches supporting their common and cosmopolitan distribution [41], exclusively in dark (nocturnal, cave or under dung) environments.

<p>Feeding of diverse cockroaches on bird excrements and also facultative feeding on reptile and amphibian dungs is apparent. Based on Bell et al. <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0080560#pone.0080560-Bell1" target="_blank">[12]</a>, Christoffersen & De Assis <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0080560#pone.0080560-Christoffersen1" target="_blank">[49]</a> and Roth & Willis <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0080560#pone.0080560-Roth3" target="_blank">[115]</a>.</p