Changes to the Fossil Record of Insects through Fifteen Years of Discovery

The first and last occurrences of hexapod families in the fossil record are compiled from publications up to end-2009. The major features of these data are compared with those of previous datasets (1993 and 1994). About a third of families (>400) are new to the fossil record since 1994, over half of the earlier, existing families have experienced changes in their known stratigraphic range and only about ten percent have unchanged ranges. Despite these significant additions to knowledge, the broad pattern of described richness through time remains similar, with described richness increasing steadily through geological history and a shift in dominant taxa, from Palaeoptera and Polyneoptera to Paraneoptera and Holometabola, after the Palaeozoic. However, after detrending, described richness is not well correlated with the earlier datasets, indicating significant changes in shorter-term patterns. There is reduced Palaeozoic richness, peaking at a different time, and a less pronounced Permian decline. A pronounced Triassic peak and decline is shown, and the plateau from the mid Early Cretaceous to the end of the period remains, albeit at substantially higher richness compared to earlier datasets. Origination and extinction rates are broadly similar to before, with a broad decline in both through time but episodic peaks, including end-Permian turnover. Origination more consistently exceeds extinction compared to previous datasets and exceptions are mainly in the Palaeozoic. These changes suggest that some inferences about causal mechanisms in insect macroevolution are likely to differ as well

Parthenogenesis In The Mayfly Stenonema Fermoratum (Say) Ephemeroptera: Heptageniidae

Volume: 85Start Page: 76End Page: 8

短須滑爪蜉成蟲的首次描述及其稚蟲的重新描述 (蜉蝣目 ,四節蜉科 )(英文)

The first description of the adult stage of Cloeodes longisetosus (Braasch and Soldán) is provided based on specimens reared in the laboratory from larvae collected from Hong Kong, China. These larvae also are the basis for a revised description of the larval stage of C. longisetosus. Study of the larvae confirms the placement of the species in the genus Cloeodes Traver, and C. longisetosus larvae may be distinguished from larval congeners by their relatively short maxillary palp. Male adults of C. longisetosus have a pronounced rectangular median process between the forceps bases that is unique at least among known male adult congeners, and thus indicates that such a feature may or may not be present in Cloeodes