Abstract. A stem relative of dragon- and damselflies,
Brunellopteron norradi Béthoux, Deregnaucourt and Norrad gen. et sp. nov., is documented
based on a specimen found at Robertson Point (Grand Lake, New Brunswick,
Canada; Sunbury Creek Formation; early Moscovian, Pennsylvanian) and
preserving the basal half of a hindwing. A comparative analysis of the
evolution of wing venation in early odonates demonstrates that it belongs to
a still poorly documented subset of species. Specifically, it displays a
MP + CuA fusion, a CuA + CuP fusion, and a CuP + AA fusion, but it lacks the
“extended” MP + Cu / CuA fusion and the “extended” (CuP / CuA + CuP) + AA fusion,
the occurrence of which is typical of most Odonata, including Meganeura-like species. The
occurrence of intercalary veins suggests that its closest relative might be
Gallotypus oudardi Nel, Garrouste and Roques, 2008, from the Moscovian of northern France.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.