An Exceptionally Preserved Antlion (Insecta, Neuroptera) With Colour Pattern Preservation From the Cretaceous of Brazil

Abstract

A new species of palaeoleontid neuropteran Baisopardus cryptohymen sp. nov. is described. The holotype is remarkable for the preservation of fine body structures and colour patterning on all of its four wings. The specimen is nearly complete, lacking only the abdomen and the right mesothoracic leg, and is preserved as a black-brown compression in laminated limestone of the Nova Olinda Member, Crato Formation (late Aptian, Early Cretaceous), Ceará, Brazil. The colour pattern of the forewings comprises a series of dark brown bands that overlap with colourless bands of the hindwings; it produced a cryptic colour pattern when the wings were folded.

New neuropteran insects (Osmylidae, Palaeoleontidae, Araripeneuridae and Psychopsidae) from the Santana Formation, Early Cretaceous NE Brazil

“…Other form of Baisopardus, the species B. banksianus Ponomarenko, 1992, from Russian Early Cretaceous, was based on two isolated hind wings, in which is missing the conspicuous oblique vein, the MP is clearly not fused to CuA and the CuP that the characteristics is straight ( Figure 2B). All these morphological parameters are absent from the Neurastenyx species, indicating that Baisopardus cryptoneura cannot belong to that genus, showing also that the Neurastenyx species cannot be synonymized to Baiosopardus as proposed by Heads et al (2005). Heads et al (2005) indicate the presence of a subcostal area filled by several pectinated cross veins ( Figure 2C), inexistent in the especimen here described, and that exhibits only a wing corrugation at this area.…”

“…Heads et al (2005) indicate the presence of a subcostal area filled by several pectinated cross veins ( Figure 2C), inexistent in the especimen here described, and that exhibits only a wing corrugation at this area. For otherwise, B. cryptoneura shares with Neurastenyx the presence of a conspicuous cross vein on the fore wing, possible to see on the published photograph of Heads et al (2005) however not drawn, a relatively short cubital area and a multi-branched proximal secondary branch of RP, characteristics that definitively remove B.cryptoneura from Baisopardus and includes it on Neurastenyx.…”

“…Baisoparduas cryptoneura Heads et al, 2005Heads et al (2005, when describes Baisopardus cryiptoneura, from the same Crato Member, synonymies all the Neurastenyx species to the Russian genus Baisopardus Ponomarenko, based apparently on an complete material, but in which the basal part of the wings, essential for diagnostic characters, was lacking (Ponomarenko, 1992). Other form of Baisopardus, the species B. banksianus Ponomarenko, 1992, from Russian Early Cretaceous, was based on two isolated hind wings, in which is missing the conspicuous oblique vein, the MP is clearly not fused to CuA and the CuP that the characteristics is straight ( Figure 2B).…”

New Fossil Lacewings and Antlions (Insecta, Neuroptera) From the Lower Cretaceous Crato Formation of Brazil

“…The diagnosis of this family provided by Dobruskina et al . (1997) and Heads et al . (2005) is partially erroneous, being based on misinterpretation of the venation in more poorly preserved specimens, particularly concerning M and CuA.…”

“…The order Neuroptera is one of the most significant and diverse groups of insects found in the Crato Formation, with 55 species having been described (Martins‐Neto 2000, 2003, 2005; Heads et al . 2005; Makarkin and Menon 2005, 2007; Menon et al .…”