<i>Brodioptera Stricklani</i> N. Sp.(Megasecoptera: Brodiopteridae),a New Fossil Insect From the UpperManning Canyon Shale Formation, Utah(Lowermost Namurian B)

Nelson, C. Riley; Tidwell, William D.

doi:10.1155/1987/52032

Cited by 20 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…For the winged (i.e., pterygote) insects, historical origins are indeterminate but probably lie in the Upper Devonian or early Lower Carboniferous. Wingless hexapods are known from 395-390 Mya (Labandeira et al 1988, Shear et al 1984, whereas fossils of pterygote hexapods (i.e., winged insects) date from approximately 325 Mya (Nelson & Tidwell 1987). By the Upper Carboniferous, pterygotes are impressively diversified into about fifteen orders (Grimaldi & Engel 2005, Labandeira & Sepkoski 1993.…”

Section: Evolutionary Transitions To Flapping Flightmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gliding and the Functional Origins of Flight: Biomechanical Novelty or Necessity?

Dudley¹,

Byrnes

Yanoviak³

et al. 2007

Annu. Rev. Ecol. Evol. Syst.

162

187

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A biomechanically parsimonious hypothesis for the evolution of flapping flight in terrestrial vertebrates suggests progression within an arboreal context from jumping to directed aerial descent, gliding with control via appendicular motions, and ultimately to powered flight. The more than 30 phylogenetically independent lineages of arboreal vertebrate gliders lend strong indirect support to the ecological feasibility of such a trajectory. Insect flight evolution likely followed a similar sequence, but is unresolved paleontologically. Recently described falling behaviors in arboreal ants provide the first evidence demonstrating the biomechanical capacity for directed aerial descent in the complete absence of wings. Intentional control of body trajectories as animals fall from heights (and usually from vegetation) likely characterizes many more taxa than is currently recognized. Understanding the sensory and biomechanical mechanisms used by extant gliding animals to control and orient their descent is central to deciphering pathways involved in flight evolution. a lizard that glided by accident: mosaics of cooption and adaptation in a tropical forest lacertid (Reptilia, Lacertidae). Bull. Averof M, Akam M. 1995. Insect-crustacean relationships: insights from comparative developmental and molecular studies.

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Section: Evolutionary Transitions To Flapping Flightmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gliding and the Functional Origins of Flight: Biomechanical Novelty or Necessity?

Dudley¹,

Byrnes

Yanoviak³

et al. 2007

Annu. Rev. Ecol. Evol. Syst.

162

187

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Wingless hexapods are known from 395-390 MYa (62-65), whereas fossils of pterygote hexapods (i.e. winged insects) date from approximately 325 MYa (66,67). By the Upper Carboniferous, pterygotes are impressively diversified into about fifteen orders (68)(69)(70)(71).…”

Section: Origins Of Flight In Insectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Evolutionary Physiology of Animal Flight: Paleobiological and Present Perspectives

Dudley

2000

Annu. Rev. Physiol.

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Recent geophysical analyses suggest the presence of a late Paleozoic oxygen pulse beginning in the late Devonian and continuing through to the late Carboniferous. During this period, plant terrestrialization and global carbon deposition resulted in a dramatic increase in atmospheric oxygen levels, ultimately yielding concentrations potentially as high as 35% relative to the contemporary value of 21%. Such hyperoxia of the late Paleozoic atmosphere may have physiologically facilitated the initial evolution of insect flight metabolism. Widespread gigantism in late Paleozoic insects and other arthropods is also consistent with enhanced oxygen flux within diffusion-limited tracheal systems. Because total atmospheric pressure increases with increased oxygen partial pressure, concurrently hyperdense conditions would have augmented aerodynamic force production in early forms of flying insects. By the late Permian, evolution of decompositional microbial and fungal communities, together with disequilibrium in rates of carbon deposition, gradually reduced oxygen concentrations to values possibly as low as 15%. The disappearance of giant insects by the end of the Permian is consistent with extinction of these taxa for reasons of asphyxiation on a geological time scale. As with winged insects, the multiple historical origins of vertebrate flight in the late Jurassic and Cretaceous correlate temporally with periods of elevated atmospheric oxygen. Much discussion of flight performance in Archaeopteryx assumes a contemporary atmospheric composition. Elevated oxygen levels in the mid-to late Mesozoic would, however, have facilitated aerodynamic force production and enhanced muscle power output for ancestral birds, as well as for precursors to bats and pterosaurs.

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“…The forceps (gonostyli) are covered with tactile setae that are probably mechanoreceptors, however their distal segments bear densely clustered setae. Another brodiopterid, B. stricklani 48, known from the Bashkirian in North America has male genitalia that are very similar with the lateral elongated claspers acting as forceps, but a closer comparison of their segmentation is not possible because of their poor state of preservation. Furthermore, our re-examination of Permian Protereisma permianum (Permoplectoptera: Protereismatidae) and Misthodotes obtusus (Permoplectoptera: Misthodotidae) revealed that the structures of male external genitalia bearing the enlarged forceps basis with a pair of five segmented forceps pointed apically and elongated slender apices of the penial lobes are homologous49.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hidden surface microstructures on Carboniferous insect Brodioptera sinensis (Megasecoptera) enlighten functional morphology and sensorial perception

Prokop

Pecharová

Ren

2016

Sci Rep

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Megasecoptera are insects with haustellate mouthparts and petiolate wings closely related to Palaeodictyoptera and one of the few insect groups that didn’t survive the Permian-Triassic mass extinction. Recent discovery of Brodioptera sinensis in early Pennsylvanian deposits at Xiaheyan in northern China has increased our knowledge of its external morphology using conventional optical stereomicroscopy. Environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) of structures, such as antennae, mouthparts, wing surfaces, external copulatory organs and cerci have shed light on their micromorphology and supposed function. A comparative study has shown an unexpected dense pattern of setae on the wing membrane of B. sinensis. In addition, unlike the results obtained by stereomicroscopy it revealed that the male and female external genitalia clearly differ in their fine structure and setation. Therefore, the present study resulted in a closer examination of the microstructure and function of previously poorly studied parts of the body of Paleozoic insects and a comparison with homologous structures occurring in other Palaeodictyopteroida, Odonatoptera and Ephemerida. This indicates, that the role and presumptive function of these integumental protuberances is likely to have been a sensory one in the coordination of mouthparts and manipulation of stylets, escape from predators, enhancement of aerodynamic properties and copulatory behaviour.

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Brodioptera Stricklani N. Sp.(Megasecoptera: Brodiopteridae),a New Fossil Insect From the UpperManning Canyon Shale Formation, Utah(Lowermost Namurian B)

Cited by 20 publications

References 6 publications

Gliding and the Functional Origins of Flight: Biomechanical Novelty or Necessity?

Gliding and the Functional Origins of Flight: Biomechanical Novelty or Necessity?

The Evolutionary Physiology of Animal Flight: Paleobiological and Present Perspectives

Hidden surface microstructures on Carboniferous insect Brodioptera sinensis (Megasecoptera) enlighten functional morphology and sensorial perception

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