Jumping bristletails (Insecta, Archaeognatha) from the Lower Cretaceous amber of Lebanon

Abstract

Jumping bristletails (order Archaeognatha), the basalmost order of extant insects, include some of the earliest fossil records among hexapods, yet their overall geological occurrence remains sparse and has provided little insight into their evolution. The earliest representatives of crowngroup bristletails are those in Lebanese amber (Cretaceous), hitherto known only from a single species. Here we significantly expand the known fossil record of Archaeognatha, and from the prolific Lower Cretaceous (Barremian) deposits of Lebanon. One new genus and species, Glaesimeinertellus intermedius gen. et sp. nov., and one new species, Macropsontus bachae sp. nov., are described and figured from Hammana amber, whereas one additional Macropsontus species, M. azari sp. nov., and one meinertellid morphotype are described and figured from Al-Rihan amber. The new taxa are compared with their modern and fossil relatives. Collectively, the new taxa render the Archaeognatha fauna from Lebanese amber the earliest with sufficient preservation to provide character data comparable to modern forms, highlighting the considerable morphological conservatism within the order.