New Jurassic predatory cockroaches (Blattaria: Raphidiomimidae) from Daohugou, China and Karatau, Kazakhstan

Liang, Junhui; Shih, Chungkun; Ren, Dong

doi:10.1080/03115518.2017.1374460

Cited by 11 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…If Proceroblatta does not have fanwise folding, the hindwing would be an important difference with Ensiferoblatta . Noteworthily, the combination of long cerci and sword-shaped ovipositor is also found from some Mesozoic cockroaches, namely, Karatovoblatta and Falcatusiblatta ( Vishnyakova, 1968 ; Liang, Shih & Ren, 2017 ). However, other characters of these genera do not exhibit relationships to Proceroblatta .…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…, plant litter, crevices and burrows), which are, as shelters, preferred by most extant cockroaches. Their habitus is reminiscent of fossil cockroach families Raphidiomimidae and Manipulatoridae, and extant cockroach genus Saltoblattella : Raphidiomimidae have elongate and prognathous head and might be predators ( Vishnyakova, 1973 ; Vršanský, Vishniakova & Rasnitsyn, 2002 ; Grimaldi & Engel, 2005 ; Liang, Vršanský & Ren, 2012 ; Liang, Shih & Ren, 2017 ), Manipulatoridae have exceptionally long appendages (antennae and maxillary palpi in particular) and might be flower-visiting herbivores ( Li & Huang, 2022 ; but see Vršanský & Bechly, 2015 ), and Saltoblattella is a jumping cockroach with well-developed saltatorial legs ( Bohn et al, 2010 ). Their assumed habits have associations with open habitats.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is believed that this type of cockroaches became extinct by Cenozoic, but little is known about how far they went. Long, stiff, external ovipositors were occasionally documented in fossils from latest Carboniferous (sword-shaped or simply spinous: Laurentiaux, 1951 ; Laurentiaux, 1959 ; Bekker-Migdisova, 1962 ) to Early Cretaceous (sword-shaped: Vishnyakova, 1986 ; Ren et al, 1995 , therein dated to Jurassic), remarkably in the Jurassic ( Vishnyakova, 1968 ; Liang, Shih & Ren, 2017 ). New fossils described herein demonstrate that the history of this type of cockroaches is longer than formerly known.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…During the Jurassic, ovipositors in various length co-occurred: some are very long, and likely blade-like or sword-shaped ( e.g. , Vishnyakova, 1968 ; Liang, Shih & Ren, 2017 ), some extend only a short distance outside the abdomen ( e.g. , Vishnyakova, 1968 ; Liang, Vršanský & Ren, 2012 ), and others are intermediate.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Atypical ‘long-tailed’ cockroaches arose during Cretaceous in response to angiosperm terrestrial revolution

Li¹,

Huang²

2023

PeerJ

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Typical cockroaches are flat, broad, with large pronotum and wings covering the body. This conserved morphotype dates back to the Carboniferous, during which the ancestral cockroaches, or roachoids, originated. On the other hand, the ovipositor of cockroaches gradually reduced during the Mesozoic, coupled with a major shift of reproductive strategy. By the Cretaceous, long external ovipositors became rare, most cockroaches used very short or even hidden internal ovipositors to fabricate egg cases (oothecae), which is an innovation for egg protection. Here, we describe two cockroaches from mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber: Ensiferoblatta oecanthoides gen. et sp. nov. (Ensiferoblattidae fam. nov.) and Proceroblatta colossea gen. et sp. nov. They are slim, elongate, fusiform, with longitudinal pronotum, and have long external ovipositors. The combination of these traits represents a unique morphotype, which resembles crickets and katydids (Ensifera) more than general cockroaches. Ensiferoblatta and Proceroblatta may be arboreal, feeding on and/or laying eggs into certain angiosperms that newly emerged. Their open habit causes latent impairment to viability, and may contribute to their extinction. These new taxa are the youngest members of the ancient, extinct group of cockroaches, namely Eoblattodea, which are characterized by long ovipositors. We speculate that the extinction of certain gymnosperm hosts almost ended the 200-My triumph of Eoblattodea. Despite an attempt to adapt to angiosperm hosts, Ensiferoblatta, Proceroblatta and suchlike cockroaches as an evolutionary dead end failed to save Eoblattodea from extinction. The lack of protection for eggs (maternal care in particular) might accelerate the extinction of Eoblattodea as a whole.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 95%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Atypical ‘long-tailed’ cockroaches arose during Cretaceous in response to angiosperm terrestrial revolution

Li¹,

Huang²

2023

PeerJ

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“…Type-B spination is common within cockroaches, and no species of this type was reported as an obligate predator. Raphidiomimidae, the most comparable fossil family, resemble Manipulatoridae in habitus to a great extent (see Section 3 ), and this family was also considered to be predators based on elongate habitus, modified prognathous head and spinose forelegs [ 41 , 42 , 43 ] (but note the species described in [ 43 ] are far different from Raphidiomimidae in the ovipositor). This reasoning is similar to that for Manipulatoridae [ 4 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predators or Herbivores: Cockroaches of Manipulatoridae Revisited with a New Genus from Cretaceous Myanmar Amber (Dictyoptera: Blattaria: Corydioidea)

Huang

2022

Insects

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Manipulator modificaputis Vršanský and Bechly, 2015 (Manipulatoridae, Corydioidea) is a purported predatory cockroach from Cretaceous Myanmar amber, based on a single male. It is distinctive by the nimble head, elongate pronotum and legs, and particularly by the extraordinarily long maxillary palpi. In the present study, we redescribe Manipulator modificaputis based on six new fossils including males and females, and comment on the original description. The closely related Manipulatoides obscura gen. & sp. nov. is proposed on the basis of five fossils, including males and females. It differs from Manipulator in weaker spination of the legs, including the type-C forefemoral spination instead of the type-A of Manipulator. Some undetermined adults and nymphs are also described. We discuss the ethology of Manipulatoridae and speculate that they might feed on flowers. They are unlikely to be specialized predators since they lack necessary weaponry for capturing prey; in contrast, their unique morphotype appears to be suitable for efficient foraging and locomotion amid flowering twigs. The possibility of being kleptoparasites of the spider-web is also discussed. In addition, regenerated four-segmented tarsi are found from the new species.

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Blattaria – Cockroaches

Liang

Shih

Ren

2019

Rhythms of Insect Evolution

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New Jurassic predatory cockroaches (Blattaria: Raphidiomimidae) from Daohugou, China and Karatau, Kazakhstan

Cited by 11 publications

References 14 publications

Atypical ‘long-tailed’ cockroaches arose during Cretaceous in response to angiosperm terrestrial revolution

Atypical ‘long-tailed’ cockroaches arose during Cretaceous in response to angiosperm terrestrial revolution

Predators or Herbivores: Cockroaches of Manipulatoridae Revisited with a New Genus from Cretaceous Myanmar Amber (Dictyoptera: Blattaria: Corydioidea)

Blattaria – Cockroaches

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