A new long-winged pygmy grasshopper in Eocene Baltic amber raises questions about the evolution of reduced tegmenula in Tetrigidae (Orthoptera)

By

Skejo, Josip
Kasalo, Niko
Thomas, M. Jared
Heads, Sam W

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2024-1-9

Original Publication

Journal of orthoptera research : JOR

Volume

33

Series / Issue

Issue: 1

Pages

21--26

Subjects

Amber , Autapomorphy , Baltic , European Batrachideinae , fossil , plesiomorphy , tegmina , Tetrigidae

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Philadelphia, Penn Orthopterists' Society 1992-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/jor.33.105144

 

Abstract

Extant pygmy grasshoppers (Tetrigidae) that possess wings have the forewings reduced into scale-like tegmenula, while hind wings remain fully developed. Rusmithia gorochovigen. et sp. nov. (Tetrigidae, Batrachideinae, Rusmithinitrib. nov.) is described based on a single adult female holotype from Lithuanian Baltic amber, from the Bartonian-Priabonian age, some 40 million years ago, and this is the only known tetrigid in which tegmenula or tegmina (the forewings) extend as far as half the length of the hind femur. Besides this very unique trait, other characters of Rusmithiagen. nov. indicate similarity with extant and especially fossil Batrachideinae (genus Danatettix Thomas, Skejo & Heads, 2019). Because of the strong differences this genus and Danatettix have with American Batrachideinae, they are assigned to a new tribe, European Batrachideinae or Rusmithinitrib. nov.Acrydium bachofeni (Zeuner, 1937) might belong to this or a sibling genus based on its very long tegmenula or Succinotettix chopardi Piton, 1938, based on its 19-segmented antennae; neither species is tranferred as their types could not be examined.