Nina D. Sinitshenkova

Fossil Insects of the Middle and Upper Permian of European Russia

Fossil insects of European Russia from the Urzhumian to Vyatkian stages are reviewed, new taxa are described, and dynamics of insect taxonomic diversity around the Permian-Triassic boundary in light of the Paleozoic-Mesozoic boundary global extinction problem is analyzed. Traces of interactions between arthropods and plants are analyzed. Insect-bearing deposits of the Late Paleozoic found in the northern and eastern areas of the East European Platform are unique on the global scale in their completeness and continuity, allowing us to trace especially comprehensively the biotic processes that occurred around the boundary described as the time of the greatest biotic catastrophe of the Phanerozoic. A total of 28 genera and 111 species are newly described. Within the range from the Urzhumian to the Permo-Triassic boundary, 15 representative successive assemblages, including 112 families, are recognized (seven in the area in question and eight in other regions of Asia, Australia, and Africa). New tools are developed for the analysis of the dynamics of diversity. These tools show an approximately equilibrium (slightly positive) dynamics in the Urzhumian and Severodvinian and a drop in diversity during the Vyatkian Age. It is shown that Permian insect assemblages acquired a substantially post-Paleozoic pattern much earlier than the end of the Paleozoic. The character of changes that took place in the Induan and Olenekian remains uncertain, but a large-scale extinction event did not occur here: most families that have not been recorded at the beginning of the Triassic are recorded again in the Middle and Upper Triassic. Nevertheless, a biotic crisis probably actually took place, but was reduced to reorganization of the biota’s structure, which provided enormous growth of biodiversity over subsequent hundreds of millions of years, rather than resulted in catastrophic extinction. This study is intended for entomologists, stratigraphers, and all readers interested in the biotic events that took place around the Permian-Triassic boundary.

New fossil mayflies (Insecta: Ephemeroptera) from the Middle Jurassic of Daohugou, Inner Mongolia, China

Jurassonurus amoenus, a new genus and species of Siphlonuridae s. l. is described from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation of the Daohugou Village, Shantou Township, Ningcheng County, Inner Mongolia, China. The new species is established by more than 20 imago and subimago specimens in relatively good condition. Detailed description and illustration of the specimens along with a review of fossil Siphlonuridae s. l. are given. Comparing with two known dominant nymph species Fuyous gregarious Zhang and Kluge, 2007 and Shantous lacustri Zhang and Kluge, 2007 from the same locality, we could not find any relationship among them. The new species is another dominant species in Daohugou beds.

Insects from the Buntsandstein of Lower Franconia and Thuringia

Upper Buntsandstein deposits (mainly Myophoria beds, Röt Formation, Early Anisian) in Lower Franconia and Thuringia have yielded a rather rich insect fauna comprising ca. 300 insect specimens assigned to ten orders: Archaeognatha (Dasyleptidae), Ephemeroptera, Blattodea, Grylloblattida, Orthoptera, Hemiptera, Glosselytrodea, Coleoptera, Mecoptera and Diptera. The systematic list of recorded insects is provided. Two species are identified as Triassodotes vogesiacus Sinitshenkova, Marchal-Papier, Grauvogel-Stamm et Gall, 2005 (Ephemeroptera: Misthodotidae) and Pseudopolycentropus triasicus Papier, Nel et Grauvogel-Stamm, 1996 (Mecoptera), which were previously described from the “Grès à Voltzia” Formation of the Vosges, the stratigraphically closest insect fauna. All grylloblattid specimens are identified as Chauliodites picteti Heer, 1864 (Chaulioditidae), known previously from the Middle Buntsandstein of Gödewitz, Saxony-Anhalt. The new genus and species Hammephemera pulchra Sinitshenkova, gen. et sp. n. (Ephemeroptera: Sharephemeridae) is described.KurzfassungDer Oberen Buntsandstein (hauptsächlich aus Myophorien-Schichten, Röt Formation, Unter-Anisium) in Unterfranken und Thüringen bringt ziemlich reiche Insektenfauna, in der ca. 300 Exemplare festgestellt wurden, die zu zehn Ordnungen gehören: Archaeognatha (Dasyleptidae), Ephemeroptera, Blattodea, Grylloblattida, Orthoptera, Hemiptera, Glosselytrodea, Coleoptera, Mecoptera und Diptera. Zwei Arten, Triassodotes vogesiacus Sinitshenkova, Marchal-Papier, Grauvogel-Stamm et Gall, 2005 (Ephemeroptera: Misthodotidae) und Pseudopolycentropus triasicus Papier, Nel et Grauvogel-Stamm, 1996 (Mecoptera) sind auch in der stratigraphisch nächsten Insektenfauna der “Grès à Voltzia” Formation der Vogesen verbreitet. Alle Grylloblattiden-Reste werden zu Chauliodites picteti Heer, 1864 (Chaulioditidae) gestellt. Neu aufgestellt werden eine neue Gattung und Art der Sharephemeridae (Ephemeroptera): Hammephemera pulchra Sinitshenkova, gen. et sp. n.

The Ephemeridea (Insecta) from the Grès à Voltzia (early Middle Triassic) of the Vosges (NE France)

The study of the Ephemeridea (385 specimens) of theGrauvogel andGall collection from the Grès à Voltzia (early Middle Triassic) of the Vosges, NE France, enabled the description of two new genera based on wings and six new genera based on nymphs. The new monotypic wing genera areToxodotes coloratus n. gen. n. sp. (Toxodotidae n. fam.) andTriassodotes vogesiacus n. gen. n. sp. (family MisthodotidaeSellards). The Misthodotidae, known until now only from the Permian, crossed the Permian/Triassic boundary and did not seem to have been affected by the end-Permian biotic crisis. Apart from the genera based on wings, six new monotypic genera are represented by nymphs only:Triassoephemera punctata n. gen. n. sp. (Triassoephemeridae n. fam.);Voltziaephemera fossoria n. gen. n. sp. (Voltziaephemeridae n. fam.), the most common species in the Grès à Voltzia;Triassomanthus parvulus n. gen. n. sp. (Triassomanthidae n. fam.);Triassonurus doliiformis n. gen. n. sp. (family SiphlonuridaeUlmer), now the oldest record of this family;Minorella virgata n. gen. n. sp. (family undetermined);Vogesonympha ludovici n. gen. n. sp. (Vogesonymphidae n. fam., Pterygota incertae sedis). Additionally,Mesoplectopteron longipes (Handlirsch) (family MesoplectopteridaeDemoulin) which was described earlier, is also present in theGrauvogel &Gall collection. The morphology of the Ephemeridea nymphs, at least for some of them, enables the interpretation of their probable habitats and life conditions, and thus contributes to our knowledge of the Grès à Voltzia palaeoenvironment.KurzfassungDie Untersuchung der Ephemeridea (385 Exemplare) derGrauvogel undGall Sammlungen aus dem Grès à Voltzia (frühe Mittel-Trias) der Vogesen, NE Frankreich ermöglicht die Aufstellung und Beschreibung von zwei neuen monotypischen Gattungen basierend auf der Flügel-Morphologie und sechs neuen monotypischen Gattungen basierend auf den Nymphen. Die neuen Flügel-Gattungen sindToxodotes coloratus n. gen. n. sp. (Toxodotidae n. fam.) undTriassodotes vogesiacus n. gen. n. sp. (Familie Misthodotidae). Die Misthodotidae, bisher nur aus dem Perm bekannt, überschritten die Perm/Trias-Grenze und scheinen von der biotischen Krise am Ende des Perms nicht beeinflusst worden zu sein. Die 6 monotypischen auf Nymphen basierenden Gattungen sindTriassoephemera punctata n. gen. n. sp. (Triassoephemeridae n. fam.);Voltziaephemera fossoria n. gen. n. sp. (Voltziaephemeridae n. fam.), die häufigste Art im Grès à Voltzia;Triassomanthus parvulus n. gen. n. sp. (Triassomanthidae n. fam.);Triassonurus doliiformis n. gen. n. sp. (Familie SiphlonuridaeUlmer), der hiermit älteste Nachweis der Familie;Minorella virgata n. gen. n. sp. (Familie unbestimmt);Vogesonympha ludovici n. gen. n. sp. (Vogesonymphidae n. fam., Pterygota incertae sedis).Mesoplectopteron longipes (Handlirsch, 1918) (Familie MesoplectopteridaeDemoulin), bereits vorher beschrieben, ist in derGrauvogel &Gall Sammlung ebenfalls vertreten. Die Morphologie einiger Ephemeridea-Nymphen erlaubt die Interpretation ihres möglichen Habitats and ihrer Lebensweise und trägt damit zur Kenntnis der Umweltbedingungen während der Ablagerung des Grès à Voltzia bei.

Upper Jurassic Lagerstätte Shar Teg, southwestern Mongolia

One of the most interesting Mesozoic Lagerstätten, Shar Teg in southwestern Mongolia, is reviewed. The geological structure and oryctocoenoses of Shar Teg are described. Shar Teg is one of the most diverse Jurassic Lagerstätten in terms of fossils represented. Fossils from Shar Teg include aquatic and terrestrial plants, mollusks, crustaceans, insects, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals. Insects are the most diverse group. To date, a total of 297 species of 161 families and 22 orders have been described or recorded in Shar Teg, making it possible to reconstruct comprehensively the Jurassic biota of the locality. The oryctocoenosis composition is peculiar; it includes only six species described from other localities. The oryctocoenosis appears to link the faunas of eastern Asia, Central Asia, and Europe. A total of 31 new species are described.

New Stoneflies (Insecta: Perlida = Plecoptera) from the Late Mesozoic Locality Khasurty, Transbaikalia

From the Lower Cretaceous locality Khasurty, western Transbaikalia, a new genus and species, Rasnitsyrina culonga, gen. et sp. nov. are described in the family Perlariopseidae. R. desiliens (Sinitshenkova, 1987), originally described in the genus Karanemoura Sinitshenkova, 1987, is transferred to the new genus. Two new species belonging to recent families are described: Dimoula khasurtensis sp. nov. (Nemouridae) and Jurataenionema rohdendorfi sp. nov. (Taeniopterygidae). All new species are described from fossils of adults.

A revision of the Jurassic Stonefly Genera Dobbertiniopteryx Ansorge and Karanemoura Sinitshenkova (Insecta: Plecoptera), with the description of new species from the Daohugou locality, China

The stonefly genera Dobbertiniopteryx Ansorge and Karanemoura Sinitshenkova are revised. Based on new material from the Middle Jurassic of Daohugou, China, two new species, D. juracapnia sp. nov. and K. manca sp. nov., are described and Karanemoura abrupta Sinitshenkova, 1987 is redescribed. K. desiliens Sinitshenkova, 1987 is excluded from Karanemoura; its position within the family Perlariopseidae remains uncertain. The placement of Dobbertiniopteryx in the modern family Capniidae is confirmed. The perfect state of preservation of the nearly complete adult stonefly remains from China made it possible to improve and extend the diagnoses of the Perlariopseidae and Dobbertiniopteryx. The geological background of the Daohugou deposits is briefly discussed.

New Mayflies (Insecta: Ephemerida = Ephemeroptera) from the Intertrappean Deposits of the Tunguska Basin, Siberia

Two new monotypic mayfly genera from Permian-Triassic deposits of the Khungtukun-2 and Khungtukun-4 localities on the Nizhnyaya Tunguska River, Evenkia are described; one, Tunephemera tungussica Sinitshenkova gen. et sp. nov., is based on a wing fragment and assigned to the family Sharephemeridae Sinitshenkova, 2002; and the other, Khungtukunia sibirica Sinitshenkova gen. et sp. nov., is based on nymphs and assigned to the family Vogesonymphidae Sinitshenkova et Papier, 2005. The mayflies described suggest Early Triassic rather than Late Permian age of the deposits.

New mayflies (Insecta: Ephemerida = Ephemeroptera) from the Upper Permian locality of Isady, Northern European Russia

Two new species of the family Protereismatidae, Alexandrinia vitta sp. nov. and A. ipsa sp. nov., are described from the Upper Permian locality of Isady (Severodvinian Stage, Poldarsa Formation). The third new species Misthodotes dubius sp. nov., belongs to the family Misthodotidae.

The latest record of mayflies of the family protereismatidae sellards (Ephemerida = Ephemeroptera) and a new species of the family misthodotidae in the Upper Permian of Europe

A new mayfly genus and species, Alexandrinia gigantea gen. et sp. nov., is described in the family Protereismatidae from the Upper Permian locality of Isady (Severodvinian Stage, Poldarsa Formation). Protereisma directum Carpenter, 1979, known from the Early Permian of Oklahoma, United States, is transferred to this new genus. Another new species, Misthodotes tshernovae sp. nov., is described in the family Misthodotidae.