First Iberian aspidothoracid megasecopteran insect and associated plants evidencing herbivory in a tropical Carboniferous forest from León, Spain
We describe Aspidothorax hispanicus sp. nov. from Gzhelian, Pennsylvanian strata of León, Spain, representing the first occurrence of Aspidothoracidae in the Iberian Peninsula. This discovery expands the paleogeographical range of the family, previously known only from the Russian Federation and...
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Institute of Paleobiology PAS
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Acta Palaeontologica Polonica |
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| Online Access: | https://www.app.pan.pl/archive/published/app70/app012032024.pdf |
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| author | ARTAI A. SANTOS ANTONIO HERNÁNDEZ-ORÚE ENRIQUE PEÑALVER STEPHEN MCLOUGHLIN JOSÉ B. DIEZ |
| author_facet | ARTAI A. SANTOS ANTONIO HERNÁNDEZ-ORÚE ENRIQUE PEÑALVER STEPHEN MCLOUGHLIN JOSÉ B. DIEZ |
| author_sort | ARTAI A. SANTOS |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We describe Aspidothorax hispanicus sp. nov. from Gzhelian, Pennsylvanian strata of León, Spain, representing the first
occurrence of Aspidothoracidae in the Iberian Peninsula. This discovery expands the paleogeographical range of the
family, previously known only from the Russian Federation and France. The new insect is preserved in close association
with foliar remains of medullosan (Alethopteris zeilleri) and callistophytalean (Pseudomariopteris cordato-ovata) seed
ferns whose environmental preferences suggest that the new insect species inhabited humid tropical forests. The fossil
leaves bear six types of damage, probably produced by insects, belonging to three functional feeding groups: margin
feeding, hole feeding, and piercing and sucking. This diversity of interactions highlights varied feeding strategies, includ
ing chewing, piercing and sucking behaviors, evidencing a more complex range of herbivory in the area than previously
known. The stylet mouthparts of Megasecoptera make these insects strong candidates for producing the piercing and
sucking damage on the associated plants. The presence of dark patches and spots on the fossil wing, probably represents
a camouflage strategy against predators, such as Palaeodictyoptera and other active hunters. The dark wing apex might
also reflect the presence of sexual dimorphism or courtship behavior. This new assemblage of insects, in addition to
plants and plant-insect interactions, contributes to a broader paleoecological understanding of the Carboniferous forests
of the La Magdalena Coalfield. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-21bb6f6627f64de3bca372ddd55ab74d |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1732-2421 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Institute of Paleobiology PAS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Acta Palaeontologica Polonica |
| spelling | doaj-art-21bb6f6627f64de3bca372ddd55ab74d2025-08-20T02:15:54ZengInstitute of Paleobiology PASActa Palaeontologica Polonica1732-24212025-03-0170111512410.4202/app.01203.2024First Iberian aspidothoracid megasecopteran insect and associated plants evidencing herbivory in a tropical Carboniferous forest from León, Spain ARTAI A. SANTOS0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2399-8825ANTONIO HERNÁNDEZ-ORÚE1ENRIQUE PEÑALVER2STEPHEN MCLOUGHLIN3JOSÉ B. DIEZ4Department of Paleobiology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Box 50007, S-104 05 Stockholm, Sweden.Nanclares de la Oca, Álava, 01230, Spain. Instituto Geológico y Min ero de España (IGME), CSIC, C/Cirilo Amorós 42, 46004, Valencia, Spain.Department of Paleobiology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Box 50007, S-104 05 Stockholm, Sweden.Departamento de Xeociencias Mariñas e Ordenación do Territorio, Facultade de Ciencias do Mar, Centro de Investigación Mariña, Universidade de Vigo (CIM-UVIGO), 36310 Vigo, Spain.We describe Aspidothorax hispanicus sp. nov. from Gzhelian, Pennsylvanian strata of León, Spain, representing the first occurrence of Aspidothoracidae in the Iberian Peninsula. This discovery expands the paleogeographical range of the family, previously known only from the Russian Federation and France. The new insect is preserved in close association with foliar remains of medullosan (Alethopteris zeilleri) and callistophytalean (Pseudomariopteris cordato-ovata) seed ferns whose environmental preferences suggest that the new insect species inhabited humid tropical forests. The fossil leaves bear six types of damage, probably produced by insects, belonging to three functional feeding groups: margin feeding, hole feeding, and piercing and sucking. This diversity of interactions highlights varied feeding strategies, includ ing chewing, piercing and sucking behaviors, evidencing a more complex range of herbivory in the area than previously known. The stylet mouthparts of Megasecoptera make these insects strong candidates for producing the piercing and sucking damage on the associated plants. The presence of dark patches and spots on the fossil wing, probably represents a camouflage strategy against predators, such as Palaeodictyoptera and other active hunters. The dark wing apex might also reflect the presence of sexual dimorphism or courtship behavior. This new assemblage of insects, in addition to plants and plant-insect interactions, contributes to a broader paleoecological understanding of the Carboniferous forests of the La Magdalena Coalfield.https://www.app.pan.pl/archive/published/app70/app012032024.pdfinsectamegasecopterapaleopteraplant-insect interactionstropical paleoecosystemgzheliancarboni ferousleón provincespain |
| spellingShingle | ARTAI A. SANTOS ANTONIO HERNÁNDEZ-ORÚE ENRIQUE PEÑALVER STEPHEN MCLOUGHLIN JOSÉ B. DIEZ First Iberian aspidothoracid megasecopteran insect and associated plants evidencing herbivory in a tropical Carboniferous forest from León, Spain Acta Palaeontologica Polonica insecta megasecoptera paleoptera plant-insect interactions tropical paleoecosystem gzhelian carboni ferous león province spain |
| title | First Iberian aspidothoracid megasecopteran insect and associated plants evidencing herbivory in a tropical Carboniferous forest from León, Spain |
| title_full | First Iberian aspidothoracid megasecopteran insect and associated plants evidencing herbivory in a tropical Carboniferous forest from León, Spain |
| title_fullStr | First Iberian aspidothoracid megasecopteran insect and associated plants evidencing herbivory in a tropical Carboniferous forest from León, Spain |
| title_full_unstemmed | First Iberian aspidothoracid megasecopteran insect and associated plants evidencing herbivory in a tropical Carboniferous forest from León, Spain |
| title_short | First Iberian aspidothoracid megasecopteran insect and associated plants evidencing herbivory in a tropical Carboniferous forest from León, Spain |
| title_sort | first iberian aspidothoracid megasecopteran insect and associated plants evidencing herbivory in a tropical carboniferous forest from leon spain |
| topic | insecta megasecoptera paleoptera plant-insect interactions tropical paleoecosystem gzhelian carboni ferous león province spain |
| url | https://www.app.pan.pl/archive/published/app70/app012032024.pdf |
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